Business owners: An exit strategy should be part of your tax planning

Business owners: An exit strategy should be part of your tax planning

Tax planning is a juggling act for business owners. You have to keep your eye on your company’s income and expenses and applicable tax breaks (especially if you own a pass-through entity). But you also must look out for your own financial future.

Make sure the IRS won’t consider your business to be a “hobby”

Make sure the IRS won’t consider your business to be a “hobby”If you run a business “on the side” and derive most of your income from another source (whether from another business you own, employment or investments), you may face a peculiar risk: Under certain circumstances, this on-the-side business might not be a business at all in the eyes of the IRS. It may be a hobby.

Tangible property safe harbors help maximize deductions

Tangible property safe harbors help maximize deductionsIf last year your business made repairs to tangible property, such as buildings, machinery, equipment or vehicles, you may be eligible for a valuable deduction on your 2016 income tax return. But you must make sure they were truly “repairs,” and not actually “improvements.”

The tax-smart way to replace a business vehicle

10_31_16-ThinkstockPhotos-515365876_SBTB_560x292.jpgAlthough a vehicle’s value typically drops fairly rapidly, the tax rules limit the amount of annual depreciation that can be claimed on most cars and light trucks. Thus, when it’s time to replace a vehicle used in business, it’s not unusual for its tax basis to be higher than its value. This can be costly tax-wise, depending on how you dispose of the vehicle: