January 2018 Letter

appy New Year! Now that tax reform has passed, there are many changes to consider. Some of the major ones are summarized in this newsletter. And as you prepare to file your 2017 return, take note of the advice on avoiding audits. Also included are some tips on locating lost retirement benefits, and some unconventional thinking about New Year's resolutions. Should you wish to review your situation please feel free to call. Also feel free to forward this newsletter to someone who may benefit from this information. Have a happy and productive 2018! Tax Reform in 2018 Individual rule changes Congress has passed tax reform that will take effect in 2018, ushering in some of the most significant tax changes in three decades. Here are some of the most important items in the new bill that impact individual taxpayers. Reduces income tax rates. The bill retains seven brackets, but at reduced rates, with the highest tax bracket dropping to 37 percent from 39.6 percent. Doubles standard deductions. The standard deduction nearly doubles to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married filing jointly. To help cover the cost, personal exemptions and the additional standard deduction are suspended. Limits itemized deductions. Many itemized deductions are no longer available, or are now limited. Here are some of the major examples: Caps state and local tax deductions. State and local tax deductions are limited to $10,000 total for all property, income and sales taxes. Caps mortgage interest deductions. Mortgage acquisition indebtedness interest will be deductible for no more than $750,000. Existing homeowners are unaffected by the new cap. The bill also suspends the deductibility of interest on home equity debt. Limits theft and casualty losses. These deductions are now only available for federally declared disaster areas. Removes 2 percent miscellaneous deductions. Most miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2 percent of adjusted gross income threshold are now gone. Cuts some above-the-line deductions. Moving expense deductions get eliminated except for active-duty military personnel, along with alimony deductions beginning in 2019. Weakens the alternative minimum tax (AMT). The bill retains the alternative minimum tax but changes the exemption to $109,400 for joint filers and the phaseout threshold to $1 million. The changes mean the AMT will affect far fewer people than before. Bumps up child tax credit, adds family tax credit. The child tax credit increases to $2,000 from $1,000, with $1,400 of it refundable even if no tax is owed. The phaseout threshold increases sharply to $400,000 from $110,000 for joint filers, making it available to more taxpayers. Also, dependents ineligible for the child tax credit can qualify for a new $500-per-person family tax credit. Expands use of 529 education savings plans. Qualified distributions from 529 education savings plans now include amounts to pay tuition for students in K-12 private schools. Doubles estate tax exemption. Estate taxes will apply to fewer people, with the exemption doubled to $11.2 million ($22.4 million for a married couple). Reduces pass-through business taxes. Most owners of pass-through entities such as S corporations, partnerships and sole proprietorships will see their income tax lowered with a new 20 percent income reduction calculation. Because major tax reform like this happens so seldom, it's worth scheduling a tax-planning consultation to ensure you reap the most tax savings possible during 2018. Best Way to Avoid an Audit: Preparation Getting audited by the IRS is no fun. Some taxpayers are selected for random audits every year, but the chances of that happening to you are very small. You are much more likely to fall under the IRS's gaze if you make one of several common mistakes. That means your best chance of avoiding an audit is by doing things right before you file your return this year. Here are some suggestions: Don't leave anything out. Missing or incomplete information on your return will trigger an audit letter automatically, since the IRS gets copies of the same tax forms (such as W-2s and 1099s) that you do. Double-check your numbers. Bad math will get you audited. People often make calculation errors when they do their returns, especially if they do them without assistance. In 2016, the IRS sent out more than 1.6 million examination letters correcting math errors. The most frequent errors occurred in people's calculation of their amount of tax due, as well as the number of exemptions and deductions they claimed. Don't stand out. The IRS takes a closer look at business expenses, charitable donations, and high-value itemized deductions. IRS computers reference statistical data on which amounts of these items are typical for various professions and income levels. If what you are claiming is significantly different from what is typical, it may be flagged for review. Have your documentation in order. Be meticulous about your record keeping. Items that will support the tax breaks you take include: cancelled checks, receipts, credit card and investment statements, logs for mileage and business meals, and proof of charitable donations. With proper documentation, a correspondence letter from the IRS inquiring about a particular deduction can be quickly resolved before it turns into a full-blown audit. Remember, the average person has a less than 1 percent chance of being audited. If you prepare now, you can narrow your audit chances even further and rest easy after you've filed. Where Did My Retirement Go? How to locate lost benefits For one reason or another, you may find yourself in a situation where you've lost track of a retirement account