From First Brand Deal to S-Corp: A Content Creator's Tax Playbook for 2026
Creators owe 15.3% self-employment tax from $400 in net profit, plus quarterly estimates — and an S-corp election saves five figures past ~$60K profit.
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Tax
Tax strategies, planning, and compliance for individuals and businesses
Deducting a Cruise or Foreign Conference: The $2,000-a-Year Cruise Ship Cap, the North American Area Rule, and Why Section 274(h) Disallows Most Overseas Conventions
Cruise-ship conventions cap at $2,000 a year and most overseas meetings fail Section 274(h) — what the IRS still allows, and the records that prove it.
Farm Income Averaging on Schedule J: How Farmers and Fishers Smooth Tax Across Good and Bad Years
Schedule J lets farmers and fishers spread a bumper year's income across the prior three years' lower brackets — average savings topped $4,400 in one study.
You Filed the Wrong 1099 — Now What? How to Fix a 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC Before Penalties Stack Up
Fix a wrong 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC with one form for amount errors, two for name or TIN errors — and beat the 30-day window to hold the IRS penalty to $60.
The IRS Assigned Your Tax Debt to a Private Collector: What the CP40 Notice Means and How to Handle the Call
The IRS must assign old tax debts to private collectors CBE, Coast or ConServe — verify the CP40 notice and authentication number before paying a cent.
Jamaica Raised Its GCT Exemption Threshold to $15 Million — and Digital Services Are Next
Jamaica raised its GCT registration threshold from J$10M to J$15M in April 2025; firms between the lines can deregister or stay registered voluntarily.
Qualifying Surviving Spouse: How Widows and Widowers Keep Joint Tax Rates for Two More Years
IRS qualifying surviving spouse status keeps joint brackets and a $32,200 standard deduction for two years after a spouse's death.
Refund, Apply, or Split? How to Turn This Year's IRS Overpayment Into Next Year's Estimated Taxes
Applying your IRS overpayment to next year's estimates is irrevocable — take the refund, apply it forward, or split it via Form 8888 deliberately.
Two New Penalty-Free Ways to Tap Your 401(k) for Emergencies: Self-Certification, 3-Year Repay, and the Terminal-Illness Exception
SECURE 2.0 lets 401(k) savers take $1,000 for emergencies or $10,000 after domestic abuse with no 10% penalty — self-certified, repayable in 3 years.
Your State May Pay You for Your Kids Too: State Child Tax Credits in 2026
Federal child credit is $2,200 per kid in 2026, and 17 states plus D.C. stack their own on top — up to $3,200 in Colorado, $1,750 per child in Minnesota.
Tax-Gain Harvesting in the 0% Bracket: How Business Owners With a Low-Income Year Can Sell, Rebuy, and Reset Basis Tax-Free Before December 31
In a low-income year, long-term gains are taxed at 0% Federal rate up to $98,900 joint — sell, rebuy immediately, and reset basis before December 31.
Trinidad and Tobago's New Landlord Business Surcharge: What Rental-Income Small Businesses Owe Starting 2026
Trinidad and Tobago taxes landlords 2.5–3.5% of gross quarterly rent: BIR registration, quarterly deadlines, penalties, and the annual income-tax credit.