#tax-planning
Tax Planning
Strategic tax planning to minimize liability and maximize savings
Newsletter Writer Taxes: Schedule C, Quarterly Estimates, and When the IRS Calls It a Business
Self-employment income from newsletters triggers Schedule C filing, quarterly estimated taxes, and a critical 2026 IRS hobby-vs-business classification change worth tens of thousands of dollars over time.
The SBA's New 90% Made in America Loan Guarantee: What Manufacturers Need to Know
The SBA's new Made in America Loan Guarantee offers eligible small manufacturers up to $5 million with a 90% federal guarantee and waived fees in FY 2026—the highest guarantee rate ever extended to small manufacturers.
India's Freelancer Tax Maze in 2026: How Section 44ADA and the GST Threshold Actually Work
Indian freelancers face two independent tax systems — Section 44ADA presumptive income tax (50% of gross receipts up to ₹75 lakh) and GST registration at the ₹20 lakh turnover threshold — plus Section 194J TDS withholding, and conflating the two is the most common costly mistake.
The Mandatory Roth Catch-Up Rule: What Business Owners Over 50 Need to Know for 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, anyone whose 2025 FICA wages exceeded $150,000 must direct their entire 401(k) catch-up contribution — $8,000 standard or $11,250 for ages 60-63 — into a Roth account, with no pre-tax option and no opt-out.
Stunt Performer and Freelance Entertainer Tax Deductions: Why W-2 vs. 1099 Decides Everything
W-2 performers permanently lost the deduction for unreimbursed job expenses, and the Qualified Performing Artist deduction's $16,000 AGI cap — frozen since 1986 — excludes most working artists. Self-employed stunt performers and entertainers paid on a 1099 can still deduct 100% of training, safety gear, demo reels, agent commissions, union dues, and audition mileage on Schedule C.
Massachusetts Decouples from OBBBA: What R&D Expensing, Section 179, and Bonus Depreciation Changes Mean for Your Business
Massachusetts rejected four major OBBBA federal tax breaks — immediate R&D expensing, 100% bonus depreciation on qualified production property, the $2.5M Section 179 limit, and the EBITDA-based interest cap — and set a September 10, 2026 deadline to file amended 2025 state returns without interest charges.
New Jersey Caps the NOL Deduction at $1 Million: What Corporations Need to Know for 2026–2030
New Jersey's A5322 caps corporate net operating loss deductions at $1 million per year for privilege periods ending July 31, 2026 through July 31, 2030, with public utilities exempt, a six-year carryforward extension for disallowed losses, an estimated-tax penalty safe harbor, and an 80%-to-75% limitation phase-down through 2032.
Ryczałt vs. Skala Podatkowa: How Poland's Sole Proprietors Should Pick the Right Tax Regime in 2026
Poland's sole proprietors must pick between ryczałt (2–17% on revenue), skala podatkowa (12%/32% on income), and podatek liniowy (flat 19%) by February 20, 2026. This guide compares the 2026 rules — including the health contribution jump to a 100% minimum-wage assessment base — and shows which regime fits low-expense freelancers versus high-cost contractors.
Profits Interests, Explained: How LLCs Can Grant Equity Without Triggering a Tax Bill
A profits interest lets an LLC or partnership grant a service provider real equity with no tax at grant or vesting under Rev. Proc. 93-27 and 2001-43 — provided the distribution hurdle equals fair market value at grant, the interest is held two years, and the recipient accepts K-1 partner status. Here is how the safe harbor works, how the hurdle math is set, and the six mistakes that break the tax-free treatment.
The Self-Employed Health Insurance Deduction in 2026: Navigating the Return of the ACA Subsidy Cliff
The enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired January 1, 2026, restoring the 400% FPL subsidy cliff — about $60,240 for a single filer — and roughly doubling net premiums for the average subsidized enrollee. Here's how self-employed workers can use the 100% above-the-line health insurance deduction, Form 7206, HSA contributions ($4,400 individual / $8,750 family), and MAGI timing strategies to soften the hit.
Serbia's Paušal Flat-Rate Tax in 2026: The 6 Million RSD Ceiling, the 10% Cap, and What Freelancers Should Track
Serbia's paušal flat-rate regime charges roughly 170,000 freelancers a fixed monthly tax — RSD 30,000–60,000 for most Belgrade IT contractors in 2026 — but crossing the 6,000,000 RSD annual turnover ceiling triggers full-profit taxation with no grace period. Here's how the 2026 decisions, the 10% year-over-year cap extended through 2027, and a simple multi-currency ledger fit together.
Selling Your Business to Your Employees: What the New SBA Worker Cooperative Lending Pilot Means for Retiring Owners
Six million U.S. businesses are expected to change hands by 2035, yet over 58% of owners have no succession plan. The National Worker Cooperative Development and Support Act, reintroduced in December 2025, would create an SBA pilot guaranteeing $60 million in loans over ten years for worker cooperative conversions — solving the 20%-owner personal guarantee problem that blocks most co-op financing. Here's how the pilot, Section 1042 capital gains deferral, and clean bookkeeping fit into an employee-ownership exit.