Many of us are still working from home, and some have decided to work from home for good while the pandemic remains with us. For those new to this world, what kind of tax write-offs, if any, could we be looking at for 2020?

We've made it through this unique and very different tax season. So, what does that mean? We start looking ahead to next year! Many of our clients are friends are still working from home, while others have decided to work from home for good. If this year has taught you anything new about your professional life, its if you are a fan of working from home or not. We know and recognize that it's not for everyone, and we also understand the reason why so many companies are still having their employees work from home. If anything, we appreciate the safety of it and we are trying to find the silver lining. This year has meant saving money on gas, saving money on takeout, getting rid of that morning commute, more time in comfortable clothes, spending time with our families, and for some, it has meant a whole makeover of their homes, especially their backyards! For those who don't own their own small business and don't work from home regularly, when you did move home, one thing that might have made the transition less painful was the possibility of writing off your new expenses in your 2020 taxes. Will this be a possibility? Could there be an even bigger silver lining waiting at the end of all of this?

FROM HOME
There have been many silver linings to this experience than many of us have tried to focus on, but like it or not, it does cost extra to work from home. You're buying supplies, buying new office furniture, getting better wifi, and possibly paying a ton more in child care. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to write all of that off or at least a part of these expenses on 2020 taxes? Unfortunately, due to a tax reform in 2017, this opportunity was eliminated, according to Kiplinger and AccountingToday. Granted, this decision was made years before we knew what the coronavirus was and it was thought to be a good idea to eliminate this possibility. According to AccountingToday, the reasoning behind this change was that a "doubling of the standard deduction would help offset the pain of ending or cutting itemized deductions". That idea was nice at the time, but for all of us working from home and through the pandemic, it's not much help at all. Before this tax reform, you were able to write off your business expenses that were not paid back by your employer. These expenses included part of your home as an office, and much more. Sadly, if your company has sent you home during the pandemic, this will not be an option. With so many of us struggling with this reality, and with potentially limited funds as it is, what is the best way to recover from it? AccountingToday suggests the best route to go is to approach your company and try to negotiate with them. When it comes to federal taxes for your employers, tax code does allow them to reimburse their employees for certain costs during periods of disaster. The IRS has stated that is current pandemic does qualify. It will be up to our employer to choose what costs the will and will not cover, but if you approach them with a reasonable list of items, that can be a great place to start (i.e. wifi, child care, cost of buying new supplies).

SIDE HUSTLE
If you're working from home for your company, but also have a second job or a small side hustle, there might be a small tax break in there for you. According to Kipling, as long as you meet all the proper requirements, you will be allowed to claim deductions for your business expenses and your at-home business expenses for your own company.

WORK FROM HOME
If you are self-employed, this might be one of the greatest advantages for you right now. Those who are self-employed are still allowed to deduct business expenses with the Schedule C Form 1040 when filing. Your small business must be your only form of income, and the space you work in must only be used for work purposes, according to H&R Block. This means that your kitchen table won't count. If you do use a small corner of your home or a specific table just for work, then that will count. One of the biggest things you must do is keep meticulous notes and records of your expenses if you plan on writing these expenses off. Many self-employed individuals get flagged when they file and get stuck with an audit. Make sure you're reading to back up your deductions at a moment's notice. If you have a building outside of your home that you use only for work (like a barn, shed, garage), it can also be written off. Also, if you work outside of your home for your own business, but have been forced back to your home for safety reasons, you are allowed to write that off on your expenses too. According to H&R Block if you own your own business under a 1099, and you meet all the standards created by the IRS, you'll be allowed to write off all of your direct expenses for your small business. You will also be able to write off a portion of your indirect expenses too! But please take caution, you will still need to keep good records of everything.

CONCLUSION 
This year has brought its fair amount of challenges. Many of these challenges could reappear when filing your 2020 taxes. Make sure you speak with your company about your expenses before just assuming they won't help you. If you're self-employed or work under a 1099, make sure you keep excellent records and understand everything about your writeoffs to avoid an audit. Hang in there everyone! We know this is a personal and financially difficult time for all of you. We are always here to help. Don't forget! If you're looking for the best tax accountant in Summerville, the best tax services in Summerville, the best Quickbooks services in Summerville, and the best payroll services in Summerville, we are still here for you. Tax season may be over for some and just starting for others, and we will be here for you no matter what!

