Blog Posts

Solar Systems & Energy Credits

5/16/2023

The IRS recently reminded homeowners who make improvements like replacing old doors and windows, installing solar panels or upgrading a hot water heater that they may qualify for home energy tax credits. This came with the IRS warning that homeowners "should know what these credits can do for them – and be careful of exaggerated claims (solar) companies trying to get their business may make."

While it's not a dollar-for-dollar tax refund, these credits can have a significant impact on tax liability.  From 2022 to 2032 homeowners qualify for a federal credit worth 30% of the cost of qualifying solar equipment and qualifying energy efficient additions.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit is only for improvements, additions or renovations to an existing home up to a lifetime maximum of $500 for improvements, additions or renovations to an existing home such as energy efficient doors, windows, skylights, and air conditioners.

The Residential Clean Energy Credit is for qualifying solar equipment installed on either an existing home or a newly constructed home. It is worth 30% of the cost of solar systems installed. The catch is that the credit (30% of the cost) can be claimed up to the tax liability on the tax return. As such it reduces the tax, but it is not a refundable credit. Any unused credit will carry forward year-to-year until it is used up.

The state of Hawaii Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit offers a credit of 35% of the cost (maximum credit $5,000) for each solar system. As with the IRS credit, this credit can be claimed up to the tax liability on the tax return. As such it reduces the tax, but it is not a refundable credit. Any unused credit will carry forward year-to-year until it is used up.

However, in fairness to retired and lower income taxpayers, unlike the IRS, the state does offer a refundable credit. A taxpayer claiming that options will lose 30% of the overall credit and will be refunded the remainder of the credit that is in excess of the current year tax liability. This is a nice option for retires and other who may have little to no tax liability and want to get what they can refunded right away. For those with higher tax liability it pays more in the long run to let the unused credit carry forward each year until it is used.

For more information visit:

IRS highlights information and free resources in recognition of National Small Business Week

4/28/2023

As part of National Small Business Week, April 30 to May 6, the Internal Revenue Service is highlighting tax benefits and resources to help those looking to start a business. They provided lots of information, two of which we will highlight here:

Business Structure

Taxpayers must decide what form of business entity to establish when starting a business. This helps determine which income tax return form must be filed. The most common business structures are:

Sole proprietorship - When an individual owns an unincorporated business by themselves.
Partnerships - The relationship between two or more people to do trade or business.
Corporations - In forming a corporation, prospective shareholders exchange money, property or both for the corporation's capital stock.
S Corporations - Are corporations that elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions and credits through to their shareholders for federal tax purposes.
Limited Liability Company (LLC) – Are allowed by state statute and may be subject to different regulations. The IRS will treat an LLC as either a corporation or a partnership, or as part of the owner's tax return (e.g., sole proprietorship), depending on elections made by the LLC and its number of members.

Understand Business Taxes

By law, everyone must pay taxes as they earn income. For small business owners and self-employed people, that usually means making quarterly estimated tax payments as their business earns or receives income during the year. The form of business being operated determines what taxes must be paid and how to pay them. The four general types of business taxes are:

Income tax - All businesses except partnerships must file an annual income tax return. Partnerships file an information return.
Self-employment tax - Is a Social Security and Medicare tax primarily for individuals who work for themselves. Payments contribute to the individual's coverage under the Social Security system.
Employment tax - When small businesses have employees, the business has certain employment tax responsibilities that it must pay and forms it must file.
Excise tax – Excise taxes are imposed on various goods, services and activities. Such taxes may be imposed on the manufacturer, retailer or consumer, depending on the specific tax.

In Hawaii we also have:

State income tax -All businesses except partnerships must file an annual income tax or information return.

General excise tax (GET - Is an excise tax imposed on the gross revenues a business earns.
Use tax - This is a tax imposed in imported goods from out of state.

Before starting a new business, become familiar with these taxes. Planning from the beginning and paying taxes on time as you go can save a lot of headaches in the long run.

