Bernstein Tax Group

IRD Issues When Inheriting Money & Reviewing the Innocent Spouse Relief Rules

Watch Out for IRD Issues When Inheriting Money Once a relatively obscure concept, income in respect of a decedent (IRD) can create a surprisingly high tax bill for those who inherit certain types of property, such as IRAs or other retirement plans. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize or even eliminate the IRD tax bite. How it works Most inherited …

Bernstein Tax Group

ABLE Accounts & So You Just Filed Your Taxes

ABLE Accounts Can Help Support the Disabled The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 created a tax-advantaged savings account for people who have a qualifying disability (or are blind) before age 26. Modeled after the well-known Section 529 college savings plan, ABLE accounts offer many benefits. But it’s important to understand their limitations. Tax and funding benefits …

Bernstein Tax Group

Got Nexus? & Four Tips for Donating Artwork to Charity

Got Nexus? Find Out Before Operating In Multiple States For many years, business owners had to ask themselves one question when it came to facing taxation in another state: Do we have “nexus”? This term indicates a business presence in a given state that’s substantial enough to trigger the state’s tax rules and obligations. Well, the question still stands. And …

Bernstein Tax Group

Facing the Tax Challenges of Self-Employment & Phaseouts and Reductions

Facing the Tax Challenges of Self-Employment Today’s technology makes self-employment easier than ever. But if you work for yourself, you’ll face some distinctive challenges when it comes to your taxes. Here are some important steps to take: Learn your liability. Self-employed individuals are liable for self-employment tax, which means they must pay both the employee and employer portions of FICA taxes. …

Bernstein Tax Group

DAFs Bring an Investment Angle to Charitable Giving & Need to Sell Real Property?

DAFs Bring an Investment Angle to Charitable Giving If you’re planning to make significant charitable donations in the coming year, consider a donor-advised fund (DAF). These accounts allow you to take a charitable income tax deduction immediately, while deferring decisions about how much to give — and to whom — until the time is right. Account attributes A DAF is …

Bernstein Tax Group

7 Last-Minute Tax-Saving Tips & Are Catch-Up Contributions For You?

7 Last-Minute Tax-Saving Tips Where did the time go? The year is quickly drawing to a close, but there’s still time to take steps to reduce your 2016 tax liability. Here are seven last-minute tax-saving tips to consider — you just must act by December 31: 1. Pay your 2016 property tax bill that’s due in early 2017. 2. Pay …

Bernstein Tax Group

Donating Appreciated Stock & Is the Sales Tax Deduction Right for You?

Donating Appreciated Stock Offers Tax Advantages When many people think about charitable giving, they picture writing a check or dropping off a cardboard box of nonperishable food items at a designated location. But giving to charity can take many different forms. One that you may not be aware of is a gift of appreciated stock. Yes, donating part of your …

Bernstein Tax Group

Take the Worry Out of Business Valuations & Have a Pension?

Take The Worry Out Of Business Valuations Appraisals can inspire anxiety for many business owners. And it’s understandable why. You’re obviously not short on things to do, and valuations cost time and money. Nonetheless, there are some legitimate reasons to obtain an appraisal regularly or, at the very least, to familiarize yourself with the process so you’re ready when the …