10 Simple and Fun Ways to Cut Taxes This Summer in Maine
In many parts of the country it's already starting to feel like summer, and we hope Maine will get there shortly. But the forecast for Washington remains unclear as officials continue to discuss various tax-related issues. Regardless of what happens in Washington,...
Establishing Maine Residency for State Tax Purposes
If you’re considering moving yourself or your business to Maine and making it your permanent home, you’ll want to make sure to establish that the new state is your place of legal residency (also known as your "domicile") for state tax purposes. Otherwise, the old...
Health Savings Account Limits for 2018
Businesses in Maine and individuals can buy less expensive health insurance policies with high deductibles with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Contributions to the accounts are made on a pre-tax basis, and the money can accumulate year after year tax free. It can...
Daubert: It’s About Reliability of Testimony, Not Power of Persuasion
Post-Confirmation Comm. for Small Loans, Inc. v. Martin, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44270 (March 31, 2016) A recent ruling in a complex bankruptcy case teaches that Daubert can accommodate differing views on determining solvency for multiple debtor entities. Consolidated...
The Ins and Outs of Deducting Legal Expenses
Currently under the federal income tax rules, legal expenses incurred by individuals are typically not deductible. Instead, they're most often treated as either part of the cost of acquiring an asset, such as real estate, or as personal outlays (which are...
Employer’s Parking Arrangement Doesn’t Qualify for Tax-Free Treatment
If a Maine employer purchases parking spots from a vendor and then charges employees for using them — via paycheck deductions — do the employees qualify for tax-free fringe benefit treatment? The employees in one case asked the IRS for an answer to this question. The...
Tax Court Interprets Exceptions to the PAL Rules for Rental Properties
Due to depreciation write-offs and other allowable deductions, Maine real estate owners who rent their properties often incur tax losses. However, the ability to deduct those losses might be postponed indefinitely by the passive activity loss (PAL) rules. In general,...
Remember the New FBAR Filing Deadline
If you have an authority over or interest in a foreign financial account, then the IRS wants you to provide information about the account by filing a form called the "Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts" (FBAR). The annual deadline for filing FBARs has been...
Republicans’ Policy Brief Explains Repeal-and-Replace Plan
As many Americans already know, President Trump and Republicans in Congress have vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In its place, they plan to introduce a more market-based system of health coverage. Here is the one question many people have:...
Consider Section 179 Deductions for Real Estate Expenses
The Basics of Section 179 Deductions Under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015, the Section 179 deduction for qualified real property expenses was made permanent. However, claiming this deduction isn't a no-brainer. This article will explain...