To learn more about small businesses, see IRS highlights information and free resources in recognition of National Small Business Week | Internal Revenue Service.

2023 Standard Mileage Rate Increases

12/29/2022

Standard mileage rates have increased for 2023. They are as follows:

65.5 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3 cents from the midyear increase setting the rate for the second half of 2022.
22 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, consistent with the increased midyear rate set for the second half of 2022.

14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations; the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2022.

Reminders:

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, taxpayers can no longer claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for unreimbursed employee travel expenses. The business rate applies to self-employed taxpayers.
Taxpayers also cannot claim a deduction for moving expenses, unless they are members of the Armed Forces on active duty moving under orders to a permanent change of station.

For more information: 2023 Standard Mileage Rates (irs.gov)

IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2023 | Internal Revenue Service

10/28/2022

The Internal Revenue Service today announced the tax year 2023 annual inflation adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions, including the tax rate schedules and other tax changes.

New for 2023The Inflation Reduction Act extended certain energy related tax breaks and indexed for inflation the energy efficient commercial buildings deduction beginning with tax year 2023. For tax year 2023, the applicable dollar value used to determine the maximum allowance of the deduction is $0.54 increased (but not above $1.07) by $0.02 for each percentage point by which the total annual energy and power costs for the building are certified to be reduced by a percentage greater than 25 percent. The applicable dollar value used to determine the increased deduction amount for certain property is $2.68 increased (but not above $5.36) by $0.11 for each percentage point by which the total annual energy and power costs for the building are certified to be reduced by a percentage greater than 25 percent.

Highlights of changes in Revenue Procedure 2022-38The tax year 2023 adjustments described below generally apply to tax returns filed in 2024.

The tax items for tax year 2023 of greatest interest to most taxpayers include the following dollar amounts:

The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2023 rises to $27,700 up $1,800 from the prior year. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $13,850 for 2023, up $900, and for heads of households, the standard deduction will be $20,800 for tax year 2023, up $1,400 from the amount for tax year 2022.
Marginal Rates: For tax year 2023, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $578,125 ($693,750 for married couples filing jointly).

The other rates are:
- 35% for incomes over $231,250 ($462,500 for married couples filing jointly);
- 32% for incomes over $182,100 ($364,200 for married couples filing jointly);
- 24% for incomes over $95,375 ($190,750 for married couples filing jointly);
- 22% for incomes over $44,725 ($89,450 for married couples filing jointly);
- 12% for incomes over $11,000 ($22,000 for married couples filing jointly).
The lowest rate is 10% for incomes of single individuals with incomes of $11,000 or less ($22,000 for married couples filing jointly).
The Alternative Minimum Tax exemption amount for tax year 2023 is $81,300 and begins to phase out at $578,150 ($126,500 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption begins to phase out at $1,156,300). The 2022 exemption amount was $75,900 and began to phase out at $539,900 ($118,100 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption began to phase out at $1,079,800).
The tax year 2023 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amount is $7,430 for qualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children, up from $6,935 for tax year 2022. The revenue procedure contains a table providing maximum EITC amount for other categories, income thresholds and phase-outs.
For tax year 2023, the monthly limitation for the qualified transportation fringe benefit and the monthly limitation for qualified parking increases to $300, up $20 from the limit for 2022.
For the taxable years beginning in 2023, the dollar limitation for employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending arrangements increases to $3,050. For cafeteria plans that permit the carryover of unused amounts, the maximum carryover amount is $610, an increase of $40 from taxable years beginning in 2022.
For tax year 2023, participants who have self-only coverage in a Medical Savings Account, the plan must have an annual deductible that is not less than $2,650, up $200 from tax year 2022; but not more than $3,950, an increase of $250 from tax year 2022. For self-only coverage, the maximum out-of-pocket expense amount is $5,300, up $350 from 2022. For tax year 2023, for family coverage, the annual deductible is not less than $5,300, up from $4,950 for 2022; however, the deductible cannot be more than $7,900, up $500 from the limit for tax year 2022. For family coverage, the out-of-pocket expense limit is $9,650 for tax year 2023, an increase of $600 from tax year 2022.
For tax year 2023, the foreign earned income exclusion is $120,000 up from $112,000 for tax year 2022.
Estates of decedents who die during 2023 have a basic exclusion amount of $12,920,000, up from a total of $12,060,000 for estates of decedents who died in 2022.
The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $17,000 for calendar year 2023, up from $16,000 for calendar year 2022.
The maximum credit allowed for adoptions for tax year 2023 is the amount of qualified adoption expenses up to $15,950, up from $14,890 for 2022

