Caudell CPA, PC

If you used one or more vehicles in your business during 2025, you may be eligible for valuable tax deductions on your 2025 income tax return. But the rules are complicated, and your deductions may be affected by factors such as the vehicle’s weight and business vs. personal use. The year you place a car, SUV, van, pickup or panel truck in service, you can choose to deduct the actual expenses (such as gas, insurance, repairs and registration fees) and depreciation attributable to your business use of the vehicle or claim the cents-per-mile deduction (with a depreciation allowance built into it). Heavier vehicles may be eligible for larger deductions. Contact us if you have questions.

In Notice 2026-13, the IRS recently updated its model notices for qualified retirement plan rollover distributions to reflect changes under the SECURE 2.0 Act. The model notices now incorporate two revised safe-harbor explanations: one for non-Roth distributions and one for designated Roth accounts. The revised notices also address expanded exceptions to the 10% early withdrawal penalty, higher required minimum distribution ages, the increased $7,000 mandatory cash-out threshold and special rules for “pension-linked” emergency savings accounts. Plan administrators and payors aren’t required to use the IRS models, but they’re generally considered a good place to start. Contact us to learn more.

Personal interest expense generally can’t be deducted for federal tax purposes. But there are exceptions. You probably know that home mortgage interest may be deductible if you itemize deductions rather than claiming the standard deduction. New for 2025 through 2028, you may be eligible to deduct up to $10,000 of car loan interest if the vehicle’s “final assembly” was in the U.S. and other requirements are met. But the deduction phases out starting at $100,000 of modified adjusted gross income ($200,000 for married couples filing jointly). Other potential interest expense deductions are student loan interest and investment interest. Contact us with any questions.

Raising a family comes with plenty of expenses, but it may also make you eligible for various tax breaks. Some of the most valuable are tax credits, because they reduce your tax liability dollar for dollar (unlike deductions, which only reduce the amount of income subject to tax). Which credits might you be eligible for on your 2025 return? The child credit, credit for other dependents, child and dependent care credit, adoption credit, American Opportunity credit and Lifetime Learning credit are some of the possibilities. But various rules and income-based limits apply. We can help ensure you maximize your tax savings from these and other tax breaks you’re eligible for.