To say our tax system is complicated is putting it mildly. As we consider our complicated tax system, it begs the question do we have a good tax system? Is having a complicated system merely a reflection of living in a complicated world? Or is it perhaps an indication that our tax rules could use some improvement?

The IRS has surprisingly made its way from clueless to court cases in recent years. One important pronouncement that the IRS has made is that it considers cryptocurrencies as property, rather than a currency such as the US Dollar or the Euro.

I was honored to be interviewed recently by Russ Thornton on Women's Retirement Radio. We covered a lot of topics, so click the picture if you'd like to listen. Enjoy!

If you’re starting a new business, you have several options regarding your company’s legal and tax structure. Consulting your corporate attorney and tax advisor is a must when starting a new business.

With all the talk these days about potential changes to capital gains taxes, let’s take a step back and explore what capital gains are and how they’re currently taxed to better understand what related tax law changes could mean for you.

Expanding on the CARES Act of 2020, numerous tax-related provisions are contained in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) passed March 11, 2021. This article will cover a number of those, provides a brief update on programs created in last year’s CARES Act, and concludes with a comment on the state of the US tax system.

I continue to hold the opinion that the IRS needs more funding and needs to put some commonsense, taxpayer-friendly measures in place.If you have any questions regarding how the strategies mentioned in this article may apply to your specific tax situation, don’t hesitate to reach out.

This article looks at a few key components of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden’s tax positions from the perspective of whether their ideas meet the “good tax law” tests of being fair, neutral, simple, and economically efficient.

President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential-candidate, Vice President Joe Biden, have strikingly different perspectives on the tax law changes needed in the United States. Transfer taxes – estate taxes, gift taxes, and generation-skipping transfer taxes – are not immune to these opposing views. Given the differences in their approaches and the general volatility surrounding the 2020 election, you should review your current estate plan and be prepared to pivot, if necessary.

During my years of working in taxes, I’ve repeatedly seen the same misunderstandings, mistakes, and fears, so I’ll address some of them here. I doubt you’ll walk away from this article more interested in paying taxes, but I do expect you’ll be more enlightened and more confident about the mysterious working of our tax system

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many workers were starting to enjoy the flexibility of remote work. Now even more workers are sheltering (and working) in place – in their homes, with relatives, in vacation homes or wherever they feel safe. While this added flexibility is a great thing on many fronts, it may create a tax issue for employees if their employers aren’t meeting tax withholding requirements for the tax jurisdictions where their team members are physically working.

I’m often asked by small business owners how they can get the most tax benefit for using their vehicles in their businesses, and there are a few different ways to approach this. Below are some basic concepts and deductions options for you to consider. Consult your tax advisor to determine if one of these options is optimal for you or if there are any nuances for your particular situation to keep in mind.

While the crises of this year have found many in their kitchens baking bread or in the streets protesting social injustices for the first time, I’ve discovered an interest in shaping tax laws and their application in ways that make them more understandable and less burdensome.

It's been a crazy year. For most of us, targets we’ve been chasing have multiplied and are moving faster – while we ourselves might be moving more slowly. Let's refocus on taxes with a mid-year check in. Here are some activities to be thinking about that are a mix of recent tax law changes and tried-and-true strategies.

While Georgia’s property tax system is based on statewide laws and regulations, it is administered on a local level. Each year, county tax assessors set the value of each property; taxing authorities (county governments, city council, and school boards) determine the rate at which property must be taxed to fund their annual budget; and tax commissioners calculate, mail, and collect property taxes. Here are a few tips to help homeowners understand their annual property tax assessment and identify opportunities to lower their property tax bill.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act - the CARES Act – became law Friday, March 27, 2020. This legislation is filled to the brim with various components covering employers, employees, self-employed, retirees, homeowners, etc. For applicable components, multiple government agencies will be working to get these programs in place as quickly as possible.

We’ve had quite a bit of federal legislation pass recently. Some of it is tax related. I will be talking in more detail about the tax components in a later article. Right now, though, many folks understandably want to know about the relief payments to individual taxpayers. Here’s what I know today. If new guidance is released, I will know more, so be sure to check with me on questions regarding your particular situation if you have any concerns. Also check in if your particular situation is not covered here.

The evening of Friday, March 20, the IRS provided even more details and clarification on 2019 tax return filings and payments. As with previous commentary, I have covered the most likely scenarios that my clients will face, but please reach out with any questions regarding specific concerns not noted below. This is likely the last of my communications regarding 2019 tax deadlines as I do not expect the IRS to provide further meaningful pronouncements on this topic in the near future, and it’s now a question of addressing states and, at some point, 2020 concerns.

The IRS offered some more details and clarification yesterday, March 18th, 2020, so here are more answers to some questions you may have. I have tried to cover the most likely scenarios that my clients will face, but please reach out with any questions regarding specific concerns not noted below.

Choosing between the Married Filing Jointly and the Married Filing Separately statuses remains a relatively straightforward decision for the majority of married taxpayers. Each situation is unique, however, and it’s always worth a discussion with your tax advisor as to the benefits and drawbacks of your options.