Folks in the Restaurant Industry will want to pay close attention to the IRS's latest update to the Employee Retention Credit. 

On December 20th, 2021, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Michigan HB 5376, which creates an entity-level tax for pass-through entities (PTEs) that do business in the State of Michigan. Under this new law, PTEs would declare and pay tax on their Michigan taxable income on behalf of their shareholders or entity level partners, and would deduct these taxes from the federal taxable income of the PTE.

As the 2021 calendar year comes to a close, it’s important to keep your eyes open on tax changes so you can be prepared for the filing season. Here are some important planning tips:

1. Deduct Business Meals

The treatment of business meals and entertainment (either through a business entity or through an individual’s sole proprietorship) has changed significantly since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). Prior to that law, meals and entertainment expenses were generally deductible by the taxpayer at 50% of their cost in most cases. The TCJA changed this rule to completely disallow deductions for entertainment but keep the 50% limitation for business meals. However, as a COVID relief measure, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA) made a special exception for meals.

We recommend that our clients start their financial planning by creating a financial snapshot:

According to Savology, a written financial plan can lead to better money behavior. Their research found that households with a financial plan are 2.5x more likely to save enough for retirement. That’s a pretty good incentive, but there’s still icing on the cake. Of those who do set financial goals, 83% feel better about their finances after just one year. And yet 72% of Americans don’t have a written plan. So what's keeping them from financial planning?

For those of you updating your budgets for 2021, we’re providing an overview of the price increases you can expect for Medicare in 2021. Fortunately for most, costs aren’t growing much in the new year, but it’s important to keep on top of changes and how they affect your finances.

On Thursday March 11, 2021 President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, H.R. 1319. This is the third major relief package to help Americans who are struggling with losses and setbacks from COVID-19 related government lockdowns and countermeasures.

Following the $1.7 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) of March 2020, and the $900 billion Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of December 2020, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act “the Act” provides several tax benefits for individuals and businesses alike.

The Michigan Department of Treasury has granted a 31-day waiver for penalty and interest for the late reporting of sales, use, and withholding (SUW) taxes ordinarily due on December 20, 2020. Because of this waiver, any SUW returns and payments for affected businesses can be made without interest or penalty until January 20, 2021.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 added many new provisions to the tax code. Taxpayers with larger estates initially saw a benefit from the change to the lifetime exclusion for gift and estate taxes. It increased the amount for each taxpayer from $5 million to $11 million, adjusted for inflation. (For 2019, the indexed amount is $11.4 million.) However, tax practitioners saw a catch: after 2025, the provision will sunset and the lifetime exclusion per taxpayer will revert back to $5 million. Worse yet, it was unclear what would happen to taxpayers who gave gifts that make up this extra $5 million provided by the TCJA. Thankfully, the IRS has finalized Regulation 106706-18, which provides more clarity around gifts and estate transfers. Let's take a look at what you should know if you're worried about being taxed for your generosity.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released a Loan Forgiveness Application for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The application and its instructions provide step-by-step guidance on calculating a borrower's PPP loan forgiveness amount. The application is much anticipated and helps clarify some of the questions we referred to in our previously published Top Ten Questions About the PPP blog -- but not all. The SBA and the U.S. Treasury have indicated they will continue to release guidance on the forgiveness calculation.