Small Business

You are subject to self-employment tax on all earnings even though you can exclude from gross income your foreign earned income of up to $92,900 in 2011.

Yes. Beginning 1/1/11 you must use electronic funds transfer to make all federal tax deposits for employment taxes, corporation tax's and excise taxes. Forms 8109- and 8109-B Federal Tax Deposit Coupons cannot be used after 12/31/10. Generally electronic funds transfers are made using the EFTPS system. If you do not use EFTPS you can arrange for a trusted third party to make deposits on your behalf such as a payroll service or financial institution. To enroll in EFTPS visit www.eftps.gov or call 1-800-555-4477 1-800-555-4477. Speak to your local CPA about assisting you in signing up to the Federal Tax Payment System.

Guaranteed payments are made to individual partners for services rendered or for use of capital, and are not based on a partner's share of partnership income. The guaranteed payments are deducted from partnership income before determining the partnership's profit or loss.

Yes. You are required to pay self-employment tax on Self employment income even after you retire and receive Social Security benefits.

The Self-employment (SE) Tax of 15.3% consists of 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare.
After multiplying your Sole Proprietorship’s Net Earnings by .9235, the combined 15.3% rate applies to the maximum taxable earnings base of $113,700 or less and the 2.9% rate applies to all taxable earnings exceeding $113,700.

If you are a ordained minister, priest, rabbi or member of a religious order who has not taken a vow of poverty of a Christian Science practitioner then you are subject to SE Tax unless you elect not to be covered on the grounds of conscientious or religious objection to Social Security benefits. A application for exemption Filed on Form 4361 must be filed with the IRS.

The IRS takes the position that income earned by a Consultant is subject to SE Tax.

If you give a business gift in the course of your trade or business, you can deduct the cost subject to special limits and rules.
Generally you cannot deduct more than $25 for business gifts that you give directly or indirectly to any one person during the tax year.
Keep receipts for all gifts you give for business purposes. These receipts will help you to prove your deductions if you are ever audited. Track your business gifts throughout the year so you don't have to go through all of your receipts individually at tax time. You should record who the gift was given to, what that person's relationship is to your business and how much the gift cost.

The actual expense method allows a individual to deduct all out of pocket costs for operating the auto plus depreciation if you own the auto. Some of those costs are Gas, insurance, repairs & maintenance garage rent, lease fees, licenses, loan interest, oil changes, parking fees, tires, tolls, towing and registration fees.