01
Oct 2021
0
(This is Blog Post #1104)...
30
Sep 2021
At first glance, calculating restitution for fraud damages may seem relatively simple. If someone steals $10,000 from a company, that person should repay that amount, perhaps with interest, right? Not quite. Financial experts also consider the profits the business lost because of the fraud — and weigh different methods of computing damages. The appropriate approach Experts typically use either the benefit-of-the-bargain or out-of-pocket approach to calculate damages. The appropriate method depends to some degree on the location and nature of the fraud. But in most cases, the benefit-of-the-bargain method results in greater restitution for victims. Take, for example, a property developer who buys a parcel of land that the seller says is worth $1 million but is offering at $900,000. In truth, the seller is lying about the...
Low interest rates and other factors have caused global merger and acquisition (M&A) activity to reach new highs in 2021, according to Refinitiv, a provider of financial data. It reports that 2021 is set to be the biggest in M&A history, with the United States accounting for $2.14 trillion worth of transactions already this year. If you’re considering buying or selling a business — or you’re in the process of an M&A transaction — it’s important that both parties report it to the IRS and state agencies in the same way. Otherwise, you may increase your chances of being audited. If a sale involves business assets (as opposed to stock or ownership interests), the buyer and the seller must generally report to the IRS the purchase...
Given the escalating cost of health care, there may be a more cost-effective way to pay for it. For eligible individuals, a Health Savings Account (HSA) offers a tax-favorable way to set aside funds (or have an employer do so) to meet future medical needs. Here are the main tax benefits: Contributions made to an HSA are deductible, within limits, Earnings on the funds in the HSA aren’t taxed, Contributions your employer makes aren’t taxed to you, and Distributions from the HSA to cover qualified medical expenses aren’t taxed. Who’s eligible? To be eligible for an HSA, you must be covered by a “high deductible health plan.” For 2021, a high deductible health plan is one with an annual deductible of at least $1,400 for self-only coverage,...
Vendor fraud can be costly — particularly when several perpetrators are involved. The median loss of a fraud scheme conducted by two individuals is $200,000, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Losses rise precipitously to more than $500,000 when four or more people commit the fraud. These schemes typically involve the collusion of employees with outside parties or a conspiracy between suppliers. But you can help prevent vendor fraud in your business by familiarizing yourself with the schemes. Types of schemes Vendor fraud can take one of several forms. Price fixing is an agreement among competitors to set the same price for goods or services. It also refers to competitors jointly establishing a price range or minimum price. Such agreements violate the Sherman Antitrust Act,...
If you use an automobile in your trade or business, you may wonder how depreciation tax deductions are determined. The rules are complicated, and special limitations that apply to vehicles classified as passenger autos (which include many pickups and SUVs) can result in it taking longer than expected to fully depreciate a vehicle. Cents-per-mile vs. actual expenses First, note that separate depreciation calculations for a passenger auto only come into play if you choose to use the actual expense method to calculate deductions. If, instead, you use the standard mileage rate (56 cents per business mile driven for 2021), a depreciation allowance is built into the rate. If you use the actual expense method to determine your allowable deductions for a passenger auto, you must make a separate depreciation...
27
Sep 2021
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 the West. Be aware of the tax implications if you’re selling your home or you sold one in 2021. You may owe capital gains tax and net investment income tax (NIIT). Gain exclusion If you’re selling your principal residence, and meet certain requirements, you can exclude from tax up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers) of gain. To qualify for the exclusion, you must meet these tests: You must have owned the property for...
27
Sep 2021
What do COVID-19, major hurricanes and West Coast wildfires have in common? All three have attracted scam artists, who have bilked disaster victims, charitable donors, insurance companies and government agencies out of billions of dollars. Also, all of these disasters — and the criminals who take advantage of them — are the focus of The National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF). Let’s take a look at what this partnership between the U.S. Justice Department and various law enforcement and regulatory agencies does to investigate and prevent fraud. Investigate and prevent The NCDF was established in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina to combat the massive fraud schemes that emerged as financial aid poured into the Gulf region. The agency now coordinates investigations into all kinds of natural and manmade...
26
Sep 2021
As posted to the Naomi Brockwell YouTube Channel on 4/30/21 (Run Time: 8 min, 13 sec) In this informative video from her Privacy Series, Naomi Brockwell compares the most popular browser options available to help you make an informed decision as to which will work best for your personal situation. With web browsers being your interface to the Internet, it is not surprising that they become the target of companies or hackers who want to collect information about you. In addition to websites being able to track you, browsers themselves can also send back information about you to the browser’s parent company for them to monetize. The major browsers discussed in this clip are Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Tor Browser, Microsoft Edge, and Brave. (This is Blog Post #1096) Naomi...
26
Sep 2021
California Assembly Bill No. 50 (AB-50) established the California Main Street Small Business Tax Credit II, which will provide COVID-19 financial relief to qualified small business employers. Overview Beginning 11/1/21, and ending 11/30/21, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) will be accepting applications through their online reservation system for qualified small business employers to reserve $1,000 per net increase in qualified employees, not to exceed $150,000. Tentative credit reservation amounts will generally be reduced by credit amounts reserved or received under the first Main St. Small Business Tax Credit. The credits are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Qualified small businesses will be able to offset either their income taxes or their sales and use taxes with the credit when filing their returns. Qualifications This credit...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148