Author: Donohoo Accounting Services

6 Tips For Homeowners To Maximize Their Tax Deductions

Owning a home is one of the biggest investments most people make in their lifetime. Being aware of tax deductions and other credits available will give this big purchase every opportunity to pay you back a little come tax time. Here are six tips for homeowners to maximize your tax deduction:

Tip #1: Be Organized

Keep detailed records of your home-related expenses, financial documents and receipts. Most federal income tax deductions and credits require a paper trail, so the more organized your records are, the easier the process will be and the more likely it is that nothing will be missed or forgotten.

Tip #2: Deduct Your Mortgage Interest

If your mortgage is less than $750,000, you can deduct the interest you pay on the loan for no more than two residences. This could be your primary residence, summer home, or even a boat if it has plumbing or a bathroom. You can also include interest you may have paid when you closed on your home.

If you own more than two properties, be sure to use the deductions from the property that will give you the largest tax deduction — it may not necessarily be the property with the biggest mortgage payment.

Tip #3: Deduct Your Home Office Space

If you work from home in a dedicated space, you can deduct that space on your taxes. The current tax law allows you to deduct $5 for each square foot of office space, up to 300 square feet. This law has been taken advantage of by some, which is why it has earned a reputation of being an audit trigger. Make sure the space you deduct is exclusively used for your business or side hustle.

Tip #4: Deduct Your Property Taxes

With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, deducting your property taxes is still possible but not as flexible as it once was. You can now deduct up to $10,000, and that includes a combination of state and local tax deductions and state and local property tax deductions.

Tip #5: Consider Energy Efficient Upgrades

Tax incentives have changed for these types of upgrades, but some are worth looking into. Purchases for electric and water heating equipment, solar panels, rain barrels and drought tolerant landscaping may apply. Make sure to do your due diligence and triple check the specific requirements and deadlines for these green projects.

Tip #6: Age-In-Place Deductions

If you plan to live in your residence as you get older, you may be able to deduct expenditures for home improvement projects that will assist you as you age. Upgrades such as wheelchair ramps, lowering cabinets and electrical fixtures, and installing bathtub grab bars may qualify.

Donohoo Accounting Services is here to help you understand the IRS rules and determine the types of tax deductions you may be eligible for. With more than 20 years of experience in the business, we can help you reduce your tax burden by finding every deduction possible. If you would like to set up a free consultation, contact us at 513-528-3982. For more tips and our latest updates, check us out on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn!

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4 Personal Finance Tips To Start The New Year Right

2020 is quickly coming to a close, and many of us will be glad to see it go. Now is the time to get ahead of the game and get your money in order for 2021. Don’t know where to begin? No worries! Here are some helpful tips.

Get Organized

You can file taxes after the new year, so now’s a good time to get all your ducks in a row. In January and early February, you’ll be receiving important documents in the mail including your W2, mortgage interest statement (1098), or student loan interest statement (1098-E.) Most companies, by law, have until January 31 to mail statements, so keep an eye out.

Designate a single location where you’ll keep these documents so they are easily accessible when you’re ready to file taxes. You can use a folder, drawer, box or other container. Put a large “taxes” label on it and use the container for tax-related documents only, not other mail or bills. But you may want to keep it near where you sort mail, so you can immediately put the documents in their home.

Then start gathering other items you’ll need for filing taxes, including charitable contribution and expense receipts. Qualified expenses depend on your situation, but could include expenses related to childcare, medical, work (mileage, supplies, relocation) and education.

Donohoo Accounting Services can help you navigate the complicated tax structure. In addition to income tax preparation, we handle payroll tax prep, tax levies and liens, back taxes, end tax penalties, estate tax return preparation and more.

Make Year-End Charitable Contributions

Many charities do a final fundraising push at the end of the year, so you’ll probably receive solicitations asking for support. If you want to help non-profit organizations while also possibly reducing your taxable income, make your donations by December 31. Contributions are deductible in the year made. Thus, donations charged to a credit card before the end of the year will count in that year – even if the credit card bill isn’t paid until later. You’ll want to make sure the charity is eligible. Many times, the charity will note its “501c3” status, which is IRS speak for tax-exempt. You can also use the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. If you live in the Greater Cincinnati area, check out our blog for four great local non-profit organizations.

Take an Assessment of Where You Stand Financially

Now’s a good time to take a hard look at your income, debt, expenses, retirement funds, college and emergency savings. Are you on track to meet financial goals? If yes – great! If no – why are you falling short? To properly move forward into the next year, you need a realistic picture of where you are now. Put pen to paper and write down all the numbers. It helps to see everything in black and white.

Make a Financial New Year’s Resolution (Or Better Yet – Create A Plan You’ll Stick With All Year)

Once you know where you stand currently, you can create a plan for 2021. Perhaps you want an emergency savings fund. You never know when the furnace is going to go out, someone in your family has a medical issue or there’s a company layoff. Experts say you should have enough emergency savings to cover three to sixth months of expenses. Maybe you have all your financial bases covered but want to take an exotic vacation? Set the goal, create a plan and start saving for that overseas beach trip.

