New Year! New Goals! But guess what else January brings…That’s right—the unofficial start of tax season, and here at Loeffler Financial Group, we’re gearing up to make it as painless as possible for you! We even made some great improvements to our building to better serve you, and our clients!

We understand tax prep isn’t exactly the most exciting part of the year (trust us, we know!). But fear not, because we’re all in this together, and we’re here to offer you a quick reminder.

It’s time to start gathering those tax documents. Round up your W-2s, 1099s, receipts, and any other relevant paperwork. And if you don’t have everything just yet, no need to stress. You still have almost two months until the deadline comes knocking. But remember, the sooner you start, the smoother the process will be!

Here at Loeffler Financial Group, we’re genuinely thrilled because we’re all set to be your tax season partners! Whether you’re a tax prep pro or a rookie, rest assured, we’ve got your back and can guide you every step of the way.

We’re more than just an accounting firm; we’re family. This year, let’s breeze through tax season together, making the journey as easy and stress-free as possible. Stay tuned for helpful tips, important updates, and gentle reminders along the way.

Let’s tackle tax season head-on, together! Call 717-393-7366, or book right online for an easy and stress-free Tax appointment.

Summer brings warm weather, fun outdoor activities, and new opportunities to earn some additional income. However, taxes on seasonal income need to be handled with care, whether they’re related to your child’s first job or an extra income opportunity for you.

Here are some tips to help you manage the taxes on your summer earnings:

Students should take advantage of tax-free earnings limits. If you anticipate making less than the annual standard deduction ($12,950 for single taxpayers in 2022), none of your earnings are subject to federal taxes! If possible, earn at least that amount each year to maximize your tax-free earnings. Remember, if you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return, the limits for tax-free unearned income such as interest and dividends are lower.

Tip: If your annual earnings will be less than the standard deduction, you can claim EXEMPT on your Form W-4. That prevents federal income taxes from being withheld from your paycheck.

Independent contractors need to make estimated payments. As an independent contractor, you are responsible for paying all the taxes on your earnings. To do this, you make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS using Form 1040-ES. In addition to federal and state taxes, independent contractors need to pay a self-employment tax of 15.3% of earnings.

Tip: Track your expenses and save receipts. By doing this, you can subtract eligible expenses like mileage, supplies and uniforms from your gross earnings. Use this lower-income number to calculate your self-employment tax and correctly estimate your income tax obligation.

Closely monitor tax withholdings. As an employee, your employer withholds taxes based on what you claim on Form W-4. Unfortunately, the tax tables used by this form to calculate your withholdings do not account for seasonal jobs. This typically results in paycheck withholdings being too low for supplemental income workers and too high for students working during the summer.

Tip: If you anticipate earnings in excess of the standard deduction, request a revision of your withholdings. Use tools on the IRS website, review last year’s tax return, or ask one of the tax experts at Loeffler Financial Group for help to estimate the correct amount to withhold. From there, ask your employer to adjust your federal and/or state withholdings up or down.

With a little tax planning, you can ensure that your summer job provides the income you are looking for without the disappointment of unexpected taxes. Please call if you have any questions.

 

Here are five common retirement planning ideas and what you can do to take advantage of them. The key is retirement planning starts now, not decades from now when you are reaching retirement age.

1. Having a plan

Surprisingly, most do not know how much money is needed for retirement. This is being made much more difficult with inflation playing a major role in finding the right answer. A retirement plan should consider how long you expect to live, an estimate of the amount of money you will need, and a description of your desired lifestyle during retirement. Your plan should have measurable goals that you aim to achieve.

Action item: If you have a plan, review it for possible revisions. If you do not, consider getting one put together as soon as possible.

2. Start early enough

One of the most powerful tools for a well-funded retirement is to start saving for your retirement at an early age. The sooner you start saving, the better off you will be.

Action item: Open a retirement account and start saving now. Increase the percent of your pay that you place in tax-advantaged retirement saving accounts. This includes IRAs, 401(k)s, and other plans.

3. Maximize employer contributions

Many employers have plans available to help their employees save for retirement. If your company has a pension plan, understand how it works and how much you can expect to receive upon retirement. If your company has a retirement plan contribution-matching program, take full advantage of this free money by making minimum contributions required to receive this employer match.