Items unaffected by indexingBy statute, certain items that were indexed for inflation in the past are currently not adjusted.

The personal exemption for tax year 2023 remains at 0, as it was for 2022, this elimination of the personal exemption was a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
For 2023, as in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018, there is no limitation on itemized deductions, as that limitation was eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The modified adjusted gross income amount used by joint filers to determine the reduction in the Lifetime Learning Credit provided in § 25A(d)(2) is not adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020. The Lifetime Learning Credit is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns).

Revenue Procedure 2022-38 provides details about these annual adjustments.

Increases to Retirement Plan Contribution Limits for 2023

10/21/2022

401(k) limit increases to $22,500 for 2023, IRA limit rises to $6,500

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2023 has increased to $22,500, up from $20,500 for 2022. The IRS today also issued technical guidance regarding all of the cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2023 in Notice 2022-55, posted today on IRS.gov.

Highlights of changes for 2023

The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $22,500, up from $20,500.

The limit on annual contributions to an IRA increased to $6,500, up from $6,000. The IRA catch up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost of living adjustment and remains $1,000.

The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $7,500, up from $6,500. Therefore, participants in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older can contribute up to $30,000, starting in 2023. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in SIMPLE plans is increased to $3,500, up from $3,000.

The income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs, and to claim the Saver’s Credit all increased for 2023.

Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions. If during the year either the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income. (If neither the taxpayer nor the spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-outs of the deduction do not apply.) Here are the phase out ranges for 2023:For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to between $73,000 and $83,000, up from between $68,000 and $78,000.

For married couples filing jointly, if the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to between $116,000 and $136,000, up from between $109,000 and $129,000.
For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the phase-out range is increased to between $218,000 and $228,000, up from between $204,000 and $214,000.
For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains between $0 and $10,000.

The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is increased to between $138,000 and $153,000 for singles and heads of household, up from between $129,000 and $144,000. For married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is increased to between $218,000 and $228,000, up from between $204,000 and $214,000. The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains between $0 and $10,000.

The income limit for the Saver’s Credit (also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit) for low- and moderate-income workers is $73,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $68,000; $54,750 for heads of household, up from $51,000; and $36,500 for singles and married individuals filing separately, up from $34,000.

The amount individuals can contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts is increased to $15,500, up from $14,000.
Details on these and other retirement-related cost-of-living adjustments for 2023 are in Notice 2022-55, available on IRS.gov.

IRS Warns employers to beware of third parties promoting improper Employee Retention Credit claims

10/20/2022

IR-2022-183, October 19, 2022

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned employers to be wary of third parties who are advising them to claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) when they may not qualify. Some third parties are taking improper positions related to taxpayer eligibility for and computation of the credit.

These third parties often charge large upfront fees or a fee that is contingent on the amount of the refund and may not inform taxpayers that wage deductions claimed on the business' federal income tax return must be reduced by the amount of the credit.

If the business filed an income tax return deducting qualified wages before it filed an employment tax return claiming the credit, the business should file an amended income tax return to correct any overstated wage deduction.

Businesses are encouraged to be cautious of advertised schemes and direct solicitations promising tax savings that are too good to be true. Taxpayers are always responsible for the information reported on their tax returns. Improperly claiming the ERC could result in taxpayers being required to repay the credit along with penalties and interest.

