The Internal Revenue Service has started sending letters to more than 36 million American families who, based on tax returns filed with the agency, may be eligible to receive monthly Child Tax Credit payments starting July 15, 2021. Here’s what families need to know:

Background

The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. The letters are going to families who may be eligible based on information they included in either their 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year to register for an Economic Impact Payment.

Families who are eligible for advance Child Tax Credit payments will receive a second, personalized letter listing an estimate of their monthly payment, which begins July 15.

Most families do not need to take any action to get their payment. Normally, the IRS will calculate the payment amount based on the 2020 tax return. If that return is not available, either because it has not yet been filed or has not yet been processed, the IRS will instead determine the payment amount using the 2019 return.

Eligible families will begin receiving advance payments, either by direct deposit or check. The payment will be up to $300 per month for each qualifying child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each qualifying child ages 6 to 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on July 15, August 13, September 15, October 15, November 15, and December 15.

Eligible Families Should File Tax Returns As Soon as Possible

The IRS urges individuals and families who haven’t yet filed their 2020 return – or 2019 return – to do so as soon as possible so they can receive any advance payment they’re eligible for. Doing so ensures that the IRS has their most current banking information, as well as key details about qualifying children. This includes people who don’t normally file a tax return, such as families experiencing homelessness, the rural poor, and other underserved groups.

Throughout the summer, the IRS will be adding additional tools and online resources to help with the advance Child Tax Credit. One of these tools will enable families to unenroll from receiving these advance payments and receive the full amount of the credit when they file their 2021 return next year instead. In addition, later this year, individuals and families will also be able to go to IRS.gov and use a Child Tax Credit Update Portal to notify IRS of changes in their income, filing status, or number of qualifying children; update their direct deposit information, and make other changes to ensure they are receiving the right amount as quickly as possible.

New Online Tool Available

An online Non-filer Sign-up tool is scheduled to go live on the IRS.gov website on July 15 to help eligible families who don’t normally file tax returns register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments. This tool provides a free and easy way for eligible people who don’t make enough income to have an income tax return-filing obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, address, and Social Security numbers – to figure and issue their Advance Child Tax Credit payments. Often, these individuals and families receive little or no income, including those experiencing homelessness and other underserved groups.

People who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic Impact Payments can also use this tool, which enables them to provide required information about themselves, their qualifying children age 17 and under, their other dependents, and their direct deposit bank information so the IRS can quickly and easily deposit the payments directly into their checking or savings account.

The tool is an update of last year’s IRS Non-filers tool and is designed to help eligible individuals who don’t normally file income tax returns register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they may have missed.

Eligible families who already filed or plan to file 2019 or 2020 income tax returns should not use this tool. Once the IRS processes their 2019 or 2020 tax return, the information will be used to determine eligibility and issue advance payments. Families who want to claim other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and moderate-income families, should not use this tool and instead file a regular tax return.

Other useful new online tools, include:

• An interactive Child Tax Credit eligibility tool to help families determine whether they qualify for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments.
• Another tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, will initially enable anyone who has been determined to be eligible for advance payments to unenroll or opt-out of the advance payment program. Later this year, it will allow people to check on the status of their payments, make updates to their information, and be available in Spanish. More details will be available soon about the online Child Tax Credit Update Portal.

Child Tax Credit Changes

The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 to $3,600 for qualifying children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for qualifying children between ages 6 and 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to $2,000 per eligible child, and 17 year-olds were not considered as qualifying children for the credit.

The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:

• $75,000 or less for singles,
• $112,500 or less for heads of household, and
• $150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers.

For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 per child — is reduced by $50 for every extra $1,000 in modified AGI.

In addition, the entire credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per child.

Watch Out for Scams

As always, everyone should be on the lookout for scams related to both Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The only way to get either of these benefits is by either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a scam.

Be sure to watch out for scams using email, phone calls, or texts related to the payments. Remember: The IRS never sends unsolicited electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a non-governmental website.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away

Don’t hesitate to contact the office for the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments.

Selling a small to medium-sized business is a complex venture, and many business owners are not aware of the tax consequences.

If you’re thinking about selling your business the first step is to consult a competent tax professional. You will need to make sure your financials in order, obtain an accurate business valuation to determine how much your business is worth (and what the listing price might be) and develop a tax planning strategy to minimize capital gains and other taxes to maximize your profits from the sale.

