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Prepare for Tax Season: Important Changes Ahead

As the fiscal year winds down, the looming tax season beckons with its usual demands. Whether you’re an individual taxpayer or a small business owner, getting ahead of your tax obligations can streamline the daunting task of compiling records, be it for a face-to-face meeting, a videoconference, or a telephone appointment. Your level of preparedness will significantly influence your ability to take full advantage of tax opportunities, ensuring every legal deduction is considered, evaluating optimal income reporting methods, exploring the impact of recent law changes, and discussing tax-planning strategies to minimize future liabilities.

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Key Changes for 2025

With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introducing several alterations, here are some noteworthy updates:

  • No Tax on Tips: An allowable deduction of up to $25,000 for qualified cash tips in traditional tip-receiving jobs, phasing out at higher income levels, filed by employers on W-2 forms.
  • No Tax on Qualified Overtime: Deduct overtime pay exceeding the regular rate, maxing at $12,500 or $25,000 for couples, contingent upon income limits.
  • Vehicle Loan Interest Deduction: Deduct up to $10,000 on interest for loans secured by U.S-made vehicles, with income-based phase-outs.
  • SALT Deduction Limit: The threshold for state and local taxes deduction increases to $40,000, with reductions for higher earners.
  • Super Retirement Catch Up: Increased catch-up contributions for individuals aged 60-63, with enhanced limits specific to various plans excluding IRAs.
  • Child Tax Credit and Adoption Credit: Raised credits with new refundable amounts, phased out based on modified adjusted gross income.
  • Section 179 Expensing: Bolstered caps for immediate expensing of business assets to boost investments, facilitated by enhanced deduction thresholds.
  • Bonus Depreciation: OBBBA’s permanency clause allows 100% of asset costs to be written off immediately, providing fiscal advantages for qualifying property acquisitions.
  • Research and Experimental Expenditures: Immediate deductibility for domestic R&D expenses, keeping overseas expenditures on a 15-year amortization schedule.

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Tax Management Tips

To maximize your fiscal advantage:

  • Record Organization: Dedicate a filing system for organizing receipts and statements by category, facilitating faster access during tax preparation.
  • Foreign Account Reporting: Bring any foreign financial transactions to your advisor to ensure compliance with reporting requirements, avoiding potential penalties.
  • Cryptocurrency Transactions: Treat digital assets as property for tax purposes, duly recording gains and losses parallel to other asset sales.
  • Health Insurance Coverage: Gather Form 1095 issued by marketplaces and employers to ensure accurate premium tax credits calculation.
  • Dependency and Personal Data Checks: Verify all personal details, dependency qualifications, and social security numbers for accuracy to leverage applicable credits.

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Focus Areas

Concentrate on these transaction types to ensure apt treatment under current tax statutes:

  • Property Sales: Detail every transaction involving stock or property sales, providing thorough documentation for each.
  • Home Transactions: Supply closing documents for any purchases or sales, and record modifications enhancing home value for tax purposes.
  • Charitable Contributions: Substantiate donations through comprehensive records indicating the donation date, value, and recipient organization.
  • Identity Theft Precautions: Proactively safeguard against identity theft, ensuring no breaches impact your tax filings.
  • Business and Automotive Expenses: Record and validate expenses incurred for business travel, utilizing vehicle logs for mileage deductions per jurisdictional requirements.

Conclusion

Approaching tax season with a keen eye on the latest tax reforms and diligent record-keeping practices not only eases the filing process but also accentuates your financial planning prowess, assuring you harness every opportunity for tax optimization.

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