Now that the stimulus checks have all been sent out, many Americans are hesitant on using the funds. They aren't sure if the rumors they're hearing about the strings attached to them are accurate or not.

Now that we have all received our stimulus checks, we are now facing a slew of rumors and myths about the money we have received. This money was welcomed with open arms, helping pay bills, and keeping food on the table for many. Thanks to Social Media and other media outlets, and just the sheer amount of information (correct or not) that's available, rumors and misinformation have been spread about the realities of our stimulus checks. We are here to set the truth straight, calm your worries, and get rid of these myths once and for all.

According to AARP, once the CARES act went into action, the IRS sent out over 140 million stimulus checks. As this relief arrived and people started spending it, some hesitation did arise. The question if we will need to pay back the IRS and if these funds will be counted as part of our income in our 2020 taxes are at the forefront of this hesitation. With income and employment being so unstable, these are very understandable questions. Yes, this money is a blessing now. But, will it turn into a curse later?

First and foremost it is very important to know that you will not be paying back your stimulus checks. The IRS has even come out and said on multiple occasions that this will not be something that you will have to pay back. The stimulus check, according to CNBC, did get the nickname "recovery rebate" which is one of the main reasons why this concern began. Why won't you have to repay the IRS? That is due to the nature of tax credit the IRS is considering our stimulus checks. There is a certain type of tax credit, says Wealth Hacker Report Jeff Rose, called an Earned Income Tax Credit. These credits are completely refundable. Even if you don't owe any taxes at the end of the year, if you have any earned income tax credits, you will still be receiving a tax refund. This is how the IRS is treating your stimulus checks. It is something you're owed, not something you will have to repay. This is how those who don't file for taxes, like those who receive social security, disability, and railroad retirement benefits were eligible for a stimulus check. As long as you have a social security number and you meet the income requirements to receive a single or joint filing stimulus check, you will receive a stimulus check, with no strings attached.

Since the IRS is treating your stimulus check like earned income tax credit, it also will not be counted as part of your income when you file your 2020 tax return. You've received this money and it is taken care of, nothing else is required for you to do about it. Ironically, there is an opportunity for you to receive more money if your stimulus check wasn't calculated correctly by the IRS. These mistakes will most likely be caught when filing your 2020 tax return, or if you didn't claim a dependent child on your tax forms, or alert the IRS to a dependent child. You won't, on the other hand, be receiving any extra stimulus money when you file your 2020 tax return if you received the proper amount. The only way that will happen is if there is another stimulus check released, which for now is just a myth and rumor.

Also, know that the stimulus check will not reduce your refund that you're owed on your 2020 taxes. You will receive every penny that you're owed, and your stimulus check will not be deducted from it or even affect it. The stimulus check will also not lower the amount you owe in taxes, either. That can be confusing since other tax credits can reduce how much you owe. But, the stimulus check will not be one of them. At the end of the day, your stimulus check will not be affecting your 2020 taxes at all.

There have been some situations, according to CNBC, that some individuals have been overpaid and given more stimulus money than they should have received. If this happens, you will not have to pay that back either. This is incredibly rare though, and more often than not, is actually a scam. As we have mentioned in recent blogs, scams regarding the stimulus checks have become rampant since they were first released. If you receive a very official-looking check in the mail for more than your stimulus amount, and it is requested of you to pay back the difference in cash, certified check, money order, or in gift cards, that is without a doubt a scam. The IRS will not contact you via phone, social media, email, or texting. If you receive any messages about your stimulus checks through these platforms make sure to report them and then delete them right away.

We hope this insight helps you better understand your stimulus check, and what you are expected to do with them now that you've received them. If you have any further questions about them, or about the 2019 tax date that just passed us on July 15th, please don't hesitate to reach out. We will be very busy over the next couple of weeks, as we have been leading up to the 15th, but we will try and get back to you as quickly as possible. Don't forget! If you're looking for the best tax accountant in Summerville, the best tax services in Summerville, the best Quickbooks services in Summerville, and the best payroll services in Summerville, we are still here for you. Tax season may be over for some and just starting for others, and we will be here for you no matter what!​

To survive the pandemic, many brick and mortar shops have added or have switched to online selling only. That has come with many new hurdles to jump, including dealing with sales tax in a whole new way.