For more information: Employers warned to beware of third parties promoting improper Employee Retention Credit claims | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)

IRS provides tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2023

10/18/2022

The tax year 2023 adjustments described below generally apply to tax returns filed in 2024.

The tax items for tax year 2023 of greatest interest to most taxpayers include the following dollar amounts:

The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly for tax year 2023 rises to $27,700 up $1,800 from the prior year. For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately, the standard deduction rises to $13,850 for 2023, up $900, and for heads of households, the standard deduction will be $20,800 for tax year 2023, up $1,400 from the amount for tax year 2022.
Marginal Rates: For tax year 2023, the top tax rate remains 37% for individual single taxpayers with incomes greater than $578,125 ($693,750 for married couples filing jointly).

The other rates are:
35% for incomes over $231,250 ($462,500 for married couples filing jointly);
32% for incomes over $182,100 ($364,200 for married couples filing jointly);
24% for incomes over $95,375 ($190,750 for married couples filing jointly);
22% for incomes over $44,725 ($89,450 for married couples filing jointly);
12% for incomes over $11,000 ($22,000 for married couples filing jointly).

The lowest rate is 10% for incomes of single individuals with incomes of $11,000 or less ($22,000 for married couples filing jointly).
The Alternative Minimum Tax exemption amount for tax year 2023 is $81,300 and begins to phase out at $578,150 ($126,500 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption begins to phase out at $1,156,300). The 2022 exemption amount was $75,900 and began to phase out at $539,900 ($118,100 for married couples filing jointly for whom the exemption began to phase out at $1,079,800).
The tax year 2023 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit amount is $7,430 for qualifying taxpayers who have three or more qualifying children, up from $6,935 for tax year 2022. The revenue procedure contains a table providing maximum EITC amount for other categories, income thresholds and phase-outs.
For tax year 2023, the monthly limitation for the qualified transportation fringe benefit and the monthly limitation for qualified parking increases to $300, up $20 from the limit for 2022.
For the taxable years beginning in 2023, the dollar limitation for employee salary reductions for contributions to health flexible spending arrangements increases to $3,050. For cafeteria plans that permit the carryover of unused amounts, the maximum carryover amount is $610, an increase of $40 from taxable years beginning in 2022.
For tax year 2023, participants who have self-only coverage in a Medical Savings Account, the plan must have an annual deductible that is not less than $2,650, up $200 from tax year 2022; but not more than $3,950, an increase of $250 from tax year 2022. For self-only coverage, the maximum out-of-pocket expense amount is $5,300, up $350 from 2022. For tax year 2023, for family coverage, the annual deductible is not less than $5,300, up from $4,950 for 2022; however, the deductible cannot be more than $7,900, up $500 from the limit for tax year 2022. For family coverage, the out-of-pocket expense limit is $9,650 for tax year 2023, an increase of $600 from tax year 2022.
For tax year 2023, the foreign earned income exclusion is $120,000 up from $112,000 for tax year 2022.
Estates of decedents who die during 2023 have a basic exclusion amount of $12,920,000, up from a total of $12,060,000 for estates of decedents who died in 2022.
The annual exclusion for gifts increases to $17,000 for calendar year 2023, up from $16,000 for calendar year 2021.
The maximum credit allowed for adoptions for tax year 2023 is the amount of qualified adoption expenses up to $15,950, up from $14,890 for 2022

Items unaffected by indexing:
By statute, certain items that were indexed for inflation in the past are currently not adjusted.

The personal exemption for tax year 2023 remains at 0, as it was for 2022, this elimination of the personal exemption was a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
For 2023, as in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018, there is no limitation on itemized deductions, as that limitation was eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The modified adjusted gross income amount used by joint filers to determine the reduction in the Lifetime Learning Credit provided in § 25A(d)(2) is not adjusted for inflation for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020. The Lifetime Learning Credit is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income in excess of $80,000 ($160,000 for joint returns).

