Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert September 2023

An “innocent spouse” may be able to escape tax liability

When a married couple files a joint tax return, each spouse is “jointly and severally” liable for the full amount of tax on the couple’s combined income. Therefore, the IRS can pursue either spouse to collect the entire tax — not just the part that’s attributed to one spouse or the other. This includes any tax deficiency that the IRS assesses after an audit, as well as any penalties and interest. But there may be relief. A brief sidebar addresses what to do about future returns.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert May 2023

Bolster wealth management with trusts

Trusts can help affluent individuals and families manage, protect and grow their wealth. But there are a wide variety to choose from, so it’s important to understand the basic concepts behind trusts before choosing one. This article defines trusts and provides an example of how one popular trust type works. A sidebar looks at another example: intentionally defective grantor trusts.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert April 2023

Thinking about converting your home into a rental property?

In some cases, homeowners move to new residences, but keep their present homes and rent them out. Homeowners who are considering this are probably already aware of the financial risks and rewards of doing so. However, they should also know that renting out a personal residence carries potential tax benefits and pitfalls.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert March 2023

SECURE 2.0 law may make you more secure in retirement

A new law was recently passed that will help Americans save more for retirement, although many of the provisions don’t kick in for a few years. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0) was signed into law on December 29, 2022. A sidebar discusses changes to Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts available to certain disabled taxpayers.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert February 2023

Protect your business with meticulous records

Running a business requires that strong, supportable records be kept. Every expense that appears on a tax return might have to be defended if the IRS decides to audit the return. And failing to operate in a businesslike manner and keep good records might lead the IRS to deem the activity a hobby rather than a business. This means expenses may be limited or disallowed. This article and a sidebar illustrate how the IRS (and sometimes the courts) view business records, what they’re looking for and what’s considered acceptable substantiation.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert January 2023

6 key tax Q&As for 2023

Right now, taxpayers may be more concerned about their 2022 tax bills than about how to handle their personal finances in the new year. However, as they deal with their annual tax filing, it’s a good idea to also familiarize themselves with pertinent tax-related amounts that may have changed in 2023. This article poses six key questions about such amounts, including those related to retirement planning and the itemized deduction.

Important 1099 Deadline Approaching

The IRS issued Schedule K2 and K3 beginning in tax year 2021 requiring S corporations and partnerships to report additional information related to certain foreign transactions.

Batley CPA Tax & Business Alert December 2022

What’s your taxpayer filing status?

For many people, December 31 means a New Year’s celebration. However, from a tax perspective, it means thinking about which filing status a taxpayer will use for that year’s tax return. This article reviews the five statuses. A sidebar looks at whether a married person can file as “head of household.”

New Wisconsin LLC Laws

On April 15th, 2022, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed the 2021 Wisconsin Act 258 into law.