Our Financial Blog
How Understanding the ‘Rule of 72’ Helps You Make Personal Finance Decisions
Though everybody wants their money to grow, few people understand the best way to make that happen. It’s all about where you choose to put your money and the rate of growth you’re able to achieve over a period of time. When you’re trying to figure out how compound...
Fall Tax Planning May Be Wise
Taxes are like vehicles in that they sometimes need a periodic check-up to make sure they are performing as expected, and if ignored, can cost you money. That is true of taxes as well, especially for 2021, as the pandemic benefits begin to wane and President Biden’s...
As the Pandemic Continues, Managing Restaurant Cash Flow Becomes Critical
Cash flow has always been a challenge for restaurants, and before COVID-19 changed everything there were thousands of articles written about the importance of forecasting, streamlining overhead, and controlling inventory. But more than a year-and-a-half into the...
Complications to the IRS-to-Charity Distribution Provision
Individuals are required to begin taking distributions from their IRA when they reach a certain age. That age was 70½ until Congress passed the SECURE Act in late 2019 which made significant changes to the retirement plan provisions of the tax code, one of which was...
The IRS Backlog is Causing Taxpayer Heartburn
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS was getting refunds out swiftly and responded to calls and correspondence in a reasonable amount of time. However, COVID-19 brought about a perfect storm of delays, initially caused by employees having to stay home because...
Filing as Married Separate? Better Read This!
Married taxpayers have two options when filing their 1040 or 1040-SR tax returns. The first and most frequently used filing status is married filing joint (MFJ), where the incomes and allowable expenses of both spouses are combined and reported on one tax return. The...
Virginia’s New Electronic Payment Requirement for Some Individual Income Taxpayers
Following an amendment to legislation approved by the Virginia General Assembly, some taxpayers may now be affected by a new requirement for certain tax payments. Effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021, taxpayers who make estimated tax...
Minimizing Tax on Social Security Benefits
Whether your Social Security benefits are taxable (and, if so, the amount that is taxed) depends on a number of issues. The following facts will help you understand the taxability of your Social Security benefits. For this discussion, the term “Social Security...
Small Businesses: Here’s How the U.S. Supreme Court Wayfair Decision Affects You
If you are a small business owner, chances are good you’re paying more attention to your accounts receivables and deliverables than to a three-year-old Supreme Court decision. But knowing what happened in the Wayfair decision on June 21st of 2018 is important if you...
What You Need to Know About the IRS & Tax Audits
The IRS has long been a bogeyman for the American public, and there’s good reason for that. They have the unique ability to do what few other creditors can: taking your home and selling it out from under you. Still, despite its remarkable powers, fear has created...
The Story Behind Method CPA
Learn how a passion for business at an early age resulted in a thriving accounting & consulting firm that is eager to help small businesses move forward with making smart financial and business decisions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk91KosDiQA
Higher Income Individuals Beware
The House Ways and Means Committee has released an extensive list of proposed tax changes that impact individual, retirement, international and corporate tax law. We have been selective and have only included a portion of the proposed changes. A full list of proposed...
Should You Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN?
An Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers by the IRS to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number by ID thieves to file fraudulent federal income tax returns. The IP PIN aids IRS in verifying a taxpayer's...
Employment Opportunities
Method CPA is currently seeking to add top notch individuals to their Accounting team! If you are an experienced Bookkeeper or Certified Public Accountant and are looking for a new employment opportunity, please check out our job postings for additional details. CPA:...
Day Care Providers Enjoy Special Tax Benefits
A taxpayer who is in the business of providing family day care in their home may deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses of their business. The two primary deductions include the business use of their home and the cost of providing meals and snacks to children in...
Sole Proprietorships – Don’t Overlook the Liability Issues
If you are considering starting a business, the simplest and least expensive form of business is a sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a one-person business that reports its income directly on the individual’s personal tax return (Form 1040) using a Schedule...
Tax Deductions Related to Charity Auctions
It is common practice for charities to hold auction events where attendees will bid upon and purchase items. The questions often arise whether (1) the money spent on the items purchased constitutes a charitable donation and (2) what kind of charitable deduction the...
Relocating? How to Do It with Taxes in Mind
If you’re thinking about moving from your current locale, you’re not alone. Americans are on the move for many different reasons: Remote work is increasingly popular and allows employees to live wherever they have access to WiFi, while tax changes introduced by the...
Tax Issues Related to Renting Your Vacation Home
Do you own a second home at the beach, in the mountains, or some other getaway location, or are you thinking about buying one? If so, then you may have thought about the possibility of renting it out. Though many people would never consider inviting renters into their...
Taxes and Divorce
If you are recently divorced or are contemplating divorce, you will have to deal with or plan for significant tax issues such as asset division, alimony, and tax-return filing status. If you have children, additional issues include child support; claiming of the...