Section 461(l) Excess Business Loss Limitation: A 2026 Guide for Pass-Through Owners
Section 461(l) caps 2026 excess business losses at $128,000 single and $256,000 joint, per the OBBBA. Pass-through owners use Form 461 to report the limitation.
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Tax Deductions
Maximize tax deductions and reduce your tax liability legally
ICHRA Explained: How Small Businesses Reimburse Employees Tax-Free for Health Insurance in 2026
An Individual Coverage HRA lets small employers reimburse workers tax-free for individual ACA plans with no contribution cap, 11 employee classes, and a 9.96% affordability threshold for 2026. Here is how the mechanics, tax treatment, bookkeeping, and 90-day rollout actually work.
PTET in 2026: The SALT Cap Workaround for S-Corps and Partnerships
A 2026 guide to the Pass-Through Entity Tax — how 36+ jurisdictions let S-corps and partnerships convert capped state income taxes into a fully deductible federal business expense, even after OBBBA raised the SALT cap to $40,400.
Section 121 Home Sale Exclusion: How Homeowners Can Skip Up to $500,000 in Capital Gains Taxes
How Section 121 lets U.S. homeowners exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers) of capital gains on a primary home sale — covering the 24-month ownership and use tests, the two-year frequency rule, partial exclusions, depreciation recapture, and the nonqualified-use allocation.
Section 163(j) Business Interest Limitation: The 30% ATI Cap and OBBBA's EBITDA Restoration
OBBBA permanently restored the EBITDA-based ATI calculation for Section 163(j) starting in 2025, expanding deductible business interest for capital-intensive companies. A guide to the 30% cap, the ~$31M small business exemption, the 35% syndicate trap, EBIE allocations from partnerships, S-corp differences, and Form 8990 reporting.
Section 199A REIT Dividend Deduction: The 20% Tax Break Most REIT Investors Don't Fully Use
Section 199A lets investors deduct 20% of qualified REIT dividends from taxable income, dropping the top federal rate from 37% to about 29.6%. This guide covers Box 5 of Form 1099-DIV, the 45-day holding-period rule, Form 8995, and how OBBBA made the deduction permanent.
Section 280F Luxury Auto Depreciation Limits: The SUV Loophole and How to Maximize Your Business Vehicle Write-Off
Section 280F caps first-year depreciation on passenger autos at $20,300 in 2026, but SUVs and trucks rated above 6,000 lbs GVWR escape those limits and can combine a $32,000 Section 179 deduction with 100% bonus depreciation. A practical guide to the 2026 numbers, the heavy-vehicle and pickup carve-outs, the 50% business-use cliff, and the mileage-log standards an IRS auditor expects.
The Short-Term Rental Tax Loophole: Offsetting W-2 Income Without Real Estate Professional Status
How short-term rentals sit outside the Section 469 passive loss rules, what the seven-day average and material participation tests actually require, and how a six-figure W-2 earner can use cost segregation and 100% bonus depreciation to legally offset wage income.
Trump's 2026 Small Business Tax Changes: OBBBA Permanent QBI, Bonus Depreciation, and Tariff Impact
OBBBA made the 20% QBI deduction and 100% bonus depreciation permanent for 2026, while tariffs near 19% cost U.S. small businesses about $85 billion a year. Here is what changed, who benefits, and how to plan.
Donor-Advised Funds vs Private Foundations: Choosing the Right Vehicle for Your Charitable Legacy
A 2026 comparison of donor-advised funds and private foundations covering AGI deduction limits, the 0.5% itemizer floor and 35% deduction cap from OBBBA, the 5% payout rule, self-dealing penalties, and why closely-held stock donated to a private foundation deducts at cost basis instead of fair market value.
Net Operating Loss Carryforward: How to Turn a Bad Business Year Into Future Tax Savings
Net operating losses generated after 2021 carry forward indefinitely but can offset only 80% of future taxable income. This guide covers the calculation, the Section 461(l) excess business loss limit, Form 1045 vs. 1040-X, and the bookkeeping practices that keep an NOL defensible years later.
Passive Activity Loss Rules: A Real Estate Investor's Guide to the $25,000 Allowance and the Real Estate Professional Election
Section 469 makes rental losses passive by default, so most cannot offset W-2 income. This guide covers the $25,000 special allowance and its $100k–$150k MAGI phase-out, the 750-hour and 50% real estate professional tests, the 1.469-9(g) aggregation election, audit-tested time-log practices, and how suspended losses unlock on disposition.