Navigating the Year-End Tax Filing for Small Businesses and Households (2024)

FAQs

How do I maximize my LLC tax deductions? ›

Other ways to reduce LLC taxes include putting money away in a retirement account, deducting health insurance premiums and, if eligible, taking the QBI deduction for service-oriented businesses.

Use Schedule C (Form 1040) to report income or loss from a business you operated or a profession you practiced as a sole proprietor. An activity qualifies as a business if: Your primary purpose for engaging in the activity is for income or profit. You are involved in the activity with continuity and regularity.

To determine if your business is a hobby, the IRS looks at numerous factors, including the following: Do you put in the necessary time and effort to turn a profit? Have you made a profit in this activity in the past, or can you expect to make one in the future?

You must file a return if you earn $400 or more in net earnings from your business. Net earnings equal taxable business income minus allowable business deductions.

Yes, you can write off the interest on a car loan if it's used for business purposes. You'll need to use the actual expense method to deduct this expense and you can only write off the business use portion of the interest. Also, keep in mind that your principal payments aren't deductible.

If the LLC has just one member, that owner can choose to be taxed as either a disregarded entity ( and pay business tax on their individual return) or an S Corporation to avoid double taxation. If it has multiple members, it can choose either partnership or S corporation taxation.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) added the latest LLC tax benefits. This act allows LLC members to deduct up to 20% of their business income before calculating tax. If you don't choose S corporation tax status for your LLC, members can often avoid higher self-employment and income taxes with this deduction.

You can calculate your income tax rate using Form 1040. Just add up all of your income sources and apply any relevant tax credits or deductions. The resulting number will give you your taxable net income, which can help you identify your and your small business' federal income tax rate.

Office equipment, such as computers, printers and scanners are 100 percent deductible. Business travel and its associated costs, like car rentals, hotels, etc. is 100 percent deductible. Gifts to clients and employees are 100 percent deductible, up to $25 per person per year.

According to the five hobbies rule, you need one hobby to keep you active, one to keep you creative, one to make you money, one to build knowledge, and one to evolve your mindset! So, have you heard of this rule before?

What qualifies as a hobby expense for tax purposes? ›

For tax purposes, a "hobby" is an activity you engage in primarily for a purpose other than to make a profit. The IRS commonly classifies inherently "fun" activities like creating art, photography, crafts, writing, antique or stamp collecting, or training and showing dogs or horses as hobbies.

If you earn more than $400 in a calendar year from your hobby, you should file a return and report it as self-employed income on your taxes. According to the IRS rules, you must file Schedule SE and pay self-employment tax if your net earnings from your activity are $400 or more in a single calendar year.

If you open a company in the US, you'll have to pay business taxes. Getting a refund is possible if your business loses money. However, if your business has what is classified as an extraordinary loss, you could even get a refund for all or part of your tax liabilities from the previous year.

Nontaxable income won't be taxed, whether or not you enter it on your tax return. The following items are deemed nontaxable by the IRS: Inheritances, gifts and bequests. Cash rebates on items you purchase from a retailer, manufacturer or dealer.

For most businesses however, the best way to minimize your tax liability is to pay yourself as an employee with a designated salary. This allows you to only pay self-employment taxes on the salary you gave yourself — rather than the entire business' income.

The key concept associated with the taxation of an LLC is pass-through. This describes the way the LLC's earnings can be passed straight through to the owner or owners, without having to pay corporate federal income taxes first. Sole proprietorships and partnerships also pay taxes as pass-through entities.

Tax obligations vary from one business to another, but a good rule of thumb is to save 30% to 40% of your business income for taxes. This should ensure that you have enough to cover your quarterly taxes. You can work with your accountant to determine if you need to save more or if you can get away with saving less.

Office equipment, such as computers, printers and scanners are 100 percent deductible. Business travel and its associated costs, like car rentals, hotels, etc. is 100 percent deductible. Gifts to clients and employees are 100 percent deductible, up to $25 per person per year.