Tax Planning

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I'm not a tax professional, I just do a lot of research. And based on my research this is what I've gathered. Ask a Tax Professional to be sure.

Independent Contractors - File the IRSO 1040 - Schedule C

  • Use Schedule C to report business income and document Profits and Losses from your business. This form accompanies your 1940.

But what about the IRS 1099 form?

  • The IRS 1099 form is the form that you get from people or companies that you provided services for documenting how much they paid you.

  • You need to gather all of your 1099 forms to help you fill out your Schedule C.

What's the difference between deducting an expense, depreciating it, or amortizing it?

  • Deduction - an expense that you can deduct from your income, which means you pay less taxes. Example. If your income is $100,000 a year and you have to pay 25% taxes, then $25,000 of that is going directly to taxes. However, if your income is $100,000 a year, and you have to pay taxes, but you deduct $15,000 of expenses, then you pay your 25% taxes on $85,000. That means your taxes are $21,250. Therefore by claiming your expenses as deductions, in this scenario, you save $3,750 in taxes.

  • Depreciation = means you deduct a portion of the cost over several years. For example, instead of deducting $1,000 in year 1, you would deduct $200 in year 1, $200 in year 2, and $200 in years 3 - 5. Some IRS guidelines require depreciation for certain things. And sometimes you get to choose which you want to do: deduct now or depreciate over some years. If you expect to have higher income in the future years, you may want to depreciate so that you can carry over your deduction to future years. If you expect your income to be high this year, but low in the future years, you may want to deduct everything in this year.

    • Capitol Expenses must be depreciated.


Let's Get into these Deductions!

1st things 1st: KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS!

Rule of Thumb: Expenses must be "ordinary and necessary" -- aka Don't get audited for being reckless.

Small Business Write-offs

  • 100% Deductible

    • Office Equipment:

      • Computers - possibly deduct the entire cost in a single year or depreciate it over 5 years

      • Printers

      • Scanners

      • Furniture for office

      • Office Supplies - are deducted from your profit - ex.: paper, pens, ink, receipt book, staples, mouse pads

    • Gifts to clients and employees - up to $25 per person per year

    • Business Travel: flights, car rentals, hotels

    • Business Phone Bill

    • Business Insurance (including liability coverage, malpractice insurance, etc.)

    • Leasing euipment for business: printers, copiers, vans, trucks

    • Software subscription for your business.

    • Interest on Small business loans from a traditional lender (not a friend or family member)

    • Legal and Professional Fees

      • legal fees

      • Tax preparation fee - For your Schedule C or your LLC tax return, but not your personal tax return.

      • Accounting fees

  • Other Write-offs

    • Education and Training related to your business.

    • Postage

    • Marketing and Advertising Expenses

      • Digital marketing, online advertising, marketing materials, staging, photography, signage

    • Standard Auto

      • Deduct the miles driven for business purposes - use a Mileage Tracker app (e.g. Mile IQ). -- Standard mileage rate = 75.5 cents per mile in 2020

    • Meals

      • 50% of business meals + tip if you take client out to dinner individually. (Write down what business you talked about or conducted). Meal can't be over-the-top-extravagent

      • Business Rent if you don't have a home office.

      • Taxes incurred form just running your business

  • Partial Write-Offs

    • Percentage Use - if you use some expenses for business and personal use, then you may be able to deduct the portion of that expense that is for business

      • Home Office -

      • Start-up Legal and professional fees - tax, legal, accounting - May be Depreciated or Amortized

  • Realtor specific write-offs

    • Commissions paid to other agents

    • Brokerage Desk Fees or Home Office (but not both)

    • Continuing Education Credits (above the 15 hours minimum required) - specifically for real estate

  • List of Other commonly deducted business expenses


Understanding pass through income and expenses:

  • In some cases, small business owners can use their losses from business to offset their income. In other words, because they had business losses, that will allow them to pay less in taxes on their personal income.


Sole Proprietor and Single member LLCs



How to Maximize the IRS's Advertising Expense Deduction

    • Re-BRANDING is the best way

      • Digital marketing, online advertising,

      • marketing materials,

      • Staging

        • Rental Furniture

        • Office Furniture

        • Plants

        • Decor

      • Photography,

        • Outfits for Photoshoot

        • Camera

        • Tripod

        • Ring Light

        • Video editing software?

      • Signage

      • Promotional Items (branded pens, etc.)

    • Promotional Gifts - each item up to $4 is fully deductible - they should include your business name.

    • Holiday Parties

      • Holiday parties are fully dedutible

      • For 2021 and 2022 - temporary 100 percent deduction on good or beverages provided by a restaurant. Previously you could only deduct 50%

      • Entertainment = not deductible




THE BELOW EXPENSES ARE NOT DEDUCTIBLE