Historically, business owners have been able to utilize tax deductions based on the cost of assets bought for business use and the depreciation of those assets. However, the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) modified the rules regarding the deduction of expenses under Section 179(a) and the deduction of depreciation under Section 168(g). These changes affect business taxes filed for years 2018 and beyond.

Section 179(a): Business Asset Deductions

This law permits businesses to deduct the purchase price of certain assets as an expense for the year the business begins to use the property. The recent updates to the law raised the maximum expense deduction to $1 million (up from $500,000). The updated law also raised the phase-out limit to $2.5 million (up from $2 million).

This deduction is available for tangible property like tools and technology used in business. The deduction is also available for qualified real property. Under the TCJA, qualified real property includes qualified improvement property, as well as certain types of improvements to nonresidential property, which includes: 

An IRS deadline for business owners is fast approaching. January 31, 2019 is the date by which employers and businesses must submit wage statement forms and independent contractor forms. 

These requirements were outlined in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, which made it compulsory for businesses to submit duplicates of Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) and Form W-3 (Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements) to the Social Security Administration by the end of January of each year. In addition, certain Forms 1099-MISC (Miscellaneous Income) must be filed by this date with the IRS to report payments made to independent contractors. 

There are penalties for businesses that do not comply with this deadline. 

California employers are responsible for withholding payroll taxes, filing returns, and paying state and federal payroll taxes. The laws governing payroll taxes are complex, and as your small business grows, the onerousness of compliance with these tax rules will intensify.

What Are Payroll Taxes?

California has four state payroll taxes. Two are paid by the employer: Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment Training Tax (ETT). Two are withheld from workers’ wages: State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Personal Income Tax (PIT). Payroll taxes are administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD).

In addition, employers must handle federal payroll taxes. A small business will be required to pay federal taxes for Medicare, Social Security, and unemployment (FUTA). Also, an employer withholds federal personal income taxes, Medicare, and Social Security from workers’ wages.

The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has brought sweeping changes to many areas of tax law. One change that might have been overlooked by businesses is that employers are now eligible for a tax credit if they offer certain kinds of paid family and medical leave to full and part-time workers. If you act before the end of this year, you may be able to qualify for this tax credit.

Qualifying for Tax Credits

Eligible businesses that enact qualifying paid family leave programs or amend existing ones by the end of this year will be able to claim the employer credit. This tax credit will be available for tax years 2018 and 2019. The credit is retroactive to the beginning of the business’ 2018 tax year for qualifying leave already given.

To qualify for the tax credit, employers must meet the following requirements:

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 has made many significant changes to tax laws that affect both individuals and small businesses. Understanding how these changes will affect the taxes a business owner must pay and the deductions they are allowed to take can help avoid tax penalties or audits. 

One area affected by the TCJA is the allowance for deductions for business expenses. This change went into effect for the 2018 tax year. 

Entertainment and Meal Expense Deductions

Business owners should understand that the TCJA removed the deduction for any expenses incurred by a business involving activities generally considered entertainment, amusement, or recreation. Previously, a company was typically allowed a deduction of up to 50 percent of entertainment expenses. To qualify for this deduction, the expense had to relate directly to the active performance of a business or trade. Common examples of ways a business would claim this deduction were for sporting event tickets or club memberships. Under the new rules, these expenses are now non-deductible.