#tax-credits
Tax Credits
Federal and state tax credits to reduce your tax bill dollar for dollar
California Competes Tax Credit Extended Through 2033: What SB 180 Means for Small Businesses
SB 180, signed July 13, 2026, extends the California Competes Tax Credit through fiscal year 2032-33. Small businesses can apply in three annual windows for a share of $180 million+ in credits — no minimum size, no fee — but awards come with binding job and investment milestones that demand clean books.
The New Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (ECCA): What Small Business Owners Should Know Before 2027
The Educational Choice for Children Act creates a $1,700 federal income tax credit for cash donations to K-12 Scholarship Granting Organizations, starting with the 2027 tax year — but only in states that opt in. Here is how the nonrefundable, cash-only Section 25F credit works, the five-year carryforward, the 90% pass-through rule for SGOs, and why pass-through business owners should track their state's participation through 2026.
Ireland's Budget 2026: What the VAT Cut and New Reliefs Actually Mean for Small Business Owners
Ireland cut VAT on food, catering, and hairdressing from 13.5% to 9% on July 1, 2026, raised the entrepreneur relief cap to €1.5M, and boosted the R&D credit to 35% — but the minimum wage hike to €14.15 and pension auto-enrolment landed six months earlier. Here's what each change means for small business books.
Independent Film Production Accounting: Above-the-Line, Below-the-Line, and the Cost Report That Keeps You on Budget
How independent film budgets actually work — above-the-line costs run 30–35% of budget, contingency should be ~10%, and 39 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico return 15–45% of qualified spend through film incentives. A practical guide to cost reports, loan-out companies, and building a chart of accounts that survives an audit.
Your Electricity Bill Isn't Wrong: Why Commercial Rates Keep Climbing and How to Budget for It
Commercial electricity rates have risen more than 20% nationally since 2018, and demand charges — the single highest 15-minute power spike in a billing cycle — can account for 30-70% of a business's bill; separating the two in your chart of accounts and shopping contracts 60-90 days before renewal are the most effective ways to control the cost.
Meadery Bookkeeping: TTB Formula Approval and Wine Excise Tax Explained
Meaderies are classified as bonded wine premises under 27 CFR Part 24, file TTB Form 5000.24, and owe wine excise tax of $1.07 per gallon up to 16% ABV — reduced to roughly $0.07 per gallon on the first 30,000 gallons under the CBMA small producer credit.
The Section 174 R&D Catch-Up Deadline Just Passed. Here's What Small Businesses Should Do Now
The OBBBA's one-time retroactive Section 174 election for 2022–2024 R&D amortization closed July 6, 2026, but the standard three-year R&D credit window and permanent 2025+ immediate expensing under Section 174A remain available to small businesses.
Portable Benefits for Independent Contractors: A Guide to the New State Laws
Utah, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and West Virginia now let businesses contribute to an independent contractor's portable benefit account without that contribution counting as evidence of employment. How the state safe harbors work, what Utah's 50% tax credit (up to $2,000 per contractor) covers, and how to track contributions in your books.
EV Charging Station Bookkeeping: The Real Math Behind Per-kWh Margins, Demand Charges, and Payback Period
Demand charges can account for 30–70% of a commercial electricity bill and add roughly $9,000 to a single month when six DC fast chargers peak simultaneously — yet most operators blend them into one utilities account. How to book charging revenue against per-kWh COGS, track the Section 30C credit that now sunsets June 30, 2026, and model realistic payback periods for Level 2 ($4,500–$12,000/port) and DC fast chargers ($90,000–$200,000/port).
Section 174A Explained: How OBBBA Restores Immediate R&D Expensing for Software Companies
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's Section 174A permanently restores immediate tax deduction of domestic software development and R&E costs for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024, reversing the five-year amortization rule that had strained small tech companies' cash flow since 2022.
Davis-Bacon Certified Payroll in 2026: A Practical Compliance Guide for Federal and IRA-Funded Construction Contractors
A working contractor's guide to Davis-Bacon compliance in 2026, covering the redesigned WH-347 certified payroll form, fringe benefit annualization, apprenticeship ratios measured daily, the 2023 final rule and 2024 truck-driver injunction, and how the Inflation Reduction Act's five-times tax credit multiplier ties prevailing wage compliance to clean-energy projects.
The 2026 ACA Subsidy Cliff Is Back: A Survival Guide for Self-Employed Owners, Freelancers, and Early Retirees
The enhanced premium tax credits expired January 1, 2026, restoring the 400% FPL cliff. This guide walks self-employed filers, S-corp owners, freelancers, and early retirees through the 2026 applicable percentage schedule, MAGI levers like Solo 401(k), SEP-IRA, HSA, and Section 162(l), and Form 8962 reconciliation strategies to avoid five-figure repayments.