The pandemic has impacted every part of our personal and professional lives, there is no doubt about that. Many local restaurants and businesses right here in the Lowcountry have sadly had to close their doors due to lack of sales through the shutdown and the slow resurgence of opening back up. One of the many challenges businesses have had to face, to keep their doors open and to survive, is switching from brick and mortar sales to adding online sales or going to online-only sales. Restaurants who have never done takeout or delivery have added those options to their customer, and have had some serious adjustments to make.

For these companies who have decided to move online, they were facing more than just learning how to run their business online and how to promote themselves on this new platform. They are now adapting to a change in sales tax. Thankfully, here in South Carolina, this isn't a huge shock as the state already collects sales tax from most online retailers. Since 2018, a new ruling was made that said each state can make online shoppers pay for sales tax, even if they aren't buying products from their home state. Those who went into the pandemic with this knowledge and were successfully working online had already planned for this. Making the transition to an online business and adding on this extra layer can be difficult. This new ruling decided even if a business didn't have a physical presence in the state they were selling to, they now have to collect taxes from any state that has given the company more than 200 sales transactions or if the company made $100,000 in sales within a particular state.

What makes matters worse is that not every state or jurisdiction of states has the same guidelines when it comes to this ruling. A business here in SC might get a ton of orders from Florida or Texas, but each state will come with its own set of stipulations when it comes to collecting sales tax. The company in question is then responsible for collecting both percentages of sales tax and for reporting them correctly. It's a lot to know and understand. For a company to be successful in this and to not get stuck owing tons of money in back taxes, is to understand and know what each jurisdiction's guidelines are. What else can be helpful is to have someone on staff or working with a company like ours that knows and understands how to deal with each particular state that you are selling your product to.

How does this affect your business beyond just your taxes? You need to look at your product and how you track your sales and how you keep up with your bookkeeping. Can you keep track of all your sales to every state? It's not just where you're selling to, this is also affected if you're storing your products outside of your state or not. Remember, just like any tax law or rulings, they can change and fluctuate often and you need to stay on top of these changes.

In any big transition that a company goes through like this situation,  working with us at Pathways can make it a much less painful experience. We understand these tax rulings and know when they change and fluctuate. Once you've made the decision to move your business online and you understand each jurisdiction's sales tax, you will need to register through your state to become compliant. If you are a business new to online sales or would like to build your online presence, don't stress too much. With the world as it is, the trend for online shopping is predicted to only become more popular. Even more so than it is now. It will be a challenge to make this transition, but it will be worth it. Your clientele will appreciate it, and so will your bank account. Don't forget! If you're looking for the best tax accountant in Summerville, the best tax services in Summerville, the best Quickbooks services in Summerville, and the best payroll services in Summerville, we are still here for you. Tax season may be over for some and just starting for others, and we will be here for you no matter what!

With the world as we know it changing every day, we have been trying to stay on top of what's happening to help our clients and ourselves. We want to use this changing knowledge to protect our finances, our employees, to know if are eligible for assistance, and how to help our clients navigate through these strange times. Today we are going to be talking about Employee Retention Credit.

Hello, Summerville! We are so excited to see our beautiful town get back to some sense of normal. Everything about our daily and professional lives continues to change, but we are relieved to see that individuals and businesses continue to move forward. One of our main focuses these past two months has been how the current pandemic is affecting our finances. There has been a lot of help thanks to tax day being pushed back, the stimulus relief fund, and the CARES act. Each has seen its ups and downs for individuals and small businesses, bringing a mixture of relief and frustration.

Most of the financial help that we hear about day to day is that for personal finances, but businesses of all sizes have needed just as much help through these difficult times. Many have been required to operate at 50% capacity due to safety protocol during the pandemic while others have been completely shut down after they were deemed nonessential. With the signing of the stimulus relief package and the CARES act, businesses of all sizes were put into consideration. Small business loans and other forms of relief were immediately put into action, although their first big wave was not received well nor handled well.