Accurate Financial Statements

The importance of preparing your business financials before listing your business for sale cannot be overstated. Whether you use a business broker or word of mouth, rest assured that potential buyers will scrutinize every aspect of your business. Not being able to quickly produce financial statements, current, and prior years’ balance sheets, profit and loss statements, tax returns, equipment lists, product inventories, and property appraisals and lease agreements may lead to loss of the sale.

Business Valuation

Many business owners have no idea what their business is worth; some may underestimate whereas others overestimate–sometimes significantly. Obtaining a third-party business valuation allows business owners to set a price that is realistic for potential buyers while achieving maximum value.

Tax Consequences of Selling

As a business owner you probably think of your business as a single entity sold as a lump sum. The IRS however, views a business as a collection of assets. Profit from the sale of these assets (i.e., your business) may be subject to short and long-term capital gains tax, depreciation recapture of Section 1245 and Section 1250 real property, and federal and state income taxes.

For IRS purposes each asset sold must be classified as capital assets, depreciable property used in the business, real property used in the business, goodwill, or property held for sale to customers, such as inventory or stock in trade. Assets are considered tangible (real estate, machinery, and inventory) or intangible (goodwill or trade name).

Depreciable Property. Section 1231 gains and losses are the taxable gains and losses from Section 1231 transactions such as sales or exchanges of real property or depreciable personal property held longer than one year. Their treatment as ordinary or capital depends on whether you have a net gain or a net loss from all your Section 1231 transactions.

When you dispose of depreciable property (Section 1245 property or Section 1250 property) at a gain, you may have to recognize all or part of the gain as ordinary income under the depreciation recapture rules. Any remaining gain is a Section 1231 gain.

Business Structure. Your business structure (i.e., business entity) also affects the way your business is taxed when it is sold. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, and LLCs (Limited Liability Companies) are considered “pass-through” entities and each asset is sold separately. As such there is more flexibility when structuring a sale to benefit both the buyer and seller in terms of tax consequences.

C-corporations and S-corporations have different entity structures, and sale of assets and stock are subject to more complex regulations. For example, when assets of a C-corporation are sold, the seller is taxed twice. The corporation pays tax on any gains realized when the assets are sold, and shareholders pay capital gains tax when the corporation is dissolved. However, when a C-corporation sells stock the seller only pays capital gains tax on the profit from the sale, which is generally at the long-term capital gains tax rate. S-corporations are taxed similarly to partnerships in that there is no double taxation when assets are sold. Income (or loss) flows through shareholders, who report it on their individual tax returns.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away.

Selling a business is more complicated than it seems and often involves complicated federal and state tax rules and regulations. If you’re thinking of selling your business soon, please contact the office to schedule a consultation with a tax and accounting professional you can trust.

Beginning January 1, 2021, and extending through December 31, 2022, businesses can claim 100% of their food or beverage expenses paid to restaurants as long as the business owner (or an employee of the business) is present when food or beverages are provided and the expense is not lavish or extravagant under the circumstances.

In most tax years, there is a 50% limit on the amount that businesses may deduct for food or beverages. The temporary exception was included in the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020, part of a series of tax laws intended to provide coronavirus-related relief.

Where can businesses get food and beverages and claim 100%?

Under the temporary provision, restaurants include businesses that prepare and sell food or beverages to retail customers for immediate on-premises and/or off-premises consumption. However, restaurants do not include businesses that primarily sell pre-packaged goods not for immediate consumption, such as grocery stores and convenience stores.

Additionally, an employer may not treat certain employer-operated eating facilities as restaurants, even if these facilities are operated by a third party under contract with the employer.

Questions?

For more information about this and other coronavirus-related tax relief for business owners, please contact the office today.

On March 12, following the American Rescue Plan Act’s approval and signing, the IRS began sending out the third round of Economic Impact Payments. Most payments were sent out via direct deposit, but approximately 150,000 checks were mailed by the Treasury Department as well. Taxpayers who received EIP1 or EIP2 but didn’t receive a third payment (EIP3) via direct deposit will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a prepaid debit card (EIP Card).

