When it comes to income taxes, two things tend to be true every year. The first is that April will always roll around yet again, whether you like it or not – which means that it’s in your best interest to make sure your tax filing needs are accounted for. The second is that with this period of the year always comes scammers and other people with malicious intentions who want to do you harm.
On the one hand, it’s almost a prerequisite for entrepreneurs of all types to have that “can-do spirit.” That sense that nobody else sees things quite like they do so, whatever it is they want to accomplish, it becomes something they know they’ll have to do themselves. In a lot of ways, this is an asset as it’s a big part of what has contributed to your success thus far.
It is not uncommon to discover that an item of income was overlooked, a deduction was not claimed, or that an amended tax document was received after the tax return was already filed. Regardless of whether the oversight will result in more tax due or a refund, it should not be dismissed.
Taxpayers often question how long records must be kept and the amount of time IRS has to audit a return after it is filed. It all depends on the circumstances!
In many cases, the federal statute of limitations can be used to help you determine how long to keep records. With certain exceptions, the statute for assessing additional tax is 3 years from the return due date or the date the return was filed, whichever is later. However, the statute of limitations for many states is one year longer than the federal limitation. The reason for this is that the IRS provides state taxing authorities with federal audit results. The extra time on the state statute gives states adequate time to assess tax based on any federal tax adjustments that also apply to the state return.
If you find yourself looking for a quick source of cash, your retirement savings may look like a tempting option. However, if you are under age 59½ and withdraw money from a traditional IRA or qualified retirement account, you will likely pay both income tax and a 10% early-distribution tax (also referred to as a penalty) on any previously untaxed money that you take out. Withdrawals you make from a SIMPLE IRA before age 59½ and those you make during the 2-year rollover restriction period after establishing the SIMPLE IRA may be subject to a 25% additional early-distribution tax instead of the normal 10%. The 2-year period is measured from the first day that contributions are deposited. These penalties are just what you’d pay on your federal return; your state may also charge an early-withdrawal penalty in addition to the regular state income tax.
Two recently passed pieces of tax legislation have brought about several tax changes for 2023 that may affect you. The legislation includes the Inflation Reduction Act and the Secure 2.0 Act. Here is a condensed summary of those changes. Check over the list and see if any of the new rules apply to you.
As an incentive to employees to help grow the companies’ market value, many companies will offer stock options to key employees. The options give the employee the right to buy up to a specified number of shares of the company’s stock at a future date at a specific price. Generally, options are not immediately vested and must be held for a period of time before they can be exercised. Then, at some later date, and assuming the stock price has appreciated to a value higher than the option price of the stock, the employee can excise the options (buy the shares), paying the lower option price for the stock rather than the current market price. This gives the employee the opportunity to participate in the growth of the company through gains from the sale of the stock without the risk of ownership.
In 2022 alone, there were approximately 15.4 million layoffs in the United States as per one recent study. About 6.9 million of them happened in the last half of the year, from August to December. It’s also worth noting that this is certainly nothing new. It has been estimated that about 40% of people have been laid off (or fired) from a job at least once in their lifetime, and about half the country experiences full-blown layoff anxiety on a regular basis.
As a reminder to those who have not yet filed their 2022 tax returns, April 18, 2023 is the due date to either file a return (and pay the taxes owed) or file for an automatic extension (and pay an estimate of the taxes owed). The due date is April 18, instead of April 15, because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia – even if you don’t live in DC.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who actually enjoys the process of filing taxes. Having said that, it’s absolutely something that you’re supposed to do like clockwork every single year.
