Those who own C corporations have to be careful about what amounts are paid out to or benefit the corporate shareholders. This is particularly true for closely held and family corporations. On audit, the IRS will often assert that these distributions are constructive dividends. This is usually a bad answer for taxpayers as it increases…
Category: Business Tax
Business Tax
Comprehensive legal representation for businesses of all types and sizes in all aspects of tax law, from formation and structuring to transactional tax planning. Give us a call to see how we can help, (713) 909-4906.
The Late S Corporation Election
The Subchapter S corporation remains a popular choice of entity for small and medium-sized businesses. This is true even after the TCJA of 2017 lowered the income tax rate for C corporations to 21 percent. Unlike many other changes made by the TCJA, the 21 percent flat corporate rate is permanent. It is not going…
Website Development Tax Deductions & the Start-Up Rules
There are several tax laws that have to be considered to determine when and how costs to develop websites are deductible. These expenses are almost always deductible. These tax laws raise timing questions. It’s a matter of when the expenses are deductible. For those who are developing website businesses as side-hustles, the issue takes on…
Choice of Entity: Tax Plans for Pharmacies
Our laws have long said that taxpayers are free to structure their legal affairs to minimize their taxes. Congress has even provided very specific provisions to accomplish this. Section 1202 stock is an example. This provision is intended to encourage start-ups to take business risks by rewarding those who are successful by allowing them to…
Double Tax on Inter-Company Transfers
There are those who make things happen. They are usually the ones doing what it takes even when doing so is difficult, tiring, and draining. They are the ones that often make personal sacrifices and take risks to succeed. They are the ones that had the luck or grit to stick with something to see…
S Corporation Election Not Signed by Community Property Spouse is Valid
There are tax implications for just about everything we do. Even simple business transactions present tax opportunities and pitfalls. While we prefer to focus on tax opportunities, we also spend a lot of time fixing tax problems. We are in Texas, which is a community property state. So one issue we see over and over…
Contribution to Corporation, then Sale of the Corporation
Most income tax planning involves questions about income, deductions or credits, character, or timing, or some combination of these questions. When viewed from these categories, even simple transactions can present tax planning opportunities. The contribution of property to a corporation by its shareholder is an example. A contribution triggers taxable income to the shareholder. Our…
Funding a Business: LLC Capital Contribution vs. Loan
Taxpayers have several choices to make when starting a business. One of these choices is how to fund the business. They can fund the business with capital contributions or debt (or a combination thereof). The IRS and courts will usually follow the method the taxpayer uses. Many taxpayers do not consciously decide this issue. They…
Limited Partner Subject to Self-Employment Tax
When it comes to tax law, there are quite a few known-unknowns. These are tax questions that have been raised tangentially in court cases and rulings, but have not been fully answered. These situations confuse taxpayers. Tax practitioners are often asked to provide answers. The answers from tax practitioners often differ, as practitioners have different…
S Corp Election Terminated by Standard LLC Language
If you make an S corporation election and do not fix the standard language that is typically included in the LLC company agreement, you’ll void the S corporation election. This is an issue that is usually identified by during an audit by the IRS. Many taxpayers overlook this issue until it is too late (it…