Small Employers Rejoice - IRS Simplifies Filings
On of the largest burden on very small employers is dealing with
taxes. Fortunately, the IRS has taken a major step to reduce
this burden.
Quarterly Federal Tax Returns - Not!
There are millions of small businesses that labor under the
burden of filing federal tax returns each quarter of the
calendar year. These quarterly returns have been a major gripe
of business owners who often feel they see their CPAs more than
their families. The IRS is finally listening. Well, sort of.
Beginning January 1, 2006, the quarterly federal tax return will
go the way of the dodo bird for some small businesses. Instead
of being required to file every three months, these small
business will be allowed to just file an annual federal tax
return with the IRS.
When it comes to taxes and the IRS, there is always a catch. So,
what is it in this situation? The annual tax return procedure
will only be available to very small businesses, often just sole
proprietorships.
Under the new regulations, small businesses will only be
eligible for the annual filing if their estimated annual
employment tax is $1,000 or lower. Put another way, this equates
to paying roughly $4,000 in wages in a calendar year. That is a
significant catch.
Ostensibly, this new annual tax return procedure is designed to
help mom and pop businesses or businesses that are barely
running. Depending on the specifics of the regulations, however,
a significant loophole may let a lot more people through the
door. The IRS, for instance, categorizes a single member LLC as
a sole proprietorship. As a result, the LLC doesn't technically
pay employment taxes. Instead, the member can simply draw money
from the business and then report it on his or her personal
taxes.
To find out if you qualify for the annual return option, just
sit and wait. The IRS is going to send out notices to qualifying
small businesses during the first two weeks of February 2006. If
you don't receive one, you can contact your CPA to see if there
are any options for your business.