Day: April 1, 2020

Focused Almost Exclusively on Mitigating the Health and Economic Impact of the Coronavirus

3 min read

HR 6074, HR 6201, HR 4998, S 3548Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (HR 6074) – Introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), this was the first bill passed to authorize funding in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. It was introduced on March 4 and signed into law on March 6. The legislation provides $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. It includes appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Department and the Small Business Administration for the development, manufacture and procurement of vaccines and other medical supplies; grants for state, local and tribal public health agencies and organizations; loans for affected small businesses; evacuations and emergency preparedness activities at U.S. embassies and other State Department facilities; and humanitarian assistance and support for health systems in affected countries.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) – Introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) on March 11, this bill authorizes funding and support for Americans suffering from the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, the legislation includes allocations for: 1.) $500 million to provide access to nutritious foods for low-income pregnant women or mothers with young children who lose their jobs or are laid off due to the COVID-19 emergency; 2.) $400 million to assist local food banks to meet increased demand for low-income Americans during the emergency; 3.) approve state plans to provide emergency food assistance to households with children who would otherwise receive free or reduced-price meals at school; 4.) $100 million for nutrition assistance grants to Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; 5.) $82 million to cover the costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing for beneficiaries receiving care through the Defense Health Program; 6.) $15 million for the IRS to implement tax credits for paid sick and paid family and medical leave; 7.) $64 million for the Indian Health Service to cover the costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing; 8.) $250 million for the Senior Nutrition program to provide additional home-delivered and pre-packaged meals to low-income seniors; 9.) $1 billion to reimburse the costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing and services provided to individuals without health insurance; 10.) $60 million to cover the costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing for veterans. The Act also includes provisions to enhance unemployment insurance and increase federal Medicaid funding. This legislation passed in both the House and Senate and was signed by the president on March 18.

Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (HR 4998) – This legislation prohibits the federal government from obtaining communications equipment or services from a company that poses a national security risk, such as from the Chinese company Huawei Technologies. The bill also establishes a reimbursement program to supply small communications providers with funds to replace this type of prohibited equipment or services from their networks with more secure options. The Act was introduced on Nov. 8, 2019, by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr (D-NJ) and signed into law by the president on March 12.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (S 3548) – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced this legislation on March 19. The bill is designed to address the economic impact of the coronavirus by providing direct cash payments to Americans, loan guarantees for impacted businesses and more resources for testing and development of vaccines. The current version of the bill includes: 1.) a substantial boost in unemployment insurance benefits (expanded eligibility and an additional $600 a week for four months); 2.) $367 billion loan program for small businesses; 3,) $150 billion for state and local stimulus funds; 4.) $130 billion for hospitals; 5.) $500 billion lending fund for large employers – subject to independent oversight with exclusions for members of Congress and the executive branch. The bill is expected to pass in both houses and be signed by the president.

New to Remote Working? Here are Some Tips for Staying Productive

4 min read

Remote Working, Work From Home, RDP WorkThe COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rise in remote working. Even organizations that have always been against it have their employees working from home. With some areas experiencing complete lockdowns, this means you find yourself in an unfamiliar work environment.

Remote working means that you have to work outside a traditional office environment. Although some people already have experience working remotely, there are a good number of workers who might have a hard time getting anything done from home. This is particularly true for those  with a family that includes young children.

But with the current epidemic, many don’t have much choice other than to agree with the concept that work doesn’t have to be done in a specific place to be performed successfully. Your employer may have already set a work-at-home policy, but how do you ensure you are productive? Here are a few tips to help you retain your employment.

Create a Workspace

If you don’t already have a home office, then it’s time to be resourceful and create a workspace. Unfortunately, since this is unplanned, you might not have an ergonomically friendly work area. This means you could hurt yourself while working; for example, sitting too long in an uncomfortable position. But think outside the box and utilize what you have, such as using pillows to create a comfortable posture. Also, ensure you take frequent breaks.

Don’t forget to choose a space with minimal distractions.

Establish a Routine and Stick to It

The fact that you no longer have to wake up early to get to the office might tempt you to sleep more. It is important to have a work mindset. To achieve a sense of normalcy that you were used to in the office, you need to plan a schedule for your work hours and stick to it. Failure to create a work routine may find you wasting work hours.

Remember, if you live with family or friends, let them know your work hours and have them respect that.

