Advanced Accounting Consultants

Are you paying yourself and family members who work in your business reasonable compensation? The IRS requires compensation (including salaries, bonuses and perks) to reflect services performed and be comparable to compensation for similar roles in similar organizations. This is especially important for owner-employees and related parties. Payments to relatives may be deductible, but only if they represent reasonable wages for bona fide services and are well documented. Excess compensation may be reclassified as nondeductible distributions of income, while underpaying may raise payroll tax issues. Regularly reviewing compensation practices can help reduce audit risk. Call us at (440) 632-7070 for guidance.

The ultimate success of a business often comes back to decisions made at its inception. If you’re planning to start a business, one key decision is choosing its structure, commonly sole proprietorship, C corporation, S corporation, partnership or limited liability company. In addition to owner liability variations, all have different tax requirements that can affect everything from hiring to cash flow to owner income. Another critical decision is choosing a tax year — either a calendar year or a fiscal year (12 consecutive months ending on the last day of any month except December). Call us at (440) 632-7070. We can help you make the best decisions for your current situation and your business’s future.

Are you behind on federal tax payments or worried about defaulting on an IRS installment agreement? You might have more options than you realize. If your finances have changed, the IRS may let you adjust your payment plan to lower monthly payments or a new schedule. If your agreement is terminated, you can request reinstatement. You can also consider an offer in compromise, which may allow you to settle for less than you owe. If you’re facing serious financial trouble and can provide evidence of undue hardship, the IRS sometimes allows up to six months to pay. It helps to act early. Call us at (440) 632-7070 with questions.

If you’d like to help a charity for a period of time but ultimately benefit one or more heirs and potentially save gift and estate taxes, consider a charitable lead trust (CLT). You transfer assets to the irrevocable CLT and the charity receives payments from it for a term of years. When the term expires, the remaining assets are distributed to the CLT’s beneficiaries. The CLT assets can include publicly traded securities, real estate, business interests and even private company stock. Call us at (440) 632-7070 for more details.