Author: Erica Ortsman (page 49)

A warning if your not-for-profit organization is looking for expenses to cut: Don’t skimp on insurance. Should your nonprofit experience a fire, major theft or other calamity, you’ll be glad you have the coverage. Of course, you may also be required by your state, certain funders, lenders and your own bylaws to carry adequate insurance. Donors certainly expect you to protect their investment in your nonprofit by managing risk with insurance. But to ensure you’re not wasting money, consider what you need — and what you might not.

Owners of closely held corporations are often interested in easily withdrawing money from their businesses at the lowest possible tax cost. The simplest way is to distribute cash as a dividend. However, a dividend distribution isn’t tax-efficient, since it’s taxable to you to the extent of your corporation’s “earnings and profits.” And it’s not deductible by the corporation.

Many people have Series EE savings bonds that were purchased many years ago. Perhaps they were given to your children as gifts or maybe you bought them yourself and put them away in a file cabinet or safe deposit box. You may wonder: How is the interest you earn on EE bonds taxed? And if they reach final maturity, what action do you need to take to ensure there’s no loss of interest or unanticipated tax consequences?

Delegation ideally gives not-for-profit executives time to focus on mission critical tasks and provides growth opportunities to staffers. However, you need to approach delegation strategically. This means assigning the right tasks to the right staffers — and following up on assigned work to ensure it’s completed to your standards.

If you recently launched a business, you may want to set up a tax-favored retirement plan for yourself and your employees. There are several types of qualified plans that are eligible for these tax advantages:

• A current deduction from income to the employer for contributions to the plan,
• Tax-free buildup of the value of plan investments, and
• The deferral of income (augmented by investment earnings) to employees until funds are distributed.

There are two basic types of plans.

When a couple is going through a divorce, taxes are probably not foremost in their minds. But without proper planning and advice, some people find divorce to be an even more taxing experience. Several tax concerns need to be addressed to ensure that taxes are kept to a minimum and that important tax-related decisions are properly made. Here are four issues to understand if you’re in the midst of a divorce.

IRS audit rates are historically low, according to the latest data, but that’s little consolation if your return is among those selected to be examined. But with proper preparation and planning, you should fare well.

In fiscal year 2019, the IRS audited approximately 0.4% of individuals. Businesses, large corporations and high-income individuals are more likely to be audited but, overall, all types of audits are being conducted less frequently than they were a decade ago.

There’s no 100% guarantee that you won’t be picked for an audit, because some tax returns are chosen randomly. However, the best way to survive an IRS audit is to prepare for one in advance. On an ongoing basis you should systematically maintain documentation — invoices, bills, cancelled checks, receipts, or other proof — for all items to be reported on your tax returns. Keep all your records in one place. And it helps to know what might catch the attention of the IRS. 

If you file a joint tax return with your spouse, you should be aware of your individual liability. And if you’re getting divorced, you should know that there may be relief available if the IRS comes after you for certain past-due taxes.

Effective altruism is commonly described as a philosophy that uses evidence and reasoning to determine the most effective ways to benefit others. Not all donors are aware of effective altruism, but the concept is growing in popularity. To determine whether your not-for-profit should try to reach out to its adherents, learn a little more about the philosophy, its potential advantages and what critics claim are its weaknesses.