Just like you as an individual, businesses have been on top of filing and working towards a way to help their companies survive so their employees have a place to come back to when this is all over. Most employers who were able to apply for any kind of assistance did so in March, but there are still opportunities and things to apply for if your company hasn't already. In this blog, we are going to be talking about one of these forms of assistance that is still available to businesses, and that is employee retention credit.

WHAT IS IT?
You may or may not be familiar with this term or what kind of help it provides. This is a business relief provision that encourages employers to keep employees on the payroll, even if they're not working. It helps provide relief to unemployment offices to limit the number of people applying for unemployment. It was also created to help guarantee that employers will have returning employees once they can open up again. Thanks to the creation of the employee retention credit, the government will reward your company for keeping your employees on your payroll and for deciding to choose this assistance. It is refundable tax credit taken against certain employment taxes that can equal up to fifty percent of an employee's wages that you, as an employer, are still providing. The tax credit is fifty percent of up to $10,000 in wages per employee that has continued to be paid by the employer. This means that your company can be awarded a $5000 tax credit per qualifying employee. This was created as a business relief provision. The money your company will be receiving is a refundable payroll tax credit for qualified wages that will be paid or have been paid to your employees between March 13th of this year until December 31st of 2020.

ELIGIBILITY
You and your company are eligible if you have been directly affected by COVID-19. If you have been forced to work at half capacity due to safety precautions, or you have been forced to shut down entirely because you are a nonessential business, you are eligible. No matter the size of your company, you are still eligible. Your company is eligible for this tax credit if your gross receipts for this current quarter are less than what they were in the same quarter this time last year. You are NOT eligible for this tax credit if you are a governmental employer, or if you are self-employed or a small business that has taken small business loans or other small business loans created to help with issues caused by the pandemic.

WHAT TO KNOW
Once you have decided to pick this type of relief, you can begin claiming it right away by reducing your payroll taxes sent to the IRS. If it ends up that your tax credits exceed your payroll taxes, you can ask for a refund directly from the IRS. If your company has over 100 employees, the only wages that can be obtained are of those who were full time and are not working right now. If you have under 100 employees, you can claim all of your employee's wages regardless if they are working or not. Wages up to $10,000 can be claimed, and this does include how much your company pays towards health insurance for each employee. Since you can claim 50% of this $10,000, the max credit you can receive is $5,000 per employee. The tax credit will be repaid to you after subtracting your share of your employee's social security taxes, and it will be treated like you overpaid your taxes, and it will be returned to you.

THE FUTURE
In comparison, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was also created to offer similar benefits to businesses. You can't apply for both or receive benefits from both, you have to pick one or the other. When deciding which is best for you and your employees, always pick the aid that will help you and your employees the most, not one or the other. Since the applications for the PPP were suspended on April 17th of this year, this will now dictate your choice of what is available to you and your company. As the country slowly begins to reopen, pay close attention to how this will affect your business. You may be able to go back to work at full capacity, and you may not. There could potentially be more aid coming, we will just have to wait and see what the coming weeks will bring. If you and your company have been unable to receive any kind of benefits, keep your eyes open for this opportunity.

These have been difficult and confusing times. You aren't wrong in feeling overwhelmed and confused. We where are here to support you, Summerville. You are not alone in your fight. Also don't forget, if you're looking for the best tax accountant in Summerville, the best tax services in Summerville, the best Quickbooks services in Summerville, the best IT services in Summerville, and the best payroll services in Summerville, we are still here for you. Tax season may be over for some and just starting for others, and we will be here for you no matter what!

The coronavirus has changed the way we live our lives. It has changed our daily schedules, where and how we work, and has changed the face of education for our children. For parents working from home for the very first time while their children in school are also working from home, the landscape of living and working together has been altered. What does this mean for parents and their children and how can they be the most successful in these times of change?

So much has changed within the last few weeks since our last blog post about how small businesses and corporations need to operate during this time of crisis. It continues to change the work world so much, that we wanted to follow that blog up by discussing just how much COVID-19 is changing and affecting the lives of everyone in the working world down to the youngest of your family. One of the biggest reliefs and changes during this time is the 90-day deferment on taxes for everyone, allowing both individuals and corporations to pay and file their taxes on July 15th instead of April 15th. But, with that relief, comes a bit of a struggle. Many of us are working from home for the very first time and with children our children that are school-aged or younger.  Going from the office to our home offices, kitchen tables, or couches has been a huge shift, especially if you're working alongside your son or daughter as they are virtually taking classes and sending in assignments in brand new ways themselves. Thankfully, you don't have to worry about your small business or corporation meeting tax deadlines for a few more months while you're getting adjusted. The biggest adjustment is working from home, being productive, and trying not to drive one another crazy!

