#tax-planning
Strategic tax planning to minimize liability and maximize savings
H.R. 8415 would raise the Section 199A qualified business income deduction from 20% to 23% — an extra $3,000 of deduction on $100,000 of QBI, worth $660 to $960 in tax depending on your bracket. Here is how the deduction works in 2026 after OBBBA made it permanent, which W-2 wage and SSTB limits still apply, and how to keep books that support the number you claim.
A throwback rule can push a home-state sales factor from 20% to 60% on the same revenue by adding untaxed 'nowhere' sales back to the numerator; throwout, which shrinks the denominator instead, takes it to 33%. About 20 states plus D.C. still throw back tangible sales, five repealed their rules since 2019, and P.L. 86-272 protects none of your SaaS receipts.
For 2026 the OBBBA resets AMT phaseout thresholds to $500,000 single and $1,000,000 joint and doubles the exemption clawback from 25 to 50 cents per dollar, so the same income that owed no AMT in 2025 can owe five figures next year. A guide to who is exposed, how to estimate your position, and five planning moves before year-end.
Noncash gifts over $500 require Form 8283 and over $5,000 require a qualified appraisal — and every single gift of $250 or more needs a contemporaneous acknowledgment letter before the return is filed.
A practical guide to truffle orchard accounting — why a 5- to 10-year preproductive period triggers Section 263A capitalization, when the small-farmer election lets you expense instead, how to track costs by block, and when a block becomes productive and starts 10-year depreciation.
High earners over $150K AGI ($75K MFS) must pay 110% of prior-year tax to meet estimated-tax safe harbor — 100% for others, 90% of current year as alternative.
Georgia, Nebraska, NC and Pennsylvania all cut corporate rates Jan 1 2026 — from NC's 2% flat to PA's 7.49%. What the cuts mean for entity choice and nexus.
IRS Section 1031 lets you defer gain when exchanging business or investment real property for like-kind property — 45-day and 180-day rules for 2026.
QCDs up to $111,000 in 2026 let IRA owners 70½+ give directly to charity, satisfy RMDs, and exclude the distribution from income.
2026 bonus is 40% under current law — $32K on an $80K machine, not $80K — unless OBBBA restores 100% retroactively; here's how to model the swing vs. Section 179 and keep the ledger straight.
Compare AI accounting software costs against hiring a bookkeeper or CPA for 2026—including accuracy, tax strategy, and the hybrid model that saves $12,000–$48,000 annually.
The IRS backup withholding threshold increased from $600 to $2,000 effective 2026. Understand what changed, who's affected, how to prevent it, and Form 945 compliance requirements.