Although it’s a busy holiday season, set aside time to get your money in order for the new year. Once you’re ready to file taxes, turn to Donohoo Accounting Services, locally owned and operated by Cincinnati native, Duane Donohoo. Give us a call at 513-528-3982 to arrange your complimentary consultation to see how we can help find the most deductions possible for your personal taxes. And don’t forget to check us out on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for our latest updates!

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Four Important Tax Tips for Nonprofits

As the close of the calendar year approaches, it may seem to be too early to start thinking about tax season. On the other hand, now may be the best time for nonprofit leaders to begin gathering the advice – and the documents – that they’ll need to maintain their organization’s tax-exempt status for 2021. These four important tips will help to get you on the right track:

Know Your Forms

Even though tax-exempt organizations don’t file taxes, most (except religious and political nonprofits) are required to annually file what’s known as a 990. However, there are four different IRS Form 990s. Which form your organization completes depends on its size in terms of its assets, gross receipts and funding sources.

  • Form 990-N (now only filed electronically) is for nonprofits that take in less than $50,000 from public sources over the course of the year. The form’s eight questions make it quick and easy to file.
  • Your nonprofit will file Form 990EZ only if it had less than $200,000 in gross receipts from public sources or it has a total of less than $500,000 in assets.
  • If your nonprofit is a non-public tax-exempt organization, such as a private foundation that uses the resources of an endowment or other privately-funded sources, then 990-PF is the required IRS filing.
  • Finally, IRS Form 990 is the form for large, established nonprofits that had $200,000 or more in gross receipts throughout the year, or if its assets total $500,000 or more.

Maintain Good Records

Having accurate records of your nonprofit’s finances are, of course, important to have throughout the year, as well as at tax time. But they aren’t the only records necessary for filing your 990. It’s also important to maintain detailed records of the organization’s structure, its board members, salaries paid, and its departmental and programming budgets.

Depending on the organization’s make-up, you may be required to file additional schedules with your 990. In addition to having this information accessible at tax time, prospective donors will appreciate your nonprofit’s transparency if it’s also available when they’re researching organizations worthy of their contributions.

Do a Double-Take

Because your annual 990 tax filing is essentially an application to retain your organization’s tax-exempt status, submitting an incomplete or incorrectly completed form may result in penalties, rejection or denial of its nonprofit standing. That’s why having someone check your work – and especially, to verify the accuracy of your records – is so vitally important.

Trust a Professional

Although software, websites and well-meaning individuals may be available to walk you through the process of completing your nonprofit’s Form 990, consider hiring a tax professional to do the job. Working with a tax professional not only saves time, but it also may save you the headache of re-filing in the new year. Donohoo Accounting Service is prepared to answer your questions before, during and after the tax-filing season. Talk with one of our accountants or schedule an appointment today by calling 513-528-3982 or contacting us via our website. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for our latest updates!

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6 Common Mistakes Business Owners Make on Their Taxes

Filing your small business’s tax return may be a dreaded task you’re tempted to put off until April 14, but we advise that you don’t. That’s because mistakes are made when you’re in a rush, resulting in interest charges, penalties or unwanted attention from the IRS. Mistakes can be avoided by being prepared and planning ahead. Here are the 6 most common tax mistakes business owners make:

Mistake #1: Filing late

It’s important to file your taxes on time to avoid a 5 percent per month penalty by the IRS (that increases until the return is filed), a 6 percent interest penalty and a late payment penalty. You can request a filing extension, but you will still need to pay a portion by the original due date. It’s better to avoid the headache, be organized and file on time.

Mistake #2: Not paying estimated taxes during the year

If you are a sole proprietor, S corporation, are self-employed or a partner and you expect to owe $1,000 or more when you file a return, you are required to make estimated tax payments throughout the year. The same is true if you are a corporation expecting to owe $500 or more in taxes.

Mistake #3: Not having organized, visible financials

Using Excel to track your income, expenses and receipts might suffice when you are first starting out, but once you get bigger you will need a program that is more robust. Your financials need to be up-to-date, accurate and all in one place so you can make good tax and cash decisions.

Mistake #4: Intermingling personal and business expenses

It’s important to keep your business expenses separate from your personal ones. You can do this by having a separate bank account and credit card for your business, and always use your business credit card for business expenses. Even if you purchase both personal and business items at an office supply store, use different credit cards to pay for them so you can keep those expenses separate.

Mistake #5: Not tracking expenses

Throughout the year you need to save receipts, log the business miles you put on your car and track your expense categories. Did you know that only 50 percent of certain business meals are deductible? Platforms like QuickBooks and Freshbooks can help you keep track of expenses, and apps like MileIQ can track your business mileage.

Mistake #6: Not getting professional help

It may be tempting to save money and do everything yourself, but unless you know what you are doing, it could cost you time, money and headaches in the end. Consider consulting with a bookkeeper or accountant throughout the year to make sure you have good processes in place come tax season.

Donohoo Accounting Services has more than 20 years of experience helping clients with their tax and financial issues. Advising small businesses on their taxes is what we do best. If you have any questions about preparing your taxes or would like to know more about the services we provide, please call us at 513-528-3982 for a free consultation.

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