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3 Easy Ways to Plan for Retirement

401K, Accountant, Accounting, expenses, IRS, Retirement

Retirement can be an intimidating prospect, especially for individuals without financial planning experience. Fortunately, there are practical steps that anyone can take to make the process easier – no matter your age and financial situation. These essential planning tips will help set you on the path towards your future as a retiree. Start preparing now for life after work!

Start Early, Save Often

The younger you are, the easier it is to save; parenthood, homeownership and other responsibilities make it harder to put money away each month as you get older.By investing earlier on in life for retirement, the compound interest on your savings will allow your money to grow more and more every year. In addition, you may be able to take advantage of employer-based retirement matching. This will not only provide an extra boost to your savings, but you will also reap the benefits of pretax deductions.

Set Realistic Goals

Retirement planning is all about setting realistic goals and sticking to them. Determine what kind of lifestyle you want in retirement, then set a budget that reflects that lifestyle and make sure that your savings plan works towards achieving those goals. Consider inflation, taxes, health care costs, living expenses and other factors when making your plans so that your money will last as long as possible during retirement.

Create A Diversified Portfolio

When it comes to investing for retirement, diversification is key. Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket by investing only in stocks or mutual funds; instead create a portfolio that contains a mix of investments such as bonds, real estate holdings and other assets that can help balance out riskier investments like stocks or commodities trading. This way if one type of investment does poorly, another may do well and help cushion the blow of any losses incurred by their counterparts.

Retirement planning is not something to be taken lightly; it requires careful consideration and long-term commitment in order to ensure financial security later in life. Start early, save often, set realistic goals based on what kind of lifestyle you wish to lead in retirement and create a diversified portfolio so that any potential losses are balanced out by gains elsewhere in your portfolio – these are all important steps towards creating a secure financial future for yourself after retiring from work life! With these tips in mind, retirees can rest assured knowing they are taking steps towards building a solid foundation for their post-work lives.

4 Financial Tips for Small Business Owners

401K, Accounting, Bookkeeping, Business Expenses, Employee, expenses, IRS, Payroll, Small Business, Taxes, Uncategorized

As a small business owner, managing your finances can be overwhelming and intimidating. There are so many things to consider, from taxes to cash flow to budgeting. Luckily, there are some simple tips you can follow to help make the process easier. Let’s look at four financial tips every small business owner should know.

1. Create A Budget and Track Your Expenses:

Creating a budget is essential for any successful business. With a budget, you can easily manage your finances and plan for the future. Plus, tracking your expenses will help you identify areas where you can save money. Make sure to track all of your income and expenses (including taxes!) on a regular basis. This will ensure that everything is accounted for and that you have an accurate picture of your overall financial health.

2. Secure Financing Early On

If you don’t have access to capital or don’t want to use your own funds, securing financing early on is key. Whether it’s taking out a loan, talking to an accountant, applying for grants or even crowdfunding, having the right funding can make all the difference in getting your business off the ground. Make sure that you research all of your options before making any decisions – this will help ensure that you get the best deal possible!

3. Keep An Eye on Cash Flow

Cash flow is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. Keeping an eye on cash flow means staying on top of invoices and payments from customers as well as keeping track of bills and other expenses that need to be paid in order to keep operations running smoothly. Setting up automated reminders or using an accounting software solution can help make this process easier – but ultimately it’s up to you as the business owner to monitor cash flow closely and stay ahead of any potential issues with payments or collections from customers.

4. Hire Professional Help When Needed

When it comes to managing finances, sometimes it pays (literally!) to hire professional help when needed. Hiring an accountant or bookkeeper can save time and money by ensuring that all paperwork is filed correctly, and all necessary tax documents are in order each year. Additionally, hiring professionals may also provide valuable advice related to cash flow management or other financial matters that can help keep your business on track financially over time!

With these four simple tips in mind, managing your finances as a small business owner doesn’t have to be so daunting! By creating a budget and tracking expenses regularly, securing financing early on if needed, monitoring cash flow closely, and hiring professional help when necessary- you’ll be well on your way towards a successful small business with healthy financials.

What Every American Expat Needs to Know About Paying Taxes

Business Expenses, IRS, Taxes

As a U.S. citizen living abroad, you may be wondering if you are still required to file taxes. The answer is YES. All U.S. citizens are required to file tax returns with the IRS and report 100% of their worldwide income every year. In this blog, we provide an overview of your filing obligations as a U.S. expat and discuss tax exclusions and credits that can reduce your U.S. tax liability.

The United States is one of only two countries that follows a citizenship-based tax system. This means that all citizens of the U.S. are taxed under the same personal tax system, regardless of whether they live in the U.S. or abroad. The only way to stop having to file, and for some expats pay, U.S. taxes is to renounce your U.S. citizenship.

With that said, paying taxes twice on the same income is a common concern for U.S. citizens working abroad. Luckily, expats can qualify for special credits, exemptions and deductions, allowing them to avoid double taxation on their annual U.S. tax return.

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

One of the most valuable exemptions for expats is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion(FEIE). For tax year 2022, FEIE allows expats to exclude up to $112,000 of their foreign earned income from their U.S. taxable income. This exclusion can be a significant tax break for expats and can help to reduce their overall tax liability.

Taxpayers qualify for this exemption in one of two ways:

Bona fide residence test – You must reside in a country for the entirety of a tax year, January 1st to December 31st.

Physical presence test – You must live in a foreign country for a full 330 days within a 12-month period.

Foreign Tax Credit

Another tax saving alternative for American expats is the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC). The Foreign Tax Credit allows expats to credit up to $300, $600 if filing jointly, of foreign taxes paid against their U.S. tax liability. This credit can help to offset some of the tax burden for expats who are paying taxes in both the U.S. and another country.

