Insights

Check out the latest information and insights on US tax law with Brass Tax Presentations.

OB3: Changes to 529 Plans

OB3 made important updates to 529 college savings plans and if you’re a tax pro or a parent, you need to understand how these changes affect you

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Long-Term Rentals vs Short-Term Rentals: Change in Use

Short-term rentals are a topic that stirs up much discussion among tax professionals. For property owners juggling short-term and long-term rentals, understanding how the distinctions impact depreciation can be the difference between compliance and costly errors.When a taxpayer has a short-term...

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Tax Tidbits – Travel Expenses for Family Members

Social media is full of questionable “tax advice” about the deductibility of travel expenses for family members. A quick scroll through TikTok or X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) will produce multiple “sources” proclaiming that all you have to do is discuss business over dinner or take a...

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Tax Tidbits – Underpayment Penalty

The United States tax system is “pay-as-you-go,” which means that taxes are paid as income is earned. For employees or taxpayers taking distributions from retirement accounts, this is handled through withholding. For self-employed workers or taxpayers with large amounts of untaxed income, such as...

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Tax Tidbits – Expanded 529 Expenditures

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expanded the uses for funds in 529 accounts to include amounts paid for K-12 tuition (limited to $10,000 per year). The One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) Act added even more eligible expenditures for K-12 students, as well as opening up the use of funds to pay for...

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Tax Tidbits – FICA Tips Credit

One of the new deductions that came out of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) Act is the deduction for qualified tips, but there is another tip related provision that many taxpayers aren’t aware of, the FICA Tips Credit. Let’s be honest; many taxpayers don’t report the tips that they receive....

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Tax Tidbits – Bonus Depreciation

Bonus depreciation has been one of the more unpredictable provisions over the years, as it seemed to be in a constant state of expiring and being extended. With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) Act, bonus depreciation is permanent! It’s not all good news, however. The permanent...

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Tax Tidbits – Qualified Business Income Deduction

The Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction, also sometimes referred to by its code section 199A, was a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provision that allows taxpayers with, you guessed it, qualified business income, to take a deduction of up to 20% of their QBI from eligible trades or businesses. That...

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Tax Tidbits – Trump Accounts

If you were wondering why they chose 4547 for the form number to open a Trump Account, you need look no further than the man himself. Donald Trump served as the 45th and now 47th President of the United States, hence Form 4547. The form can be filed with the tax return, or as a standalone. It even...

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Tax Tidbits – MFS and VLI

For the Tips, Overtime, and Senior deductions, married taxpayers must file a joint return in order to claim the deductions unless they meet the qualifications to file as Head of Household. The one exception to this is the new deduction for Qualified Vehicle Loan Interest.Taxpayers may deduct up to...

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Questions about California Clergy

Ask Us Anything Dear Brass Tax Presentations, I have taken on a church as a client. They have not applied for non-profit status (I know they are deemed a non-profit since they are recognized as a church). The previous person (now deceased) handled their info. They issued the pastor’s W-2 with...

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Lacerte IRA Adjustment for California

Ask Us Anything Dear Brass Tax Presentations, We are having some confusion over the following topic and were wondering if you could provide some guidance… Does California conform to the IRS regulation allowing for a $1,000 IRA catch-up contribution deduction for taxpayers who are 50 years old or...

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Statute of Limitations for Refunds

Ask Us Anything Dear Brass Tax Presentations, We amended a 2019 Form 1040 from MFS to MFJ. The original return was e-filed on 3/28/22, and amended on 3/18/24 (within the 3 years). However, the IRS rejected the refund request because the amendment was “filed late”, that it is 3 years from the due...

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Identifying Basis in Cryptocurrency

Ask Us Anything Dear Brass Tax Presentations, I understand cryptocurrency gains/losses can be reported using FIFO or specific identification. Then, LIFO or HIFO could be used as forms of specific identification. If a taxpayer wants to use one of these methods, do they have to identify the...

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