News - Wamhoff Accounting

Selling a home: Will you owe tax on the profit?

Many homeowners across the country have seen their home values increase recently. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median price of homes sold in July of 2021 rose 17.8% over July of 2020. The median home price was $411,200 in the Northeast, $275,300 in the Midwest, $305,200 in the South and $508,300 in […]

Tax breaks to consider during National Small Business Week

The week of September 13-17 has been declared National Small Business Week by the Small Business Administration. To commemorate the week, here are three tax breaks to consider. 1. Claim bonus depreciation or a Section 179 deduction for asset additions Under current law, 100% first-year bonus depreciation is available for qualified new and used property […]

Planning for year-end gifts with the gift tax annual exclusion

As we approach the holidays and the end of the year, many people may want to make gifts of cash or stock to their loved ones. By properly using the annual exclusion, gifts to family members and loved ones can reduce the size of your taxable estate, within generous limits, without triggering any estate or […]

You can only claim a casualty loss tax deduction in certain situations

In recent weeks, some Americans have been victimized by hurricanes, severe storms, flooding, wildfires and other disasters. No matter where you live, unexpected disasters may cause damage to your home or personal property. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), eligible casualty loss victims could claim a deduction on their tax returns. But there […]

Want to find out what IRS auditors know about your business industry?

In order to prepare for a business audit, an IRS examiner generally does research about the specific industry and issues on the taxpayer’s return. Examiners may use IRS “Audit Techniques Guides (ATGs).” A little-known secret is that these guides are available to the public on the IRS website. In other words, your business can use […]

Does your employer provide life insurance? Here are the tax consequences

Employer-provided life insurance is a coveted fringe benefit. However, if group term life insurance is part of your benefit package, and the coverage is higher than $50,000, there may be undesirable income tax implications. Tax on income you don’t receive The first $50,000 of group term life insurance coverage that your employer provides is excluded […]