Generally, the following four tests must be met for any foreign tax to qualify for the credit:

You can’t claim both the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the Foreign Tax Credit against the same income. You must choose one or the other. Work with your expat tax advisor to determine which one is most beneficial for you to claim.

Foreign Housing Exclusion

The Foreign Housing Exclusion allows U.S. taxpayers living abroad to write off overseas expenses associated with housing costs from their gross income on their U.S. tax return. This expat-friendly tax deduction can be used together with the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.

Just like the FEIE, taxpayers must qualify under the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.

If you qualify for the Foreign Housing Exclusion, the following expenses can usually be excluded on your U.S. tax return:

- Rent in a foreign country
- Utilities minus your phone, TV and internet
- Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance
- Property or leasing fees
- Furniture and parking rentals
- Rental repairs

Calculating the amount that can be excluded under the Foreign Housing Exclusion is complicated. Work with a professional expat tax advisor to make sure you are excluding the maximum amount allowed.

If you are an American expat, it is important to understand your tax responsibilities. The good news is that there are several resources available to help you navigate the complex world of international taxation. At Motl Accounting, we have extensive experience helping Americans living and working abroad meet their tax obligations. We can provide you with all the information you need to file your taxes accurately and on time.

We are here to help make this process as easy as possible so you can focus on living your best life overseas. Contact us today!

Source: IRS.gov

How Working from Home Affects Taxes

Business Expenses, Deductions, IRS, Taxes

The pandemic led to a large number of professionals working from home instead of their office space. Many may be wondering how this will affect their taxes and if they’ll get a tax break.

The general thinking could be leaning towards you getting a break as an employee working from home, but that may not be the case. Tax breaks of the sort ended with the 2017 tax cuts with little exemptions. This means employees who don’t get reimbursed for their expenses by their employers can’t claim those expenses the way they used to. It’s more complex If you are self-employed and there are rules to be mindful of. You can still deduct a home office and some other expenses related to working from home, but want to ensure you are following the guidelines. It helps to speak with an accountant to get more clarity, but here is some helpful information:

What Can I Claim On My Taxes Working from Home?

Employee

You are not supposed to deduct your expenses when you work from home as an employee if your taxes, social security and medicare are deducted from your paycheck. Prior to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by the United States Congress, employees could deduct expenses like mileage, home office supplies, work outfits and more. The IRS now tends to qualify remote employee expenses of that manner as “miscellaneous itemized deductions” and since 2018 itemized deductions can only be taken if they exceed the standardized deductions.

Self Employed

Self employed professionals and business owners can still deduct for their office, meals, mileage supplies, marketing and more. Expenses you get in regards to working from home are tax deductible. It’s important to note that the expenses need to be exclusive to the business’s operations. A space used as an office by day and bedroom any other time would likely not be compliant. The space being used needs to be exclusively used for your business.

Tax Breaks Due to Covid-19?

There aren’t currently any special tax breaks for those working from home due to the pandemic. You can however count on a good accountant to ensure you get any tax breaks related to the pandemic if there are changes in the future.

In conclusion, the changes to the tax laws with regards to working from home may be confusing as time goes on. Having a professional assist you with your finances as an employee or business owner can make a difference. Accountant’s like us here at Motl Accounting are mostly aware of these changes and can help you get the most out of your taxes.

If you need to know more about what you can claim on your taxes, contact a professional at We’ve helped several individuals, families and businesses with getting the most they deserve out of their taxes.

Benefits of Paying Taxes Quarterly

Accounting, IRS, Taxes

Many individuals are familiar with filling out W-4 forms provided by their employers to file taxes. Business owners, self employed individuals and contractors however don’t fill out traditional W-4 forms. They are professionals who might receive income without taxes taken out right away and are therefore expected to make payments quarterly. According to the IRS, you are expected to make quarterly estimated tax payments if the following apply.

You expect to owe at least $1,000 in tax for the current tax year after subtracting your withholding and refundable credits.
You expect your withholding and refundable credits to be less than the smaller of:
- 90% of the tax to be shown on your current year’s tax return, or
- 100% of the tax shown on your prior year’s tax return. (Your prior year tax return must cover all 12 months.)

Simply put, if you know you are going to owe a good amount of money, it’s beneficial to pay your estimated taxes. Here are a few reasons why.

Penalties

No one likes penalties and paying your taxes each quarter prevents that. Per the IRS if you owe over $1,000 you could be penalized for underpayment of your taxes. Knowing the exact figure could be challenging and hiring an accountant could help in estimating how much your payments should be. Your accountant should have all the right numbers and processes in place to give a figure to pay that should prevent you from underpaying your taxes.

Tax Bill

Paying your taxes quarterly let’s you avoid the potential surprise of a larger tax bill during tax season. Not paying could lead to having a large and unexpected bill at tax season. Paying your taxes quarterly can give you peace of mind knowing you aren’t likely to get an unexpected bill. This might be a task to deal with every quarter due to the nature of your business and how busy you are. If that’s the case, consider hiring an accountant who can assist you. For all you know, the cost of paying penalties could be more than what an accountant might charge to help you.

Efficiency

Paying your estimated taxes each quarter should give a good overview of your books and less stress in managing your accounting. This is where a bookkeeper comes in handy as they can provide insights on your accounting through the year. Tax season is less of a headache when you’ve been managing your books and making quarterly payments throughout the year.

In conclusion, the benefits to paying your estimated quarterly taxes can make life easier and provide you peace of mind. Quarterly taxes are typically due on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, for the current calendar year. Most accountants and bookkeepers are aware of these dates and should work with you to get your payments in on time as needed.

Want to know more about how accountants and bookkeepers can help with your taxes and grow your business? Contact one of our professionals here at Motl Accounting. We assist businesses and individuals with their accounting needs and look forward to assisting you.