Taxes and Divorce
Unfortunately, for some couples, once the children are all grown, all that is left is two people who no longer have a reason to stay together. They might not be angry with one another, or have a big issue with each other, its just a case of not having much in common. And also not being willing to work towards a common goal. We see this more often these days in the baby boomers, than we ever saw it before. There are considerable life style and tax ramifications to a divorce, and if you are even thinking about such a thing, it’s a good idea to get all of your financial records together and come see us. Why mention it at this time of the year? Well, chances are you are already gathering everything up in order to prepare your taxes so why not kill two birds with one stone as they say. Journal of Accountancy had some great advice on this subject: Continue reading
Are You Saving Enough Money?
Incomes are rising, unemployment is going down, new businesses are popping up and things in general are looking quite a bit more hopeful than they did just a few years ago? For some of you, that means you had a great year, and perhaps you used some of that new found money to purchase things you have been putting off for several years. It also means that you were able to pay off some debt, and even save a little money.
This year it might be a good idea to save a little more of that money. Look at your budget, see where you got a little careless with your spending in 2016, and perhaps you can cut out some of those expenses, are at least bring them down, and start saving a little more.
CNN had a great post this week about how much we our saving these days, and how much more we should be:
“Roughly half of Americans are saving 5% or less of their incomes, including 18% that are not saving anything, according to a survey from Bankrate. Only about a quarter of people are saving more than 10% of their earnings. So how much should you be saving? Bankrate recommends 15%.
“Between emergency savings and the ever-increasing burden of retirement savings that is on the individual, the goal should be 15% of your income,” said Greg McBride, the personal finance website’s chief financial analyst.
“For a lot of people, it won’t happen overnight. It’s going to take some time, but it’s doable, as the middle class is showing.”
Those in the middle class are proving to be the super savers with 35% of people with an annual income of $50,000-$74,999 saving more than 10% of their earnings.
Of those taking home more than $75,000 a year, 32% were saving more than 10% of their income, according to McBride.
Saving more is easier said than done, which is why McBride suggests making it automatic by having a portion of each paycheck be directly deposited into a savings account and a retirement plan. “Saving needs to happen before you pick up your paycheck.”
Bankrate’s Financial Security Index, which surveyed 1,000 adults in the U.S., also showed consumers are feeling better about their debt and financial situation compared to a year ago, which could actually be bad news for savings accounts.”
If you are a member of a Credit Union, it’s easy to sign up for automatic deductions from your Payroll Checks. Or, if you use online banking, just have an automatic transfer set up to take a small amount our of your regular checking account each month. You can always add more to that on months when your income is a little higher, or expenses are lower, but at least you will have something in savings. We can help you go through your statements and even give you some advice on the best type of investments.
Pete DiSalvo, CPA
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A Little Advice From a CPA About Getting Married
I know it’s not even Halloween just yet, there are a couple more weeks to go, but there are some of you who may be thinking about getting married next year. Perhaps even considering purchasing that engagement ring in time for Christmas or New Years? There is lots of advice about how much you should spend on the engagement ring, and on your wedding. Let me be the first to say that I understand how things can get carried away in the heat of the moment, but if there is anyway to plan ahead without creating undue stress, I would strongly advise it. Continue reading
News From the IRS
As a CPA firm, it is our obligation to keep up with new rules and laws which affect the taxes of our community. We regularly study and learn about these new laws, not all of which we enjoy learning about, but this one is a ruling that will help some people a great deal. Taken from the IRS.GOV website:
“New Procedure Helps People Making IRA and Retirement Plan Rollovers
IR-2016-113, Aug. 24, 2016
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today provided a self-certification procedure designed to help recipients of retirement plan distributions who inadvertently miss the 60-day time limit for properly rolling these amounts into another retirement plan or individual retirement arrangement (IRA).
In Revenue Procedure 2016-47, posted today on IRS.gov, the IRS explained how eligible taxpayers, encountering a variety of mitigating circumstances, can qualify for a waiver of the 60-day time limit and avoid possible early distribution taxes. In addition, the revenue procedure includes a sample self-certification letter that a taxpayer can use to notify the administrator or trustee of the retirement plan or IRA receiving the rollover that they qualify for the waiver.
Normally, an eligible distribution from an IRA or workplace retirement plan can only qualify for tax-free rollover treatment if it is contributed to another IRA or workplace plan by the 60th day after it was received. In most cases, taxpayers who fail to meet the time limit could only obtain a waiver by requesting a private letter ruling from the IRS.
A taxpayer who missed the time limit will now ordinarily qualify for a waiver if one or more of 11 circumstances, listed in the revenue procedure, apply to them. They include a distribution check that was misplaced and never cashed, the taxpayer’s home was severely damaged, a family member died, the taxpayer or a family member was seriously ill, the taxpayer was incarcerated or restrictions were imposed by a foreign country.
Ordinarily, the IRS and plan administrators and trustees will honor a taxpayer’s truthful self-certification that they qualify for a waiver under these circumstances. Moreover, even if a taxpayer does not self-certify, the IRS now has the authority to grant a waiver during a subsequent examination. Other requirements, along with a copy of a sample self-certification letter, can be found in the revenue procedure.
The IRS encourages eligible taxpayers wishing to transfer retirement plan or IRA distributions to another retirement plan or IRA to consider requesting that the administrator or trustee make a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer, rather than doing a rollover. Doing so can avoid some of the delays and restrictions that often arise during the rollover process. For more information about rollovers and transfers, check out the Can You Move Retirement Plan Assets? section in Publication 590-A or theRollovers of Retirement Plan and IRA Distributions page on IRS.gov.”
IF you have any questions about this information, please don’t hesitate to call myself or one of my associates. Moving IRA’s can seem like a daunting task, but if it’s done properly by a firm that knows what they are doing, it can be a smooth process.
Pete DiSalvo, CPA
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Payroll Services for Your Company
Here at DiSalvo and Company we not only offer tax and financial services, we also offer Payroll Services. Payroll entry for a growing company can be a headache that just doesn’t go away with aspirin. There are each employees wages and time sheets to track. Taxes need to be withheld and companies are also charged with paying their own portion of taxes. In some instances 401k contributions, savings and other deductions must also be carefully input.
If you don’t have someone on your staff who has been properly trained on how to process payroll, their could be costly mistakes made and lots of frustration. For many small businesses payroll is an inefficient and overwhelming task that can require resources your company can’t afford to invest. Outsourcing this critical function can actually save your company money and lighten your work load.
At DiSalvo And Company, P.A., a Vero Beach CPA firm, we’ll ensure your employees get paid on time and your payroll taxes are prepared and submitted on time. Don’t waste another minute trying to figure out confusing federal and state payroll tax laws. Our expert payroll solution is designed to ease your burden and free up your time to manage your Vero Beach business.
Our payroll services for small businesses include:
- Preparing the payroll
- Preparing W-2s and W-3s
- Preparing 1099s
- Federal and state payroll tax filings
- Worker’s compensation audits
- Unemployment claims
We customize our payroll service in order to meet the needs of your business. You no longer have to be concerned with penalties or late notices or just the weekly headache of Payroll.
Pete DiSalvo, CPA
Vero Beach, Melbourne, Titusville
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