The complexity of the tax code generates a lot of folklore and misinformation that could lead to costly mistakes such as penalties for failing to file on time or, on the flip side, not taking advantage of deductions you are legally entitled to take and giving the IRS more money than you need to. With this in mind, let’s take a look at seven common small business tax myths.

1. Start-Up Costs are Deductible Immediately

Business start-up costs refer to expenses incurred before you actually begin operating your business. Business start-up costs include both start-up and organizational costs and vary depending on the type of business. Examples of these types of costs include advertising, travel, surveys, and training. These start-up and organizational costs are generally called capital expenditures.

Costs for a particular asset such as machinery or office equipment are recovered through depreciation or Section 179 expensing. When you start a business, you can elect to deduct or amortize certain business start-up costs.

Business start-up and organizational costs are generally capital expenditures. However, you can elect to deduct up to $5,000 of business start-up and $5,000 of organizational costs. The $5,000 deduction is reduced (but not below zero) by the amount your total start-up or organizational costs exceed $50,000. Remaining costs must be amortized.

2. Overpaying the IRS makes you “Audit Proof”

It is never a good idea to knowingly or unknowingly overpay the IRS. You should only pay the amount of tax that you owe. The IRS doesn’t care if you pay the right amount of taxes or overpay your taxes; however, they do care if you pay less than you owe and you can’t substantiate your deductions with good recordkeeping. The best way to “Audit Proof” yourself is to properly document your expenses and make sure you are getting good advice from your tax accountant.

3. You can take more Deductions if your Business is Incorporated.

The good news is that self-employed individuals (sole proprietors and S Corps) qualify for many of the same deductions that incorporated businesses do. As such, becoming incorporated is often an unnecessary expense and burden that many small business owners don’t need. For instance, start-ups can spend thousands of dollars in legal and accounting fees to set up a corporation, only to discover soon thereafter that they need to change their name or take the company in a different direction. Furthermore, plenty of small business owners who incorporate don’t make money for the first few years and find themselves saddled with minimum corporate tax payments and no income.

4. The Home Office Deduction is a Red Flag for an Audit.

While the home office deduction used to be a red flag, this is no longer true. In fact, with so many people operating home-based businesses the IRS rolled out a new simplified home office deduction in 2013, which makes it even easier to claim the home office deduction (as long as it can be substantiated with excellent recordkeeping).

Furthermore, because of the proliferation of home offices, tax officials cannot possibly audit all tax returns of small business owners taking the home office deduction. In other words, there is no need to fear an audit just because you take the home office deduction; however, a high deduction-to-income ratio, however, may raise a red flag and lead to an audit.

5. You can’t Deduct Business Expenses if you don’t take the Home Office Deduction.

You are still eligible to take deductions for business supplies, business-related phone bills, travel expenses, printing, wages paid to employees or contract workers, depreciation of equipment used for your business, and other expenses related to running a home-based business, whether or not you take the home office deduction.

6. An Extension to File gives you an extra Six Months to Pay any Tax you Owe.

Extensions enable you to extend your filing date only. Penalties and interest begin accruing from the date your taxes are due.

7. Part-time Business Owners Cannot Set up Self-employed Pension Plans.

If you start a company while you have a salaried position complete with a 401K plan, you can still set up a SEP-IRA for your business and take the deduction.

If you have any questions about these and other tax myths, don’t hesitate to call and speak to a tax professional.

• By Leon Clinton
• February 9, 2019

January 28, 2019, marked the start of this year’s tax filing season, and it’s the first time taxpayers will be filing under the new tax reform laws, most of which became effective in 2018. Complicating matters is a newly revised Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, as well as the partial shutdown of the federal government. With more than 150 million individual tax returns expected to be filed for the 2018 tax year, here’s what individual taxpayers can expect:

Government Shutdown; Filing as Usual, Tax Refunds on Schedule

Despite the government shutdown (referred to by the IRS as the lapse in appropriations) in December and January, all taxpayers should continue to meet their tax obligations as per the normal time frame. That is, individuals and businesses should continue to file tax returns and make payments and deposits with the IRS, as required by law. For taxpayers receiving tax refunds there are no anticipated delays due to the lapse in appropriations.

New Design for Form 1040

The new Form 1040 has been redesigned for 2018. It is now “postcard sized” and gathers information about the taxpayer(s) and dependents. It’s also the form you need to sign and date when filing your return. The new Form 1040 can also be filed by itself; however, more complex tax situations will generally require using one or more of the supplemental Schedules 1 through 6 (also new for 2018), which are briefly described below.