As COVID-19 changes the guidelines on how to work, we wanted to break it down to the individuals affected by these huge changes and to share some tips and suggestions on how to successfully make this transition productive both to your company and to your well being. Without the latter, your work and productivity could suffer. So, let's get to work!

Every family, personal work space, and your job at hand is unique and different. Through this unknown time, you'll have to find what works best for you. These suggestions might be the perfect solution to your learning curve, or they might be the complete opposite. Take these as stepping stones, and continue to see what works for you and your family. In the end, whatever works for your family is the right way. There is no right or wrong way, there will just need to be a lot of trial and error until you reach a comfortable level of living. Hopefully, by then, life will be back to normal, or as close to it as possible!

TRACKING TIME
One of the most consistent things we have seen to be successful for working parents and their children is to stay on schedule. The key is to create a schedule for this new way of living and to stick to it. This applies to both parent and child. All of this will depend on how old your child is and what their needs are, but living as consistently to your life before moving home is very important. Begin by waking up at the same time, get ready and dressed for the day, and eat breakfast at the same time. The temptation to sleep in, stay in the same PJs for days and eat whatever whenever is going to be a huge temptation. Don't fall into that trap! We aren't saying you need to get dressed to the nines or dress your children for picture day. The key is to change out of your PJs every morning and into another outfit that makes both you and your kids feel productive and normal as possible. Then, we recommend creating a schedule for your students for the whole day, not just during school hours. This will help them stay adjusted to their normal school day, stay on top of their expectations of getting homework done and studying completed, and allocate their free time. This way their grades don't drop while they are spending all of their time watching TV, playing video games, or on their phones. Keep them on a schedule that will create your workday too, one that allows you to stay close to your schedule too. For our parents with young children, keep them on a schedule as much as possible and one that is as close to what they have been living with. Take advantage of nap time, quiet playtime, and lunchtime as your work hours. You might need to get a little creative, and that's ok!

NEW RULES
It will be very important to sit your family down and talk about what's happening in the world and what these changes mean for everyone. The situation will change expectations, free time, and it will also mean spending all of your time together during work and play hours. You will also need to communicate with your boss, employees, and colleagues that they might need to be more flexible because of your new work situation with your children. Express that your children could walk into a work call or video meeting at any time, and you might need to get up and leave to answer an emergency or a baby crying at any time. If anything, mention this often so it is never a surprise and not something that is forgotten by anyone. This is also the time to set boundaries with your kids. This might mean allowing them more TV, video game, and screen time to give you more space and time to get work done. If that is the case, explain to them that this extra free time is a treat and that everything will return to normal once work and school go back to their normal schedule. Set boundaries, especially for your school-aged children, and let them know when they can come into your work space, and when they can only come in when it is an absolute emergency.

SAVING TIME
During this crazy time, create a system that allows you to work and allows you to still be a family. Take breaks together from work and school to exercise together, take a car ride, or walk the dog together while still practicing social distancing. When work and school are over for the day, make sure they are over for the day. Separate work from play with the whole family, unless you have to finish a job or a project. Keeping regular dinner hours, family game or movie nights, and beyond are very important. Spending time together as a family is very needed. But, allotting yourself adult time is very important as well. It is also important to parent as a team and juggle these new schedule changes and learning curves together. Share the normal household tasks like you never have before. Switch places creating the daily schedule, serving as a teacher for the day, and even switch giving your partner the night off. Allow your partner to not have to worry about household chores or the necessary grocery trip if they're slammed with work, and let them repay the favor to you when you're swamped with work. You can even switch shifts throughout the day, whatever works for you!

This is an unknown time full of uncharted territory. Maintaining a sense of balance, normality, and regularity is the key to staying productive as a business owner and the head of a successful family. It may seem impossible at first, but keep working. You will figure out what works best for you. Remember to stay smart, keep following the WHO guidelines, and to wash your hands!