Be Flexible

It’s important that you be flexible, especially if you have kids in the house. This makes it hard to work a 9 to 5 job. A lockdown means you probably do not have someone to come over and help with chores or childcare. The way out is to experiment with different plans. Try working late at night, early in the morning or when your children take a nap.

Use Time Management Apps

Your employer already set goals and roles for you. But achieving them while working at home is challenging. Use time management apps to track the amount spent working on tasks. Such apps, whether web or mobile-based, can help minimize distractions.

Avoid Social Media

There is so much information on the coronavirus pandemic and there is a need to stay updated. But this can turn out to be a distraction that causes you to miss out on work time. Set a time to check such updates and stick to it.

Informal Communication Groups

Apart from official online meetings or discussions, it’s good to keep in touch with colleagues. If your company did not set up such meetings, then you should. There are many communication tools available today that you can use. Keep in mind, isolation can lead to depression, especially if you live alone and are used to an active social life.

Work-Life Balance

Don’t spend all of your day working. Set daily tasks and stick with them. Set a time to exercise; it’s good for productivity and helps you avoid getting sore, which will generally affect your health. Log off from your work and do a different activity.

Use Secure Connections

Cybercriminals are now more likely to target remote workers. There are already reported cases of coronavirus ransomware and malware. This not only affects your work but can put your company at risk. Ensure that you use a secure wifi and virtual private network (VPN). Most importantly, don’t ignore your company’s security policies just because you are working from home.

Final Thoughts

There is a lot of debate surrounding remote working. Employers may see the benefit of remote working and adopt it more. Whether this will be the case, only time will tell. But we should brace for unexpected changes in the workplace when things finally get back to normal.

The most important thing right now is to keep in mind that your productivity will depend on your self-discipline, time-management skills, technology skills (to use new apps) and adaptability. 

6 Financial Tips for an Emergency

4 min read

6 Financial Tips for an EmergencyThe effect of the coronavirus on our lives is unprecedented. While we’re all sheltering in place while trying to manage our daily tasks, it’s undoubtedly taking a toll on us mentally, physically and financially. Here are some tips to help you weather this storm of economic uncertainty.

Get Started on Being Liquid

Experts suggest having three to six months of savings on hand. However, this might not be realistic for some. Don’t despair: start saving now. If your employer pays you via direct deposit, ask if they’ll deposit a percentage into your savings. If that’s not an option, have your bank withdraw a portion and deposit into your savings on payday. This way, putting aside money for a crisis will be part of your routine. Further, a good rule of thumb is to budget 50 percent of your income to essentials like housing and utilities, 30 percent toward non-essentials and 20 percent toward financial goals like savings and paying down debt. You can do this!

Analyze Your Expenses

Perhaps setting aside a small amount of money just won’t work for you. Mariel Beasley, co-founder of the Common Cents Lab at Duke University, an organization that aims to improve the financial well-being of low- to moderate-income Americans, suggests taking a hard look at your expenses.

  1. See if you can downgrade. For instance, consider getting a cheaper phone, cable or internet plan.
  2. Set up a restrictive budget. When it comes to discretionary spending, think about using a pre-paid card. You can reload this weekly. If seeing the green stuff actually leave your wallet helps you cut back, then a cash-only system might be a good solution.
  3. Try to find extra work. While this situation is causing furloughs in some industries, it might create jobs in others. For instance, Amazon is said to have hired 100,000 new employees. Research other companies that specialize in deliveries. Since everyone is homebound, this could pan out well — if you like this kind of work. If you do, remember your hand sanitizer, gloves and mask. If you don’t, scour the job boards in your area. You might be surprised at what you find.

Solutions for People Over 59

There is an upside to aging: you can make withdrawals from your IRA or 401(k) if things get really rough. However, Beasley suggests that you withdraw funds in small amounts. If you’re under 59 and really have no other alternative, you can withdraw from your retirement. But know that there will be penalties and taxes. However, in times like this, sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

Avoid High-Cost Credit Cards

While these modern conveniences can be lifesavers, the downside is high-interest rates. Apply for cards with lower rates; or even better, find those that offer balance transfers at zero percent for a limited time.