Action item: Review your employer-provided retirement saving options. Maximize the benefits they are providing.

4. Consider working after retiring

Do you plan on working during retirement or avoiding work at all costs? Do you plan on having a pension or Social Security covering all your retirement needs or none of it? Too often retirees plan the extremes, but reality is something in between. For example, if you are someone who plans to have your pension plan fail and Social Security go broke, you may be taking too conservative an approach.

Action item: Create a range of retirement funding scenarios, not just the worst-case or best-case scenario. Consider no work or part-time work. Think about some contribution from Social Security and potential pension income if your employer has a program.

5. Understand the true nature of your retirement

Are you being realistic in your future retirement plans? Have you correctly estimated the cost of health insurance? Have you really thought about the impact of relocating to a warmer climate? How important is living close to family and friends? Will you really downsize your home after the kids leave?

Action item: If you have a retirement plan that includes relocating or traveling to far-off places, consider test-driving this idea before you implement it. You may be surprised at the result.

Retirement should be something to look forward to, especially with a little planning.

September 10, 2021

Employees Who Work for Tips – If you received $20 or more in tips during August, report them to your employer. You can use Form 4070.

September 15, 2021

Individuals – Make a payment of your 2021 estimated tax if you are not paying your income tax for the year through withholding (or will not pay in enough tax that way). Use Form 1040-ES. This is the third installment date for estimated tax in 2021.

Partnerships – File a 2020 calendar year income tax return (Form 1065). This due date applies only if you were given an additional 6-month extension. Provide each shareholder with a copy of Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) or a substitute Schedule K-1.

S corporations – File a 2020 calendar year income tax return (Form 1120S) and pay any tax due. This due date applies only if you made a timely request for an automatic 6-month extension. Provide each shareholder with a copy of Schedule K-1 (Form 1120S) or a substitute Schedule K-1.

Corporations – Deposit the third installment of estimated income tax for 2021. A worksheet, Form 1120-W, is available to help you make an estimate of your tax for the year.

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

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

 

Questions? Call one of Loeffler Financial Group Tax Advisors at 717-393-7366.

 

 

Welcome to the craziness that is the 2020 tax filing season!

Because the IRS is still playing catch-up from last year, in addition to new tax laws passed in the middle of this year’s tax filing season, the April 15 individual tax return deadline was moved to May 17. Read about how these new tax laws affect both your 2020 and 2021 tax returns.

Also read about extended tax breaks for businesses, along with creative ways to do something nice and unexpected for someone else.

Please call if you would like to discuss how this information could impact your situation.

 

 

The adoption process can be expensive. Fortunately, the adoption tax credit can help offset some those expenses Taxpayers who adopted or started the adoption process in 2020 should review the rules for this credit.

Here are some facts to help people understand the credit and if they can claim it when filing their taxes:

• The maximum adoption credit taxpayers can claim on their 2020 tax return is $14,300 per eligible child.
• There are income limits that could affect the amount of the credit
• Taxpayers should complete Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses. They use this form to figure how much credit they can claim on their tax return.
• An eligible child must be younger than 18. If the adopted person is older, they must be physically or mentally unable to take care of themselves.
• This credit is non-refundable. This means the amount of the credit is limited to the taxpayer’s taxes due for 2020. Any credit leftover from their owed 2020 taxes can be carried forward for up to five years. 

• Qualified expenses include:
  • Reasonable and necessary adoption fees.
  • Court costs and legal fees.
  • Adoption related travel expenses like meals and lodging.
• Other expenses directly related to the legal adoption of an eligible child.
• If the taxpayer and someone other than a spouse each paid qualified adoption expenses to adopt the same child, the $14,300 credit must be divided between the two of them.
  
• Expenses may also qualify even if the taxpayer pays them before an eligible child is identified. For example, some future adoptive parents pay for a home study at the beginning of the adoption process. These parents can claim the fees as qualified adoption expenses.
  
• Qualified adoption expenses don’t include costs paid by a taxpayer to adopt their spouse’s child.

 

Have additional questions? We’re here to help!  Contact Loeffler Financial Group today at 717-393-7366, or email info@loefflerfinancial.com with any questions you may have.  Our tax experts and accountants can help break down the steps in order to one, understand the tax credit, and two see if the tax credit will benefit you for your 2020 tax return.