like a 401(k) or pension. There are several ways this can happen: Job change. People change jobs in today's economy much faster than they did in the past, and that means that retirement accounts like 401(k)s or pensions from a brief job tenure may easily be forgotten. A death in the family. Deceased loved ones may have overlooked some retirement assets in their wills, especially if they didn't organize their estate well before they died. Lost access. Records or access to retirement accounts may be compromised by accidents, theft or data losses. Luckily there are several handy but little-known ways to retrieve retirement account information: Contact employers. Getting in touch with employers who administered a 401(k) or pension plan is one of the easiest ways to retrieve lost retirement benefits. If the account was active from 2009 or later, you can search the Department of Labor's Form 5500 database, which collects the annual information submitted by plan administrators. Often the exact person you would need to get in touch with is listed on the form. Use the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits. The registry is created by a nonprofit organization that offers a free service to link up employees with their lost retirement benefits. Visit www.unclaimedretirementbenefits.com and enter the Social Security number of the employee. It will locate any unclaimed accounts and then provide information about getting in contact with the employer maintaining them. Note that accounts will only appear as unclaimed if the employee's mailing address is out of date, or if the employee didn't respond to the employer's attempts to pay out the account. Check the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC). The PBGC is a government agency that insures and tracks company pensions, and it keeps a list of unclaimed pensions online. You can search a person's name or the name of the company. Note that pensions will continue to exist at the PBGC even if the company that provided it no longer exists. Once you've located a lost retirement account, you can roll it over into an IRA if it's yours, or you can take several approaches if it is an inherited asset. Reach out if you'd like to discuss your options regarding tax-advantaged retirement accounts. New Year's Resolutions Are for Suckers Do this instead If you're like most people, you've adopted a set of New Year's resolutions for 2018. Things like losing weight, quitting smoking or drinking, saving a certain amount of money, and finding a new job are among the most common resolutions. Also, if you're like most people, you won't keep them. Sociological research has shown only about 10 percent of resolutions are maintained more than a few months. Rather than setting resolutions for yourself this year, try this approach instead: adopt new habits. Here's why habits can be more useful than resolutions: Habits get to the heart of the matter.By focusing on habits, you are encouraged to address the root of a problem and the behaviors that cause it. If you want to lose weight, by focusing on your habits you will inevitably have to address how you eat and how you exercise. Addressing these root causes of weight gain brings you the benefit of better health long after you meet a specific weight goal. Resolutions, on the other hand, are focused on end points, and encourage short cuts. If all that matters is losing weight, you may try to get to your ideal weight as soon as possible by using drugs or fad diets that are unlikely to work long-term. Habits avoid the feeling of failure.Resolutions often drift into obscurity because you feel like a failure when the goals are unmet. Any setbacks or backsliding on the way are devastating, because you are that much further away from meeting your goal. As soon as you practice a habit you feel like a winner. By eating a salad as part of a healthy eating habit, you get a positive feeling of achievement: "I'm doing something that's good for me right now." If you were focused on a weight loss resolution, eating a salad seems like a futile gesture: "I'm still ten pounds from my weight loss goal. How long do I have to keep eating like this?" Habits avoid the letdown of success.Strange as it may sound, achieving a resolution can be just as harmful as not achieving it. If you're one of the 10 percent of people who achieve a resolution, you might be surprised that you feel let down afterwards. "Is that it? Is that all I've been working for?" This famously happened to Alexander the Great, who set out to conquer the entire known world of the classical era. When he'd beaten everyone, Alexander supposedly "wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer." With a focus on habits, you no longer get hung up on the goal line. Why not consider changing a habit or two? Perhaps the true feeling of success is practicing a positive habit over and over again, with no end in sight to the satisfaction it brings. Mileage Rates for 2018 The IRS recently announced mileage rates to be used for travel in 2018. The standard business mileage rate increased by 1 cent to 54.5 cents per mile. The medical and moving mileage rates also increased by 1 cent, to 18 cents per mile. Charitable mileage rates remained unchanged at 14 cents per mile. 2018 Standard Mileage Rates Mileage Rate/Mile Business Travel 54.5¢ Medical/Moving 18.0¢ Charitable Work 14.0¢ Here are 2017 rates for your reference as well. 2017 Standard Mileage Rates Mileage Rate/Mile Business Travel 53.5¢ Medical/Moving 17.0¢ Charitable Work 14.0¢ Remember to properly document your mileage to receive full credit for your miles driven. As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding your situation please feel free to call.