Disregard the Goal

Many financial experts say: keep your eyes on the prize – build your nest egg. But if you’re just getting started, it might feel overwhelming. Or, if you’re in the midst of a world crisis like we are now, it can feel doubly overwhelming. Instead, focus on saving a little at a time. Baby steps. Even having a small amount of money set aside can help in times of need, like buying groceries during a quarantine.

Ask for Help

If you’re really feeling the pinch, reach out to your landlord, mortgage lender, utility provider, credit card companies or anyone else you owe. In Seattle, the public utility companies are promising they won’t shut off services during this pandemic. The same might be true for your community. But the point here is this: make the call. Send the email. Propose a payment plan. It’s reasonable to assume that most people have a heart and don’t enjoy adding financial stress to the already difficult situation we’re in.

If you can’t apply any of these tips your present circumstances, don’t worry. Be well and stay safe. Perhaps when this passes, you might look back at these ideas and see which works best for you. Remember, we’re all in this together.

Sources

https://abc13.com/finance/financial-tips-to-help-you-through-a-pandemic-or-other-crisis/6021876/

The Economic Impact of Coronavirus

4 min read

The Economic Impact of CoronavirusIn the days ahead, the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be described in economic terms as a Black Swan. This phrase is used to describe an event that: 1) was unpredictable; 2) causes severe and widespread consequences; and 3) in hindsight was determined to be wholly predictable.

What will be interesting going forward is how much the virus, and its impact on the economy and financial markets, ultimately affects individual portfolios. It’s worth noting that many economists spent the whole of 2019 cautioning that a recession and market correction was imminent. To what extent investors took heed and repositioned their portfolios is yet to be seen.

As predicted, the Federal Reserve might have already exhausted the tools it had available to prevent a further watershed in the markets. Initially, the central bank dropped the federal funds rate to zero and funneled money into the economy. In more recent weeks, its monetary policies have included aggressive purchasing of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities, extending swap lines to foreign central banks, and propping up short-term corporate borrowing and money market mutual funds to help support lending to state and local governments. At first, these efforts appeared to do little to diminish the stock market slide, but the end of March saw a three-day rally with the Dow Jones Industrial Average seeing its biggest three-day jump since 1931.

On the fiscal policy side, Congress is rushing to pass monetary aid as well as stimulus and recovery funds for both individuals and businesses. However, these actions can do little to stop an airborne virus that continues to shutter jobs and businesses and threaten the viability of the country’s health care system and everyday life as we know it.

Portfolio Considerations

When it comes to your own financial risk, let’s look at first things first. For many investors, an initial reaction might be to panic sell holdings before portfolios drop any further. Unless your timeline for needing funds has accelerated, selling now is not generally advisable. What is important to bear in mind is that markets tend to recover quickly after the most significant market declines, so if you’re not invested during the recovery, any paper losses you’re experiencing now will be permanent.

It is worth taking a good look at your holdings to get an idea of what to expect. For example, companies that rely on global supply chains and offshore manufacturing will likely experience the most detrimental short-term impact from the pandemic. This means disruptions in technology, retail, auto manufacturing, travel and tourism, global delivery and oil prices.

On the other hand, the health care industry will likely see tons more investment and demand while the so-called FAANG stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google) are poised for rampant growth – given the degree to which people are stuck at home using online and delivery services.

Bear in mind that if you make any changes to your portfolio in reaction to market volatility, take into consideration your long-term goals and financial security. The following are a few strategies to consider that could position your portfolio for subsequent growth – assuming you maintain a long-term perspective.

  • Use either spare cash, asset allocation rebalancing opportunities or automatic investment contributions to bargain shop for stocks with a strong track record that are likely to recover but are well-priced right now.
  • Now might be a good time to convert (tax-deferred) retirement account assets into a Roth IRA. By doing so now, when prices are at their lows, you’ll owe less tax at the time of the conversion – which you won’t have to pay until next year’s tax season. By that time, the market may have recovered, positioning your Roth for greater potential for tax-free growth and tax-free income during retirement.
  • Consider using a portion of your assets to pay a lump sum premium for an annuity contract in order to transfer market risk from your portfolio to an insurance company. An annuity is designed to provide insurer-guaranteed income during your retirement, so you can feel a bit better about maintaining an equity allocation during this volatile time until the rest of your portfolio recovers.

The spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus is likely to continue to drive investor uncertainty over the short term. The long term, however, is another matter. Just like the saying, “What goes up, must come down,” history has shown that when it comes to the stock market, what goes down inevitably goes back up. The question is just how long that will take. For now, this is one of those times when it’s handy to have a three-to six-month emergency cash fund available to cover expenses.

