Greetings all, 

April is here and taxes are at the top of most people’s minds. For this newsletter, we are going to keep things on the light side with some info and tips for optimizing your tax situation for 2022. Before we get into that, we would like to give you a heads up on a new development on the student loan front. Recently announced by the Biden administration, the pause on federal student loan repayments will be extended through August 31. This means the soonest a person would have to make a payment would be late September/early October. This can change the calculus on a number of planning opportunities, so be sure to reach out if you have any questions. If you are a client and this affects you, we will be in touch with you to advise on what to do.  

Read –
Have you heard of Tax Freedom Day? It was conceived in the 1940s to help people understand how long they have to work each year until their tax burden is met and their money becomes their own, AKA Tax Freedom. This year, on average, Tax Freedom Day is on Monday, April 18th which coincides with the regular tax filing deadline. That means, most taxpayers need to work for about four and a half months just to cover their taxes for the year. Now, with this out of the way, what are some ways to optimize your taxes for the year?

Watch – 
One of the best ways to reduce your tax burden is to claim expenses as a self-employed individual. This video by Lyfe Accounting details some of the most common and effective tax reduction write-offs available to small business owners. These include the home office deduction, using your personal vehicle for business driving and writing off the mileage, and writing off $5,000 in startup costs in the year you start a business. All of these can really add up to reduce your taxable income if you are self-employed. If you are a business owner or aspire to be one, make sure to reach out if you have any questions about your situation. If you are a W2 worker, check out this video which goes into some of the ways to lower your taxes by taking advantage of all the employer-sponsored tax benefits available to you. The biggest switches you can hit are using your retirement plans, HSA, and FSA plans available to you. 

Listen – 
These days, it seems like everyone is interested in or already owns a rental property. The problem is, most people have no idea have to deal with this in a tax-compliant and efficient way! We are in the thick of tax season and the number one most common mistake is rental owners not taking depreciation on their property from day one. This can be an extremely expensive mistake down the road, so make sure to reach out if you are unsure if you are in this group. For a really great listen, check out this episode of The Rental Income Podcast with CPA Sean McNamara who goes over some higher-level tax planning tips for rental owners. There is a lot of good advice here to get you started on how to handle your rental property. 

Taxes can be daunting whether you are a small business owner, a wage employee, or an aspiring rental property tycoon. The most important thing is to have good information at your disposal and advisors you can rely on to have your best interests at heart. We pride ourselves on being able to advise across all of these situations. Through careful planning, we make sure our clients don’t leave any of their hard-earned money in Uncle Sam’s pockets and are able to celebrate their Tax Freedom Day as early as possible each year. 

Best wishes, 

The Bona Fide Family