Allison L Cook CPAs PC

New guidance on how small businesses can use research credit to offset payroll tax. Businesses that increase certain research expenses may use a research credit to reduce their income tax liability. For tax years that begin after Dec. 31, 2015, eligible small businesses can take advantage of a new option enabling them to apply part or all of their research credit against their payroll tax liability, instead of their income tax liability. The option to elect the new payroll tax credit may be especially helpful for eligible startup businesses that have little or no income tax liability. To qualify for the new option for 2016, a business must have gross receipts of less than $5 million and may not have had gross receipts before 2012. Under the new rules, an eligible small business with qualifying research expenses can choose to apply up to $250,000 of its research credit against its payroll tax liability.
The IRS recently issued new guidance on this option for eligible small businesses to use the research credit to reduce payroll tax. Eligible small businesses choose this option by filling out Form 6765, Credit for Increasing Research Activities, and attaching it to a timely-filed business income tax return. The business claims the payroll tax credit on its employment tax return for the first quarter that begins after it files the return reflecting the election. For example, if a business files an income tax return on Apr. 10, 2017, with a Form 6765 attached reflecting the payroll tax credit election, it would claim the payroll tax credit on its Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, for the third quarter of 2017. An eligible small business that files annual employment tax returns claims the payroll tax credit on its annual employment tax return that includes the first quarter beginning after the date on which the business files the return reflecting the election. The eligible small business also must file Form 8947, Qualified Small Business Payroll Tax Credit for Increasing Research Activities, and attach it to the employment tax return. Under a special rule for tax year 2016, a small business that failed to choose the payroll tax option, but still wishes to do so, can still make the election by filing an amended return by Dec. 31, 2017.

401k and IRA Contribution Limits are Unchanged for 2017
Friday, December 30, 2016

Contribution Limits

401K $18,000 for 2016 and 2017. The addition catch up amounts for individuals who are 50 or older before the end of the tax year is $6,000 for 2016 and 2017.

IRA $5,500 for 2016 and 2017. The addition catch up amounts for individuals who are 50 or older before the end of the tax year is $1,000 for 2016 and 2017.

Saver's Credit Income limits for this credit are $62,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $61,500; $46,500 for heads of household, up from $46,125; and $31,000 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $30,750.

Phaseout amounts for allowable IRA deductions have increased slightly.

For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is $62,000 to $72,000, up from $61,000 to $71,000.
For married couples filing jointly, where the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is $99,000 to $119,000, up from $98,000 to $118,000.
For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the deduction is phased out if the couple’s income is between $186,000 and $196,000, up from $184,000 and $194,000.
For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains $0 to $10,000.

Earned Income Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit Refunds Delayed until Feb 15, 2017 or Later
Wednesday, November 30, 2016

In addition, new identity theft and refund fraud safeguards put in place by the IRS and the states may mean some tax returns and refunds face additional review.

Beginning in 2017, a new law approved by Congress requires the IRS to hold refunds on tax returns claiming the EITC or the ACTC until mid-February. The IRS must hold the entire refund — even the portion not associated with the EITC and ACTC — until at least Feb. 15. This change helps ensure that taxpayers get the refund they are owed by giving the agency more time to help detect and prevent fraud.

''This is an important change as some of these taxpayers are used to getting an early refund," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "We want people to be aware of the change for their planning purposes during the holidays. We don't want anyone caught by surprise if they get their refund a few weeks later than in previous years."

As in past years, the IRS will begin accepting and processing tax returns once the filing season begins. All taxpayers should file as usual, and tax return preparers should submit returns as they normally do. Even though the IRS cannot issue refunds for some early filers until at least Feb. 15, the IRS reminds taxpayers that most refunds will be issued within the normal timeframe: less than 21 days, after being accepted for processing by the IRS. The Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go phone app remains the best way to get this status of a refund.

Stronger Security Filters and Tax Refund Processing

As the IRS steps up its efforts to combat identity theft and tax refund fraud through its many processing filters, legitimate refund returns sometimes get delayed during the review process. While the IRS is working diligently to stop the issuance of fraudulent refunds, it also remains focused on releasing legitimate refunds as quickly as possible.

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and industry partners finalized plans for 2017 to improve identity theft protections for individual and business taxpayers. This comes after making significant inroads this year against fraudulent returns. Additional safeguards will be set in place for the upcoming 2017 filing season.

The IRS and its partners saw a marked improvement in the battle against identity theft in 2016. This is highlighted by the number of new people reporting stolen identities on federal tax returns falling by more than 50 percent, with nearly 275,000 fewer victims compared to a year ago.

"These increased security screenings are invisible to most taxpayers," Koskinen said. "But we want people to be aware we are taking additional steps to protect taxpayers from identity theft, and that sometimes means the real taxpayers face a slight delay in their refunds.”