Category Archives: Financial Planning

Spring cleaning? Know which records to keep

April 29, 2019 | Financial Planning, IRS Regulation, Tax Planning

If you’re spending one of Maine’s many rainy spring days to clean up your home or office, you may want to purge yourself of some old paperwork. But before completely cleaning out your filing cabinet or deleting old files from your computer, it’s important to know what you should hold on to and what you  Continue Reading »

Making Smart Mergers and Acquisitions under Today’s Tax Law

March 1, 2019 | Business Plans, Financial Planning

Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), many businesses in Maine and beyond will pay less federal income taxes in 2018 and going forward. Some of these will spend their tax savings to merge with or acquire another business. Before jumping on the M&A bandwagon, you do need to understand how such transactions  Continue Reading »

7 Year-End Tax Planning Moves for Small Businesses

November 12, 2018 | Financial Planning, Tax Planning

  There is still time for business owners in Maine and elsewhere to significantly reduce their tax bills for 2018. Taking the changes included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (ACJA), here are seven year-end moves to consider: 1. Claim 100% Bonus Depreciation for Asset Additions Thanks to the TCJA, first-year bonus depreciation of  Continue Reading »

How Tax Reform Affects Tax Planning for C Corporations

August 27, 2018 | Financial Planning, Tax Planning, Tax Preparation

Of all the changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), one of the biggest is the permanent installation of a flat 21% federal income tax rate for C corporations for tax years beginning after 2017. This new 21% applies equally to personal service corporations (PSCs) that were previously taxed more heavily than other  Continue Reading »

Effects of the Tax Law Vary Based on Major Life Events

July 23, 2018 | Business Plans, Financial Planning, IRS Regulation, Tax Planning, Uncategorized

The one thing that never changes is that life is always changing. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has made huge changes to the federal income tax rules for individuals. But how will you, your family, and your business be affected? It depends on your specific circumstances. Major life changes, both personal and business,  Continue Reading »

IRS Encourages Taxpayers to Check Withholding

July 18, 2018 | Financial Planning, Tax Planning, Tax Preparation

Are your employees having enough money withheld from their regular paychecks? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has made a number of significant changes to the tax rules for individuals for 2018 through 2025. Consequently, many taxpayers, in Maine and elsewhere, who previously itemized their deductions are likely to claim the standard deduction starting  Continue Reading »

Sales Tax: Supreme Court Ruling Affects Retailers and Consumers

July 16, 2018 | Court Rulings, Financial Planning, Tax Planning

  A new U.S. Supreme Court ruling paves the way for states such as Maine to require Internet sellers to collect sales tax from consumers — even when they don’t have a physical presence in the state. (South Dakota v. Wayfair, No. 17-494, June 21, 2018) With this ruling, the Court has reversed the long-standing, albeit controversial,  Continue Reading »

New Tax Benefits of Hiring Your Kid

July 9, 2018 | Financial Planning, IRS Regulation, Tax Planning

Summer jobs remain an effective way for kids to learn about fiscal responsibility, save for college or even retirement, and supplement their spending money for the next school year. If you’re a Maine business owner, think about hiring your child or grandchild as a legitimate employee. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) it  Continue Reading »

Does Your Business Need a Temporary CFO?

July 2, 2018 | Business Plans, Financial Planning, Fraud Prevention, Uncategorized

Does your Maine company need a chief financial officer but you can’t afford to hire one full time? Or do you need someone to help prepare your business to be sold, handle a special project, or cover for an executive who is ill or left the organization? A temporary, or interim, CFO usually has a variety  Continue Reading »

Got Bitcoin? Virtual Currency Complicates Tax Reporting

June 4, 2018 | Financial Planning, IRS Regulation, Tax Planning, Tax Preparation, Uncategorized

Bitcoin has been around for almost 10 years. But the tax rules associated with “virtual currency” are constantly evolving. In 2018, tax matters will become even more complicated for because relevant provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act take effect starting in 2018. This is what you should know about the brave (relatively) new world  Continue Reading »