As we approach the end of the year, there are several business and tax related matters that should be attended to as well as some ways that you can reduce your tax liability for the current year.
Should you change your business structure? Consult with your accountant to see what entity type would be best for your business. With the changes that came along with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts, there may be an opportunity for you to minimize your tax liability by choosing the entity type that works best. While some small business owners can deduct 20% of qualified business income, this will generally apply to pass-through entities, but there will be limits on certain service businesses such as legal and medical practices. It may be beneficial to file as a C-corporation moving forward into 2019 since the new law has reduced the tax rate from 35% to 21%.
Defer revenue and pay expenses early (or do the opposite): Depending on what your income level is this year, it may make sense to push any income until January 1 if it appears that your profits may be higher than previous years. You may also want to pay some expenses for 2019 early in order to take the deduction now. Alternatively, the opposite may work better for your business if you anticipate that 2019 may be more profitable. Working with your accountant and reviewing your overall financial picture will let you know the best course of action.
Take advantage of 100% bonus depreciation: The TCJA has provided 100% first-year bonus depreciation for qualified new and used property purchased and put into service in 2018. Consider making additional purchases if you can before year end. The 100% first-year bonus depreciation is in effect until 2023, and the Section 179 cap is raised from $500,000 to $1 million.
General record-keeping: If you haven’t already, it is time to organize your tax paperwork and receipts prior to handing them off to your accountant. Take some time to review business credit cards and bank accounts to see if you have any missed expenses. And if you find this a difficult task, start outlining ways that you can streamline the process for the new year, so that next year end you are well organized and less stressed.
As we end 2018, we hope you’ve had a year filled with success. Take the time to reflect and look back on what went right for your business this year, and examine the challenges that you may have overcome. We look forward to working with you in 2019 and best wishes for the holiday season from all of us at Zinman & Company.
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