Highlights:

• The third stimulus payment will generally be larger for most people. Most eligible people will get $1,400 for themselves (those filing joint returns will get $2,800) and $1,400 for each of their qualifying dependents claimed on their tax return. Eligible families will get a payment based on all of their qualifying dependents claimed on their return, including older relatives like college students, adults with disabilities, parents, and grandparents. Unlike the first two payments, the third stimulus payment is not restricted to children under 17. Typically, this means a single person with no dependents will get $1,400, while a family of four (married couple with two dependents) will get $5,600. Under the new law, an EIP3 cannot be offset to pay various past-due federal debts or back taxes.
• The first batch of payments primarily went to eligible taxpayers who provided direct deposit information on their 2019 or 2020 returns, including people who don’t typically file a return but who successfully used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov last year. Additional batches and payments will be sent in the coming weeks by direct deposit and through the mail as a check or debit card.
• The payments are automatic and, in many cases, like how people received their first and second round of Economic Impact Payments in 2020. No action needs to be taken by most taxpayers and contacting either financial institutions or the IRS on payment timing will not speed up their arrival.
• Income levels in this new round of stimulus payments have changed. As such, some people will not be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. Payments begin to phase out for individuals making $75,000 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for married filing jointly); people above these levels are ineligible for a payment.
• Taxpayers who received EIP1 or EIP2 but didn’t receive a third payment (EIP3) via direct deposit will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a prepaid debit card (referred to as an “EIP Card).A payment will not be added to an existing EIP card mailed for the first or second round of stimulus payments.
• If a taxpayer’s payment is less than the full amount and is based on their 2019 return, they may qualify for a supplemental payment after filing their 2020 return. The IRS will automatically reevaluate their eligibility. If they are entitled to a larger payment or the full payment, then a supplemental payment will be sent covering the difference. If the reevaluated amount is smaller, they won’t need to pay back the difference. Aside from filing a 2020 tax return, no additional action needs to be taken.

Paper Checks and Prepaid Debit Cards

Taxpayers who did not receive a direct deposit by March 24 should check their mail carefully in the coming weeks for a paper check or a prepaid debit card, known as an Economic Impact Payment Card, or EIP Card.

The form of payment for the third EIP may be different than earlier stimulus payments. More people are receiving direct deposits, whereas those receiving the economic impact payments in the mail may get either a paper check or an EIP Card. This may be different from how they received their previous stimulus payments.

Paper Checks. Paper checks will arrive by mail in a white envelope from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. For those taxpayers who received their tax refund by mail, this paper check will look similar but referenced as an “Economic Impact Payment” in the memo field.

EIP Card. The EIP Card will also come in a white envelope prominently displaying the seal of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The card has the Visa name on the front and the issuing bank, Megabanks, N.A., on the back. The information included with the card will explain that this is an Economic Impact Payment. Each mailing will include instructions on how to activate and use the card securely.

None of the EIP cards issued for any of the three rounds is reloadable; recipients will receive a separate card and will not be able to reload funds onto an existing card. EIP Cards are safe, convenient, and secure. EIP Card recipients can make purchases online or in stores anywhere Visa Debit Cards are accepted.

They can get cash from domestic in-network ATMs, transfer funds to a personal bank account, and obtain a replacement EIP Card if needed without incurring any fees. They can also check their card balance online, through a mobile app, or by phone without incurring fees. The EIP Card provides consumer protections against fraud, loss, and other errors and is sponsored by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, Megabanks, N.A. The IRS does not determine who receives a prepaid debit card.

Social Security and Other Federal Beneficiaries

Most Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, railroad retirees, and recipients of veterans benefits who are eligible for an Economic Impact Payment do not need to take any action to receive a payment. These payments will be automatic, and Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will generally receive this third payment the same way as their regular benefits.

Anyone who didn’t file a return but receives Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits (SSDI), Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Veterans Affairs benefits, will receive their third round of economic impact payments the same way as their regular benefits – similar to the first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments.

If You Don’t Normally File a Tax Return

While payments will be automatic for many people based on their federal benefits information, some may need to file a 2020 tax return – even if they don’t usually file – to provide information the IRS needs to send payments for any qualified dependent. People in this group should file a 2020 tax return to be considered for an additional payment for their dependent as quickly as possible.

People who don’t normally file a tax return and don’t receive federal benefits may also qualify for these stimulus payments, including those experiencing homelessness and others. If you are eligible and didn’t get a first or second Economic Impact Payment (that is, an EIP1 or EIP2) or got less than the full amounts, you may be eligible for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit but will need to file a 2020 tax return.

Q & A: The $10,200 Unemployment Tax Break

Generally, unemployment compensation received under the unemployment compensation laws of the United States or a state is considered taxable income and must be reported on your federal tax return. However, a new tax break – in effect only for the 2020 tax year – lets you exclude the first $10,200 from taxable income. Here is what you should know:

What do I need to do to get the tax break?

