Author: Leon Clinton

Tax

Tax Due Dates for April 2019

Electronic filing of Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, and 3922 – File Forms 1097, 1098, 1099, 3921, and 3922 with the IRS (except a Form 1099-MISC reporting nonemployee compensation). This due date applies only if you file electronically.

Electronic Filing of Form W-2G– File copies of all the Form W-2G (Certain Gambling Winnings) you issued for 2018. This due date applies only if you electronically file.

April 1

Electronic Filing of Forms 8027 – File copies of all the Forms 8027 you issued for 2018. This due date applies only if you electronically file.

Electronic Filing of Forms 1094-C and 1095-C and Forms 1094-B and 1094-B – If you’re an applicable Large Employer, file electronic forms 1094-C and 1095-C with the IRS. For all other providers of essential minimum coverage, file electronic Forms 1094-B and 1095-B with the IRS.

April 10

Employees who work for tips – If you received $20 or more in tips during March, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070.

April 15

Individuals – File an income tax return for 2018 (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) and pay any tax due. If you want an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Returnor you can get an extension by phone if you pay part or all of your estimate of income tax due with a credit card. Then file Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ by October 15.

Household Employers – If you paid cash wages of $2,100 or more in 2018 to a household employee, file Schedule H (Form 1040) with your income tax return and report any employment taxes. Report any federal unemployment (FUTA) tax on Schedule H if you paid total cash wages of $1,000 or more in any calendar quarter of 2017 or 2018 to household employees. Also, report any income tax you withheld for your household employees.

Individuals – If you are not paying your 2019 income tax through withholding (or will not pay in enough tax during the year that way), pay the first installment of your 2019 estimated tax. Use Form 1040-ES.

Corporations – File a 2018 calendar year income tax return (Form 1120) and pay any tax due. If you want an automatic 6-month extension of time to file the return, file Form 7004 and deposit what you estimate you owe in taxes.

Corporations – Deposit the first installment of estimated income tax for 2019. A worksheet, Form 1120-W, is available to help you estimate your tax for the year.

Employers – Nonpayroll withholding. If the monthly deposit rule applies, deposit the tax for payments in March.

Employers – Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax. If the monthly deposit rule applies, deposit the tax for payments in March.

April 30

Employers – Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax. File form 941 for the first quarter of 2019. Deposit any undeposited tax. (If your tax liability is less than $2,500, you can pay it in full with a timely filed return.) If you deposited the tax for the quarter in full and on time, you have until May 10 to file the return.

Accounting Quickbooks

Tracking Jobs in QuickBooks: Part 1

Job-costing is not just for contractors. While that’s probably the most common understanding of this concept in QuickBooks, you can also use the software’s jobs tools to track income and expenses for any related group of items and/or services.

Think of them as projects. If you’re an expert in business promotions, for example, you probably have multiple projects going on simultaneously that consist of materials you might need to order for your client (like special paper) and the actual work you do (design, content-creation, etc.). You could also have to track expenses like mileage, and you may price your services by the hour.

QuickBooks can handle all of this. If you’re conscientious about documenting all of the pieces that go into every job, you’ll be able to run reports that show you how much you spent and took in on each. This information can help you better price your services and manage your time to maximize profitability.

Many Elements

In part one of this of a two-column series, we’re going to explore the basic elements that go into job-tracking. Keep in mind that there are many different ways to work with jobs. How you choose to do it will depend on the structure of your business.

First, let’s look at a simple example. The first step involves setting up a job for an existing client. Even if you think you’re only going to be doing one project for them, you can still set it up as a job so you can assign all related income and expenses to it. This will make it much easier if you get additional work from the customer down the line – and if you have to bill the customer for something that’s not related to a specific project.

To create a job, open the Customers menu and select Customer Center. Make sure the Customers & Jobs tab is highlighted. Select the customer by clicking on it. Right-click the name and select Add Jobfrom the drop-down list. When the New Job window opens, click the Job Info tab.


Figure 1: You can track your Jobs by keeping their status current in the New Job window.

Fill in the Job Name field. In this example, we’ve selected a name that’s broad enough that we’ll eventually be able to break down into specific tasks. If your customer has an outstanding balance as of the current date, that amount will appear in the Opening Balance field.

Enter a Job Description. The Job Type field is optional, but creating these classifications can help with advanced reports that gauge profitability. Consult with us if you want to explore these.

Open the Job Status list and select the correct one, then choose a Start Date and Projected End Date. You’ll document the End Datewhen you’re finished. Click OK.

Creating Item Records

You may already know that if you buy and/or sell products and/or services, you have to set up individual records for each one so you can include them on sales and purchase forms. You’ll need these to record income and expenses related to your Promotion job. If you’re new to QuickBooks, here’s how it works.

Open the Lists menu and select Item List. In the window that opens, click the arrow next to Item in the lower left corner and select New. A window like this will open:


Figure 2: The New Item window. 

The Item Type list will drop down. Select Service. In the example above, you’re creating a record for a service you sell: Website Development. Enter that in the Item Name/Number field. Ignore the U/M Set field; this is not available in QuickBooks Pro or Premier.

Enter a Description and your hourly (or project) Rate. Choose the correct Tax Code status and select the Account. When you’re done, click OK.

Warning: You may not have an Account in your Chart of Accountsthat fits the specialized income and expenses you want to track. If you need assistance setting this up, don’t hesitate to call.

You’ll repeat this process for other types of promotional work you do (making flyers and brochures, designing and ordering branded products, general content creation, etc.).

Think it through first

Before you create your first job, spend time envisioning how you want it structured. Remember that every invoice or timed activity or other income or expense you enter will only be assigned to one Customer:Job, but you can include as many Items as you want. If you need help envisioning this, please call, and a QuickBooks professional will be happy to help you think this through and go through the setup with you

.

Next month: a look at how the records you’ve created can be used.

Tax

Safe Harbor for First Year Passenger Auto Depreciation

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), there is an additional first-year depreciation deduction that applies to qualified property, including passenger automobiles, acquired and placed in service after September 27, 2017, and before January 1, 2027.

Generally, both the section 179 and the depreciation deductions for passenger automobiles are subject to dollar limitations for the year in which the taxpayer places the passenger automobile in service and, for each succeeding year. For a passenger automobile qualifying for the 100-percent additional first-year depreciation deduction, TCJA increased the first-year limitation amount by $8,000.

If the depreciable basis of a passenger automobile for which the 100-percent additional first-year depreciation deduction is allowed exceeds the first-year limitation, the excess amount is deductible in the first taxable year after the end of the recovery period.

While this may be somewhat confusing for taxpayers, guidance is now available for a safe harbor method of accounting for passenger automobiles. Here is how the safe harbor works:

The safe harbor allows a depreciation deduction for the excess amount during the recovery period. It is, however, subject to the depreciation limitations applicable to passenger automobiles.

To apply the safe-harbor method, the taxpayer must use the applicable depreciation table found in Appendix A of IRS Publication 946, How To Depreciate Property. Taxpayers should note that the safe harbor method does not apply to a passenger automobile placed in service by the taxpayer after tax year 2022, or to a passenger automobile for which the taxpayer elected out of the 100-percent additional first year depreciation deduction or elected under section 179 to expense all or a portion of the cost of the passenger automobile.

Taxpayers can use the safe harbor method of accounting by applying it to the depreciation deduction of a passenger automobile on their return for the first taxable year following the placed-in-service year.

For more information on the additional first-year depreciation deduction, don’t hesitate to contact the office.

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