December 2017 Letter

fter an eventful year, we all deserve a happy holiday season and hopefully some well-needed relaxation. While tax reform will continue to be debated, many preliminary figures for 2018 are set. Check out the details inside. The economy and job market have continued to improve, which means you may be considering a new job. If you are planning on a change, look at the tax checklist for job changers. Or, if you work for yourself and take credit cards as payment, learn about the new IRS focus on those small business payments.

Looking for something to talk about at the next family gathering? Consider sharing the quiz regarding the sometimes strange origins of popular holiday traditions.

As always, should you know of someone who may benefit from this information please feel free to forward this newsletter to them.

New Year, New Job

Five tax tips for job changers

There are a lot of new things to get used to when you change jobs, from new responsibilities to adjusting to a new company culture. One thing you may not have considered are the tax issues created when you change jobs. Here are tips to reduce any potential tax problems related to making a job change this coming year. Don't forget about in-between pay. It is easy to forget to account for pay received while you're between jobs. This includes severance and accrued vacation or sick pay from your former employer. It may also include unemployment benefits. All are taxable but may not have had taxes withheld, causing a surprise at tax time.
Adjust your withholdings. A new job requires you to fill out a new Form W-4, which directs your employer how much to withhold from each paycheck. It may not be best to go with the default withholding schedule, which assumes you have been making the salary of your new job all year. You may need to make special adjustments to avoid having too much or too little taken from your paycheck. This is especially true if there is a significant salary change or you have a period of low-or-no income. Luckily, the IRS provides a withholding calculator on its website (IRS Withholding Calculator). Keep in mind you'll have to fill out a new W-4 in the next year to rebalance your withholding for a full year of your new salary.
Roll over your 401(k). While you can leave your 401(k) in your old employer's plan, you may wish to roll it over into your new employer's 401(k) or into an IRA. The best way is to get your retirement funds rolled over directly between investment companies. If you take a direct check, you'll have to deposit it into the new account within 60 days, or you may be assessed a 10 percent penalty and pay income tax on the withdrawal. Deduct job-hunting expenses. Tally up your job-seeking expenses. If they and other miscellaneous deductible expenses total more than 2 percent of your adjusted gross income for the year, you can deduct them on an itemized return. This includes things like costs for job-search tools, placement agencies and recruiters, and printing, mailing and travel costs. A couple caveats: you can only use these deductions if your expenses were to search for a job in the same industry as your previous job and you were not reimbursed for them by your new employer. Deduct moving and home sale expenses. If you moved to take a new job that is at least 50 miles farther from your previous home than your old job was, you can also deduct your moving expenses. There's another benefit for movers, too. Typically, you can only use the $250,000 capital gain exclusion for home sales if you lived in your primary residence for two of the last five years before you sold it. But there is an exception to the rule if you sold your home to take a new job. Finding a new job can be an exciting experience, and one that can create tax consequences if not handled correctly. Feel free to call for a discussion of your situation.

