As you file your 2016 return and plan your charitable giving for 2017, it’s important to keep in mind the available deduction. It can vary significantly depending on a variety of factors. What you giveOther than the actual amount you donate, one of the biggest factors that can affect your deduction is what you give:…

If your business involves the production, purchase or sale of merchandise, your inventory accounting method can significantly affect your tax liability. In some cases, using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory accounting method, rather than first-in, first-out (FIFO), can reduce taxable income, giving cash flow a boost. Tax savings, however, aren’t the only factor to consider.…

Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs) are sometimes regarded as the “no-brainer” first choice for high-income small-business owners who don’t currently have tax-advantaged retirement plans set up for themselves. Why? Unlike other types of retirement plans, a SEP is easy to establish and a powerful retroactive tax planning tool: The deadline for setting up a SEP is…

Rather than keeping track of the actual cost of operating a vehicle, employees and self-employed taxpayers can use a standard mileage rate to compute their deduction related to using a vehicle for business. But you might also be able to deduct miles driven for other purposes, including medical, moving and charitable purposes.   What are…

The IRS has announced decreases in the standard mileage rates that taxpayers will use for calculating business, medical, and moving expenses in 2017. Use of the standard mileage rate is a popular alternative to using the actual expense method, which requires taxpayers to keep track of specific costs for maintenance, repairs, tires, gas, oil, insurance,…