The tax break, which is part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA is available to all taxpayers whose 2020 modified adjusted gross income is less than $150,00 and allows you to exclude the first $10,200 of unemployment compensation received in 2020. For joint returns, the first $10,200 per spouse (i.e., $20,400 for two workers who are married filing jointly) is not included in gross income.

Amounts over $10,200 for each individual taxpayer are still considered taxable income and the tax break only applies to federal income taxes.

Who does not qualify for the tax break?

Taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of $150,000 or more last year do not qualify for the tax break and are required to file taxes on the full amount of unemployment compensation.

The $150,000 earnings limit does not include amounts received as unemployment compensation.

How do I know how much unemployment compensation I received and how much tax was taken out?

If you received unemployment compensation, you should have received Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments (Info Copy Only). Form 1099-G shows the amount of unemployment compensation paid and any federal income tax you elected to have withheld. Many taxpayers chose to have federal income tax withheld from their unemployment benefits by filling out Form W-4V, Voluntary Withholding Request. If you completed the form and gave it to the paying office (e.g., your state’s Department of Labor), they should have withheld tax at 10 percent of your payments.

What if I already filed my 2020 tax return?

If you already filed your 2020 tax return and paid tax on unemployment compensation that qualifies for the tax break, in most cases, there is no need to file an amended return. Taxpayers should only file an amended return if the calculations make the taxpayer newly eligible for additional federal credits and deductions not already included on the original tax return. Taxpayers may want to review their state tax returns as well.

The IRS can adjust returns for those taxpayers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and because the exclusion changed the income level, may now be eligible for an increase in the EITC amount, which may result in a larger refund. However, taxpayers would have to file an amended return if they did not initially claim the EITC or other credits but now are eligible because the exclusion changed their income.

The IRS will determine the correct taxable amount of unemployment compensation and tax. If there is any overpayment of tax, it will be either refunded or applied to other outstanding taxes owed. The recalculations will take place in two phases; single filers and other taxpayers eligible for the up to $10,200 exclusion, followed by married filing jointly taxpayers eligible for the up to $20,400 exclusion and others with more complex returns.

Questions?

Don’t hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions regarding unemployment compensation and your taxes.

The Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 31, 2021, extending the deadline to apply for a loan by an extra 60 days, from March 31 to May 31, 2021. The law also gives the Small Business Administration (SBA) an additional 30 days after the May 31 deadline to review and process loan applications.

The passage of the PPP Extension Act does not provide additional funding; however, as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, an additional $7.25 billion was earmarked for the Paycheck Protection Program to expand eligibility to additional nonprofits and digital news services.

In February 2021, SBA also made four additional changes to open the PPP to more underserved small businesses, generally small and low- and moderate-income (LMI) businesses who have not received the needed relief a forgivable PPP loan provides. Congress set a $15 billion set-aside for small and LMI First Draw borrowers. To advance these goals, SBA has:

• Allowed sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s funding formula for these categories of applicants
• Eliminated an exclusionary restriction on PPP access for small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions, consistent with a bipartisan congressional proposal
• Eliminated PPP access restrictions on small business owners who have struggled to make student loan payments by eliminating student loan debt delinquency as a disqualifier to participating in the PPP
• Ensured access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful U.S. residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply for the PPP

Prior to addressing these inequities, the current 2021 round of PPP loans had only deployed $2.4 billion to small LMI borrowers, in part because a disproportionate amount of funding in both wealthy and LMI areas is going to firms with more than 20 employees. As a result, in February 2021, SBA established a 14-day, exclusive PPP loan application period for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees. The program opened to all borrowers on March 10, 2021, and, as mentioned, has been extended through May 31, 2021.

Business owners who have not received a PPP loan previously can apply for a First Draw Loan. Certain businesses that have already received a PPP loan are eligible for a Second Draw PPP loan.

Finally, borrowers may be eligible for PPP loan forgiveness. First Draw PPP loans made to eligible borrowers qualify for full loan forgiveness if during the 8 to 24-week covered period following loan disbursement:

• Employee and compensation levels are maintained.
• The loan proceeds are spent on payroll costs and other eligible expenses; and
• At least 60 percent of the proceeds are spent on payroll costs.

Second Draw PPP loans made to eligible borrowers qualify for full loan forgiveness under the same requirements as First Draw PPP loans provided employee and compensation levels are maintained in the same manner as required for the First Draw PPP loan.

If you are thinking about applying for a PPP loan, don’t hesitate to contact the office with any questions.