Save More in 2018

Retirement contribution and Social Security limits on the rise

The maximum contribution to 401(k) accounts rises by $500 in 2018, the first increase in three years. If you have not already done so, now is the time to plan for contributions into your retirement accounts in 2018. Retirement Contribution Limits Retirement Program 2018 2017 Change Age 50 or over catch up 401(k), 403(b), 457 plans $18,500 $18,000 +$500 add: $6,000 IRA: Roth $5,500 $5,500 none add: $1,000 IRA: SIMPLE $12,500 $12,500 none add: $3,000 IRA: Traditional $5,500 $5,500 none add: $1,000 Social Security Item 2018 2017 Change Wages subject to Social Security $128,700 $127,200 +$1,500 Annual Social Security employee tax: $7,979.40 Average estimated monthly retirement benefit $1,404 $1,360 +$44 Don't forget to account for any matching programs offered by your employer as you determine your various funding levels for next year.

A Happy Holiday Traditions Quiz

While there are many holiday traditions, some of the most popular ones have strange and surprising origins. Get into the festive spirit with a smile by guessing the origins of these traditions:
The Christmas tree originated in 16th century Germany, but didn't become a popular tradition until it was decorated by a certain royal family. Who was the queen who made Christmas trees famous? Queen Victoria, of the United Kingdom. In 1848, an illustration of Queen Victoria's decorated Christmas tree was published in a London newspaper. The tradition was quickly emulated throughout the United Kingdom and spread to the United States. Which holiday tradition representing love and romance comes from the Anglo Saxon words meaning "poo on a stick?"
Mistletoe. This holiday plant is actually a parasite that relies on birds to eat the seeds and dispose of them on other trees. The plant then steals its nourishment from its host tree. To think it now creates the opportunity to steal a kiss from a loved one... This traditional holiday game has its own league, abbreviated as the MLD. Can you name it? Dreidel. This popular game played by spinning a wooden top is part of the Jewish tradition of Hanukkah. A Major League Dreidel (MLD) organization was founded in New York City in 2007. According to folklore, what 250-year-old sweet has its humble beginnings as a way to keep children quiet during church services? The candy cane. According to legend, a choirmaster in Germany purchased candy sticks to keep children quiet during holiday services. In the 1800's a curved stick with red stripes quickly made its lasting mark during the holidays representing a shepards staff and handy tree decoration. This holiday tradition was created to promote use of a public service. Can you name it? The holiday card. The Christmas card was created in England in 1843 as a way to increase public use of the country's new Penny Post mail service. With the increased use of the printing press, holiday cards soon became popular.

Credit Card Transactions Could Pose Audit Risk

What small businesses need to know

Small business owners beware: the IRS may more closely scrutinize reporting of credit card transactions after it was criticized for lax enforcement. The IRS' overseer, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), recently said the IRS had been missing opportunities to audit tax returns that had large discrepancies between income and the card payments reported on Forms 1099-K. This means small businesses that accept credit, debit or gift card payments can expect to draw the attention of IRS auditors if there are material differences between what is reported on their tax returns and what is on their 1099-Ks. Tax gap concern driving the scrutiny TIGTA has estimated an underpayment of more than $450 billion in income taxes every year. In an effort to close this "tax gap," it recommended the IRS focus on some of the larger or more obvious sources of underpayment. One area TIGTA identified was on Forms 1099-K, where more than 20,000 taxpayers who received them had discrepancies of more than $10,000 on their returns. Calculating from this small sample size, there was at least a $200 million underpayment. Who is impacted If you have a business that accepts payment cards like debit cards or credit cards, you will probably receive a Form 1099-K from your payment processor. The form is also required for anyone who has $20,000 in card payments and 200 transactions or more per year. Examples of those who would receive Forms 1099-K include users of PayPal, sellers on Ebay and Etsy, cab drivers and any small business that accepts card transactions as a form of payment. Here's how you can prepare Receiving a Form 1099-K and reporting it in such a way that the IRS is satisfied can be complicated. You could easily double-report your revenue from 1099-Ks out of an excess of caution. Or, you may not be disclosing your correct reporting of card income in a way that IRS audit programs are able to identify. It's often best to get professional guidance to ensure your return does not stick out when the IRS tries to comply with the TIGTA request for more oversight.

As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding your situation please feel free to call.