administrator No Comments

What Is an Audit?

The word “audit” can be thrown around a lot in casual conversation. When an accounting professional uses it, it means something very specific. We’ll discuss this and other uses of the term “audit” in this article. Financial Audit A financial audit is an official service designed to inspect the accounting records, technology, and processes of an organization. An audit can only be conducted by a licensed CPA that is independent of the organization. Independence is a special term Read more [...]
administrator No Comments

SECURE Act and Required Minimum Distributions Proposed IRS Regulations

When the SECURE Act went into effect on January 1, 2020, there were many open questions from tax professionals and taxpayers about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) and how certain provisions of the new legislation should be treated. Some of the language in a number of the provisions was not defined well or was left open to substantial interpretation. However, earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Treasury released proposed regulations under the SECURE Act, which help to provide a window Read more [...]
administrator No Comments

Estimated Tax Payments – Do They Apply to You?

There are two ways to make income tax payments to the IRS throughout the year: through the withholding amount on your paycheck, and through making estimated tax payments. If you have ever wondered about estimated tax payments, this article will explain what they are, if you need to make them, and how to make them if they are required for your tax situation. Although you may never have had to worry about them before, a change in your income/situation may put you in a position of needing to make Read more [...]
administrator No Comments

Do You Have a Bank Account in a Country Outside of the United States?

If you have a bank account in a foreign country, you may need to disclose it to a branch of the government that fights financial crimes. This is what tax professionals call FBAR reporting. FBAR stands for Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report. Your foreign bank accounts may also impact your tax returns. Let’s take a look at this requirement. FinCEN and FBAR The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that collects and analyzes Read more [...]
administrator No Comments

Learning About S Corporation Shareholder Basis

General Definition If you have ownership in an S corporation, it is important to have a general understanding of basis. This number called “basis” increases and decreases with the activity of the company. The IRS defines it as the amount of a shareholder’s investment in the business for tax purposes. When the S corporation files a tax return (Form 1120S), all shareholders receive a K-1 form to show profits, losses and deductions allocated to the shareholder. The K-1 does not state the Read more [...]