Note: Forms 1040A and 1040EZ no longer exist for tax year 2018. Instead, use the new Form 1040.

Schedules 1 through 6

As mentioned, these supplemental schedules are to be used as needed and are generally for those with more complex tax returns.

Schedule 1, Additional Income and Adjustments To Income – Report income or adjustments to income that can’t be entered directly on Form 1040.

Schedule 2, Tax – To be used if you have additional taxes that can’t be entered directly on Form 1040. These include alternative minimum tax and excess advance premium tax credit repayment.

Schedule 3, Nonrefundable Credits – Used to report nonrefundable credits other than the child tax credit or the credit for other dependents.

Schedule 4, Other Taxes – If you have other taxes that can’t be entered on Form 1040 such as additional tax on IRAs or other qualified retirement plans or household employment taxes.

Schedule 5, Other Payments and Refundable Credits – If you have other payments or refundable credits such as any estimated tax payments for 2018 or the amount paid when requesting an extension to file.

Schedule 6, Foreign Address and Third Party Designee – If you have a foreign address or want to allow another person (other than your paid tax preparer) to discuss this return with the IRS.

Filing Deadline

For most taxpayers the filing deadline to submit 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019; however, due to the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 15 in Maine and Massachusetts, and the Emancipation Day holiday on April 16 in the District of Columbia, taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17, 2019 to file their returns.

Help is just a phone call away.

Don’t hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions about the new tax forms or need assistance preparing and filing your tax return this year.

• By Leon Clinton
• February 5, 2019

February 11

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

Employers – Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax. File Form 941 for the fourth quarter of 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the quarter in full and on time.

Farm Employers – File Form 943 to report Social Security and Medicare taxes and withheld income tax for 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time.

Certain Small Employers – File Form 944 to report Social Security and Medicare taxes and withheld income tax for 2018. This tax due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time.

Employers – Nonpayroll taxes. File Form 945 to report income tax withheld for 2018 on all nonpayroll items. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time.

Employers – Federal unemployment tax. File Form 940 for 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year in full and on time.

February 15

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

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

All businesses. Give annual information statements to recipients of certain payments made during 2018. You can use the appropriate version of Form 1099 or other information return. This due date applies only to payments reported on Form 1099-B, Form 1099-S, and substitute payments reported in Box 8 or gross proceeds paid to an attorney reported in Box 14, respectively.

Individuals – If you claimed exemption from income tax witholding last year on the Form W-4 you gave your employer, you must file a new Form W-4 by this date to continue your exemption for another year.

February 16

Employers – Begin withholding income tax from the pay of any employee who claimed exemption from withholding in 2018, but did not give you a new Form W-4 to continue the exemption this year.

February 28

Businesses – File information returns (for example, certain Forms 1099) for certain payments you made during 2018. However, Form 1099-MISC reporting nonemployee compensation must be filed by January 31. There are different forms for different types of payments. Use a separate Form 1096 to summarize and transmit the forms for each type of payment. See the General Instructions for Certain Information Returns for information on what payments are covered, how much the payment must be before a return is required, what form to use, and extensions of time to file.

If you file Forms 1097, 1098, 1099 (except a Form 1099-MISC reporting nonemployee compensation), 3921, 3922 or W-2G electronically, your due date for filing them with the IRS will be extended to April 1. The due date for giving the recipient these forms generally remains January 31.

Payers of Gambling Winnings – File Form 1096, Annual Summary and Transmittal of U.S. Information Returns, along with Copy A of all the Forms W-2G you issued for 2018. If you file Forms W-2G electronically, your due date for filing them with the IRS will be extended to April 1. The due date for giving the recipient these forms remains January 31.

Large Food and Beverage Establishment Employers – with employees who work for tips. File Form 8027, Employer’s Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips. Use Form 8027-T, Transmittal of Employer’s Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, to summarize and transmit Forms 8027 if you have more than one establishment. If you file Forms 8027 electronically, your due date for filing them with the IRS will be extended to April 2.

Health Coverage Reporting – If you are an Applicable Large Employer, file paper Forms 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns, and 1095-C with the IRS. For all other providers of minimum essential coverage, file paper Forms 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns, and 1095-B with the IRS. If you are filing any of these forms with the IRS electronically, your due date for filing them will be extended to April 1.

March 1

Farmers and Fishermen – File your 2018 income tax return (Form 1040) and pay any tax due. However, you have until April 15 (April 17 if you live in Maine or Massachusetts) to file if you paid your 2018 estimated tax by January 15, 2019.

• By Leon Clinton
• February 2, 2019