What sets Monotelo Advisors apart is our unique focus on planning ahead to reduce your tax burden every year. Let us help you plan for retirement. Planning for retirement can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be when you have a step-by-step process in place to guide you. Schedule An Appointment and get started Want to get started or learn more? Schedule a meeting, over the phone, Zoom or in person. Schedule an Appointment Learn More What We Offer Values-Based Retirement planning When your values are clear, your decisions are easy. That’s why your financial plan needs to start with your values, continue with your life goals, and wrap up with a clearly-defined road map to get you there. Explore how our planning process will provide you with a road map to having all your financial decisions in perfect alignment with your most deeply held values and life goals, by scheduling a no-obligation introductory call. Get Started what we offer Bring Alignment to All Your Financial Decisions When your values are clear, your decisions are easy. Peace of mind begins when you have clarity about your values and goals. Peace of minds arrives when there is complete alignment between your values, your goals, and all your financial decisions. Reduce your lifetime tax liability Health care and taxes are two of the largest expenditures for retirees. You have little control over one, but enormous control over the other. Our planning process will help you reduce your lifetime tax liability so your money is freed up to allocate in ways that bring you the most joy and fulfillment in retirement. Increase the productivity of your assets Having a partner who can come alongside you to help you maximize the productivity of your assets and navigate the changing phases of retirement can empower you to live your best life possible and leave a meaningful legacy to the people and organizations you care about. Peace of mind up to and through retirement Having a comprehensive financial plan in place brings you confidence that all the pieces of the puzzle are working together for your best life possible. Once your personal retirement plan is complete, we will walk with you to implement and monitor your plan. How We Help Get Started Schedule a Meeting and Prepare Your Financial Documents Schedule a meeting for a day and time that work for you. Prepare to spend 90 minutes with us and bring all your financial information to that meeting, including your tax returns, investment statements, mortgage information etc. Your Financial Road Map Meeting The road map process begins with the initial meeting. In this meeting we will help you will identify your most deeply held values and life goals. We spend the time necessary to discover the things that matter most to you so we can bring perfect alignment between your most deeply held values, your life goals and the all your financial decisions. The Plan A comprehensive financial plan is so much more than a risk tolerance survey and an asset allocation model. You plan will start with your values and your goals, and it will be designed to maximize the productivity of your assets so you can live your best life possible and leave the legacy you want to leave to the loved ones and organizations you care about. Relax and Enjoy Peace of Mind After the discovery and values-based planning process is complete, our team of advisors will come alongside you to help you navigate the changing face of retirement. From the savings and accumulation phase, to the distribution and lifestyle phase, to the health care needs and legacy phase, we will monitor your plan to keep up with your changing needs. How The Process Works Get Started Helpful retirement tips and articles. Long-Term Tax Planning: Proven Methods to Minimize Your Lifetime Tax Liability This marks the final week of our tax planning series, where we'll bring together the key concepts covered over the past few weeks. For... The Mega Backdoor Roth: A Powerful Retirement Strategy The Mega Backdoor Roth has become an increasingly popular strategy for individuals looking to supercharge their retirement savings,... IRA vs. Roth IRA: Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Contributions and Conversions This is week five of our 7-week series. If you wish to read our previous articles, you can chose them from the list below: Tax Planning:... View More More services from Monotelo Small Business Tax Services We will help you minimize your short-term and lifetime tax liability to free up the cashflow needed to help you grow your business and build for your future. Learn more Year-End T ax Filing Services We will help you minimize your taxable income by capturing the deductions and credits available to maximize your refund. Learn more

SMALL BUSINESS TIPS Deduct Your Medical Expenses by Hiring Your Spouse Deducting 100% of Your Business Meals New Provisions for the Paycheck Protection Program Pandemic Provision for Tax-Free Payments to Your Employees How to Get Forgiveness of Your Paycheck Protection Loan Tax Impact of the Paycheck Protection Program Economic Relief From The Small Business Administration Deducting Your Business Travel Five Year-End Business Deductions Avoid Taxes On Your Reimbursed Employee Expenses How Will Your Real-Estate Sale Be Taxed? Putting Your Self-Employment Income Away for Retirement Deducting the Business Use of Your Vehicle How to Deduct Your Vacation Travel as a Business Expense Staying Out of the "Danger Zone" of the New Small-Business Deduction New Deduction for Pass-Through Businesses Unlocking the Missed Deductions of a Home Office Avoid the Headaches and Penalties Associated with 1099 Reporting Providing Healthcare Coverage to Your Employees What is the Best Business Structure for You? Are You Protecting Yourself From Your Corporate Income?

Audit triggers to be aware of on your 2018 tax return. 1 2 How likely are you to be selected for an audit? In 2017, the IRS audited just 0.60% of individual tax returns. Most of these returns were filed by mail as opposed to electronically, thus lowering the risk for a typical return to be reviewed for an audit. With that said, there are specific factors that increase the likelihood that your tax return falls into the small percent that receives additional attention from the IRS. One factor that the IRS looks at when deciding who to audit is income. As your income increases so does the chance that the IRS will select your return for further examination. You are also at greater risk of an audit if you operate a small business and report your income on Schedule C. In 2017 taxpayers who filed a Schedule C were twice as likely to be audited than those who did not. We have identified 10 factors that can lead to unwanted attention from the IRS on your 2018 tax return. Some of these red flags can be avoided by filing a complete and accurate return, while others simply require proper record keeping to quickly shutdown any IRS inquiries. 1. Failing to report all taxable income. The IRS receives a copy of all of your W2's and 1099's each year. One of the quickest ways to get their attention is to fail to report some of this income. 2. Deducting "hobby" losses. The IRS is wary of taxpayers who take up a hobby and then report it as a business to deduct their expenses. If your business shows losses multiple years in a row the IRS will begin to question if you are actually operating a business or merely deducting your hobby expenses. 3. Large charitable donations. The IRS knows how much the average taxpayer with your income gives to charity. If you make large charitable donations every year it is important to keep records of those donations. 4. Claiming rental property losses. It is not uncommon for a rental property to show a loss on your tax return. In order to deduct these losses on your return you need to "actively participate" in the rental activity. This is not a difficult threshold to meet, it simply requires that you are involved in making management decisions for the property. But if you show large losses, or if you have significant income from other sources the IRS may question if you are actively involved in the rental property. Keeping records of any meetings for, or trips to, the property can help demonstrate your participation. 5. Taking an Alimony Deduction. Alimony payments can be a significant financial burden, so you want to make sure you are able to offset that cost by deducting your payments from your taxable income. Large deductions for alimony payments can catch the IRS' attention, particularly when the payer claims a deduction but the recipient does not report the income. Before taking a deduction for alimony, be sure that your divorce agreement clearly identifies the payments as alimony or spousal maintenance. Child support payments are not deductible. 6. Failing to report your Health Premium Credit. If your health insurance is provided through the marketplace, you may be receiving subsidies from the government to lower your monthly premium payments. If this is the case you are required to reconcile those subsidies at the end of the year on your tax return by reporting the amounts listed on your form 1095-A. If you do not report the credits received the IRS will reject your return and request that you correct the omission. 7. Taking an early withdrawal from an IRA or 401(k). When you take a withdrawal from an IRA or 401(k) before age 59 1/2 you typically pay a 10% penalty for taking those funds early. There are a number of exceptions that allow you to avoid paying that penalty, such as when using the funds for medical or education expenses. A large number of taxpayers incorrectly claim one of these exceptions when they do not actually qualify. As a result of this taxpayers who claim one of these exceptions on their returns face extra scrutiny from the IRS. If you claim one of these exceptions be sure to keep documentation showing that the funds were used for a qualified purpose. 8. Claiming large gambling losses. If you win the lottery or have a good day at the casino you are required to report your winnings on your tax return. The IRS allows you to offset some of the tax liability of that income by deducting your gambling losses, up to the amount of your winnings. If those losses are too high the IRS may challenge the amount you claim on your return. To prevent the loss of your deduction be sure to get a statement from the casino showing your total losses or keep track of your lottery ticket purchases. 9. Deducting business meals or travel. If you operate a small business and file a Schedule C then the IRS will pay special attention to your deductions for business meals or travel. If these expenses seem large relative to your industry or revenue, the IRS could mark your return for an audit. The key to protecting your deductions is to properly document the business purpose of each meeting or trip, and keep receipts for any expenses over $75. 10. Claiming 100% business use of a vehicle. If you deduct the full purchase price of your vehicle as a business expense and you do not have a second vehicle available for personal use you are putting yourself at extra risk for an audit. To secure your deduction you should keep accurate mileage logs to demonstrate the business use of your vehicle. Summary The chances of an IRS audit are small, but various factors can increase the likelihood that your return is selected for review. While you can eliminate some of these factors by filing a complete and accurate return, you can never be sure that your return will not be audited. Understanding the necessary record keeping requirements can make a large difference in the outcome of an audit should you face one. Read more articles WHAT TRIGGERS THE IRS 10 Red Flags that Could Signal an Audit Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

Three Pricing Options To provide our small-business clients with flexibility in how they work with us, we offer three different pricing options for our services. 1. Additional rental properties will be charged at $50/property 2. Processing of monthly payroll includes Federal 941 Quarterly Payroll Filing State Quarterly Payroll Filing Year-End 940 Payroll Filing W2 Issuance to Employees 1099 Issuance to Independent Contractors 3. Our Tax Savings Manual includes strategies to lower your federal tax bill. Historically we have found that we can save small-business owners between $5,000 and $12,000 per year. 4. Two conference calls throughout the year to discuss: Estimated Payments P&L Discussion Adjustments to Officer Compensation Misc. Business and Accounting Issues 5. Requires a three year agreement.

Charitable giving increases at the end of the year. If you are making donations keep these guidelines in mind to get your full tax benefit. Making The Most Of Your Charitable Donations As we approach the holidays you are most likely busy planning visits to family or getting ready for your holiday shopping. You are also likely planning to give some of your money or property to charity. Many charitable organizations report that they receive a majority of their donations in the last three months of the year. With this in mind, we want to share with you some simple guidelines to be aware of to make sure that you are properly rewarded for your generosity come tax season. There are two different types of donations that you can deduct on your tax return, donations made with cash, and donations made with non-cash items such as clothing, furniture, or food. DONATIONS MADE BY CASH Once you have determined that the organization you have chosen meets the five basic guidelines, you need to make sure that you have proof of your donation. This can be accomplished with one of the following: A receipt or other written document from the organization, showing the name of the organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution A cancelled check or credit card receipt that shows the name of the organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution. Keep in mind that you can also donate to most governments within the United States, if you ever feel inclined to pay more in taxes. (In which case we may not be the firm for you) NONCASH DONATIONS Noncash donations typically involve dropping off outgrown clothes or unwanted furniture at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. The guidelines for determining if noncash donations to an organization are the same as the guidelines for cash donations. To determine the amount of a deduction you can claim for your noncash donations you need to know the Fair Market Value of the items. The Fair Market Value is the amount you could reasonably expect to receive if you sold the item instead of donating it. If you need help determining the value of your items, you can use Goodwill's Valuation Guide . When you make a donation to Goodwill or a similar charity, you should make sure you receive a receipt and keep a record of the items that you donate. This will ensure that you can take the tax deduction to which you are entitled. FIVE BASIC GUIDELINES to keep in mind when determining which donations are deductible: 1. Donations must be made to a corporation, trust, community chest, fund, or foundation. This means that donations to an individual, or a group of individuals is not deductible. For example, donating to a group of doctors who are going to the Philippines to provide medical care is not deductible, but donating to an organization that will send doctors to the Philippines is deductible. 2. The organization must be created or organized in the United States. The organization can still operate overseas, as long as it is based domestically. 3. It must operate for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or education purposes, for the promotion of amateur sports, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. 4. It must not operate for the profit of a private shareholder or individual 5.It must not engage in political lobbying Through the internet, it is easier than ever to give money to those in need. Most charitable organizations now have a website where you can donate online. This surge in online donations has led many to donate smaller amounts to various organizations, rather than one large donation to a specific organization. While this provides donors the freedom to give to the cause they most believe in, it has also blurred the lines between what is a tax-deductible donation, and what is not. To help determine which donations are deductible, see the center box. Read more articles Failing to order your affairs to minimize your tax burden could cost you significant money - so don't wait to take action. If you have additional questions or need some planning help, please reach out to us.

WHITE PAPER INTRODUCTION Our 1-2-3 case involves a husband and wife client of ours who received an unpleasant surprise when they filed their 2017 tax return. The husband and wife are both public servants, between them they are earning $225K per year. On top of this they received another $40K in interest and trust income during 2017. Anticipating a large tax bill, they decided to purchase a rental property and use the expenses they incurred to offset some of their taxable income and reduce their tax bill. During the year they spent $40K on the property. Based on advice they received from coworkers as well as another accountant they consulted, they believed they would be able to deduct this entire $40K on their 2017 tax return. THE CHALLENGE Unfortunately, when they came to us we had to tell them that not only could they not deduct the full amount, they would not be able to deduct any of their expenses on their current year return. There were 3 reasons they could not deduct the $40K they had been led to believe they would be: Cap on Losses from Rental Properties. What this couple was not aware of when they decided to purchase this rental property to write off the expenses, is the $25K limit on rental property losses that can be deducted per year. This means that at least $15K of the $40K they spent would need to be carried forward to a future year. The only exception to this limit would be if one of them qualified as a real estate professional, which they do not as this property is the only activity they have in the real estate field. Capital Expenditures. A large portion of the $40K came from improvements to the property preparing it for rent. These expenses cannot be deducted in the year they are paid but must be capitalized and depreciated over the useful life of the property, in the case of a residential rental property 27.5 years. Income Limit on Passive Losses. The final nail in the coffin for this couple’s rental loss deduction is they failed to realize there is a phase-out threshold for passive losses. Once a married couple, filing a joint return, have adjusted gross income above $150,000 they cannot take a loss for passive activities. Instead those losses are carried forward to future years until their income drops below the phase-out threshold. THE SOLUTION This couple was understandably not happy when we informed them that they would not be able to deduct any of the expenses they had incurred on the property on their 2017 tax return. They explained to us that one of the primary drives behind their purchase of the property was the tax break they expected to receive. Had they consulted with us during the year before making this purchase we could have warned them they would not be able to realize any tax breaks in the short term from the property and could have provided them with some alternative methods to reduce their tax burden for the year. By maxing out their respective deferred compensation accounts they could have reduced their taxable income by $16,000. Contributing to a Health Savings Account could have further reduced their taxable income by $7000. By failing to consult with us before making this decision they missed 3 red flags that show they would not be able to reduce their taxable income by purchasing this property. To avoid missing your own red flags be sure to seek counsel from Monotelo Advisors before making major investment decisions. Save as PDF View More White Papers

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SMALL BUSINESS TIPS DEDUCT YOUR MEDICAL EXPENSES BY HIRING YOUR SPOUSE What Business Types Qualify? This option is available to you if you operate your business as one of the following: A sole proprietorship A partnership (provided your spouse is not a partner in the business) An LLC taxed as a sole proprietorship or partnership A real estate rental business A farm business If your business is organized as an S-Corporation than this option will not be available to you. While insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses can be deducted as itemized deductions , the limitations placed on those deductions make it difficult to realize any actual benefit. However, if you operate your own business, you may be able to get around these limitations by hiring your spouse and paying them through tax-free fringe benefits, including reimbursing them for medical expenses and insurance premiums. How Does This Work? Hire Your Spouse: Your spouse needs to be operating as a real employee for the business, performing services at your direction that benefit the business. Your spouse should not be a co-owner of the business and should not have any title in the business assets or control over the business bank account. To substantiate their role as an employee your spouse should keep a timesheet to document the hours that they worked and the tasks that they completed. Don’t Pay Cash Wages: If you pay your spouse cash wages for working in your business you are simply moving money around without creating any tax savings. In fact, you are likely increasing your tax burden by converting qualified business income to non-qualified wage income. Instead of paying them cash wages you can compensate them through tax-free employee benefits which can provide you with a sizeable tax break and avoid the need to file payroll tax returns. Establish a Medical Reimbursement Arrangement: A medical reimbursement arrangement allows you to compensate your spouse for their work by reimbursing out-of-pocket medical expenses and health insurance premiums. This provides the business with tax-deductible compensation expenses and tax-free income to your spouse. If your spouse is your only employee, you can easily establish a 105-HRA plan to reimburse them for their medical expenses by signing an agreement between yourself and your spouse. If you have additional employees you will need to establish an ICHRA plan, which has additional requirements. If you have multiple employees and want to establish a medical reimbursement arrangement, please reach out to us for more guidance. To qualify the insurance premiums for reimbursement your spouse should purchase a health insurance plan in their name that covers the entire family (including you). Then you, as the employer, reimburse your spouse for the premiums. The reimbursement arrangement can also be used to reimburse your spouse for any out-of-pocket expenses that the insurance doesn’t cover, including deductibles, copays, and prescriptions for your entire family. Pay a Reasonable Amount: To make sure the employee benefits you pay your spouse can withstand IRS scrutiny, make sure that the amount they are compensated is reasonable for the work that they are performing. A good rule of thumb is not to compensate your spouse more than you would compensate someone else for those same services. Consider Other Fringe Benefits: While health insurance and medical expenses are typically the largest items you can provide to your spouse as employee benefits, there are other benefits that you may also be able to provide: Education. You can reimburse your spouse for job-related education expenses Life Insurance. You can provide your employees with up to $50,000 in group term life insurance coverage Working Condition Fringe Benefits. You can reimburse your spouse employee for expenses that help them do their job. For example, you can reimburse the cost of a cell phone they use for work and they are not required to track how much of their phone use is for business. Summary Hiring your spouse to work for your business can provide some meaningful tax benefits by allowing you to deduct personal expenses that otherwise would not be deductible. To qualify for these deductions, you need to follow some simple guidelines: make sure your spouse is operating as your bona fide employee establish a formal medical reimbursement arrangement compensate fairly for the services provided If you would like assistance establishing a medical reimbursement plan for your spouse or other employees, please give us a call.

No events at the moment 2020 Strategies for a Lifetime of Tax Savings Join us as we share a clear durable plan of action that cohesively addresses each area of your financial life to: Maximize the productivity of your assets and improve your retirement income stream Minimize the drag from your long-term tax liabilities Potential for over $350,000 in lifetime savings on a $500K retirement portfolio Potential for over $2M in lifetimes savings on a $5M retirement portfolio Minimize the risk of rising tax rates in retirement Address the risk of low interest rates and stock market corrections in retirement Synchronize your values with your charitable giving desires and your legacy goals Provide a quiet confidence that your financial affairs are arranged to meet your long-term goals Help you live the life you want to life