More Information: Part III Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous, 26 CFR 601.602 (irs.gov)

State of Hawaii Suspends 2% Corporate E-filing Mandate Penalty

9/28/2022

RE: Suspension of Failure to Electronically File (e-file) Penalty for Corporate Income Tax Returns (Form N-30) for Tax Years Beginning on or After January 1, 2022

This Announcement supersedes Tax Announcement No. 2019-10, which required Form N-30 to be filed electronically for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020.

Currently, Form N-30, including schedules and attachments, may be e-filed through the Modernized e-File Program administered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). However, IRS restrictions, as well as software restrictions, prevent many corporate taxpayers from electronically filing. Accordingly, the Department of Taxation will suspend the requirement that Form N-30 be submitted electronically.

DoTax Ann No. 22-07 - RE: Suspension of Failure to Electronically File (e-file) Penalty for Corporate Income Tax Returns (Form N-30) for Tax Years Beginning on or After January 1, 2022 (hawaii.gov)

Hawaii Constitutional Refunds (ACT 115 Refunds) Set to Begin Rolling Out 1st Week of September

8/28/2022

Act 115, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 115), provides a one-time constitutional refund to each qualifying resident taxpayer who files an individual income tax return for the 2021 tax year on or before December 31, 2022.

How much will my Act 115 refund be?
Your Act 115 refund amount is based on your filing status, federal adjusted gross income, and the number of exemptions you are allowed to claim. For the Act 115 credit, only one refund per person will be allowed. The Act 115 refund is $100 or $300 per person as follows:

When will I receive my Act 115 refund?
Act 115 refund will be issued based on the order in which the 2021 individual income tax returns are filed. The Department of Taxation will begin issuing Act 115 refunds in the first week of September 2022.

Will I receive my Act 115 refund by electronic direct deposit or paper check?
If you claimed a refund on your 2021 individual income tax return and requested an electronic direct deposit, your Act 115 refund will be deposited into the same bank account. If you requested a paper check refund or owed additional taxes, you will receive your Act 115 refund by paper check.

Will my Act 115 refund be offset by taxes that I owed?
Act 115 refund will be used to offset taxes owed to IRS and any outstanding debt to external agencies, such as for child support payment. However, Act 115 refund will not be used to offset taxes owed to State of Hawaii.

For more information: Act 115 Refund | Department of Taxation (hawaii.gov)

COVID tax relief: IRS provides broad-based penalty relief for certain 2019 and 2020 returns due to the pandemic; $1.2 billion in penalties being refunded to 1.6 million taxpayers

8/24/2022

WASHINGTON ̶ To help struggling taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service today issued Notice 2022-36,which provides penalty relief to most people and businesses who file certain 2019 or 2020 returns late.

The IRS is also taking an additional step to help those who paid these penalties already. Nearly 1.6 million taxpayers will automatically receive more than $1.2 billion in refunds or credits. Many of these payments will be completed by the end of September.

Besides providing relief to both individuals and businesses impacted by the pandemic, this step is designed to allow the IRS to focus its resources on processing backlogged tax returns and taxpayer correspondence to help return to normal operations for the 2023 filing season.

The relief applies to the failure to file penalty. The penalty is typically assessed at a rate of 5% per month and up to 25% of the unpaid tax when a federal income tax return is filed late. This relief applies to forms in both the Form 1040 and 1120 series, as well as others listed in Notice 2022-36, posted today on IRS.gov.

Relief is automatic; most of $1.2 billion in refunds delivered to eligible taxpayers by next month

To qualify for this relief, any eligible income tax return must be filed on or before Sept. 30, 2022.

For More Information: COVID tax relief: IRS provides broad-based penalty relief for certain 2019 and 2020 returns due to the pandemic; $1.2 billion in penalties being refunded to 1.6 million taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service

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