CARES Act – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

7 min read

CARES Act – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ActU.S. Government Provides Relief to Individuals, Businesses in Midst of COVID-19 Crisis

On March 27, President Donald Trump signed into law a historic $2 trillion stimulus package designed to provide economic relief to individuals and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Our aim in this alert is to give a brief overview of both the tax and non-tax provisions of the government’s new stimulus legislation, including what type of assistance is available for individuals and businesses, how to apply for it, and what to do if you become unemployed. The summary is divided into two sections, one for individuals and one for businesses.

Individual Provisions

Stimulus Payments: Amounts and Eligibility

  • Most adults will receive $1,200; each qualifying child under 16 years old will receive $500.
    • The amount you receive is based on your tax filing status and reported adjusted gross income (AGI).
      • Single filers with an AGI of $75k or less will receive the full $1,200; with a full phase-out at $99k
      • Married filers with an AGI of $150k or less will receive the full $2,400; with a full phase-out at $198k
      • Heads of households with an AGI of $112.5k or less will receive the full $1,200
  • Having qualifying children will increase the phase-out threshold slightly for all groups
  • Those claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer will not receive any stimulus money
  • Recipients need to have a legitimate Social Security number to receive payment, except for military members
  • Currently there is only one stimulus payment scheduled; however, there has been discussion of additional future payments

Proof of Income

  • If prepared, your 2019 tax return is the basis of your eligibility; if not, use your return from 2018
  • If you still have not filed for 2018, you can use a 2019 statement from the Social Security administration as proof of income to qualify

Applying for the Payment and Receipt

  • If the IRS has your bank information from prior tax filings, then you don’t need to do anything. The money will simply be direct deposited into your account based on already filed income tax information
  • Most people should expect to receive the money approximately three weeks from the bill’s passage date

Other Considerations

  • Unemployed persons are eligible to receive payments
  • You will not need to pay income tax on these payments
  • Generally, this payment is exempt from all forms of wage garnishment; however, not in all cases for child support garnishments

Unemployment Benefits: Who is Covered?

  • The bill expands eligibility for unemployment benefits, including part-time and self-employed workers
  • Self-employed persons are newly eligible for unemployment benefits and their benefit is calculated based on previous income using a formula from the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program
  • Part-time worker benefits are state dependent

Amount of the Benefit

  • Unemployment benefits still vary by state, but generally the bill aims to compensate for the average worker’s paycheck by providing extra payments to cover the gap between traditional state unemployment and actual wages
  • Eligible workers can get as much as $600 per week in addition to their state benefit; this includes self-employed and part-time workers
  • States are free to pay the whole amount at once or send the top-up portion separately

How Long Will It Last?

  • The bill provides an additional 13 weeks on top of whatever each state already provides; however, unemployment benefits cannot last more than 39 weeks total
    • Those already receiving unemployment benefits are still eligible for the 13-week benefit extension as well as the $600 weekly benefit top-up
  • The incremental $600 payment is only good for up to four months, through the end of July

Other Considerations

  • Coverage also extends to those who can’t work because they are required to self-quarantine and people unable to travel to work because of imposed quarantine restrictions
  • If the main household earner dies as result of the coronavirus, the survivor is eligible for their unemployment benefit
  • People who can work from home or are already receiving paid sick or family leave are not eligible

Student Loans

  • For six months (April 2020 to September 2020) there is an automatic suspension of student loan payments for loans held by the federal government (private loans excluded)
    • You may choose to keep paying down the principal if you desire

Retirement Account Rule Changes

  • For 2020, the minimum distribution requirements on IRAs, 401(k), 403(b) plans, etc. are suspended
    • This is not applicable to pensions
  • Up to $100k may be withdrawn early without being subject to the typical 10 percent early withdrawal penalty; and income taxes owed on withdrawals may be spread over three years from the date of distribution
    • To qualify for these exemptions, you need to prove the need was related to the COVID-19 outbreak, which includes if you, your spouse or a dependent tested positive for the virus or if you suffered adverse economic costs due to the COVID-19 crisis
  • Loan limits on workplace retirement plans (401k, etc.) are doubled, allowing participants to take loans of as much as $100k if they can prove they’ve been affected by the pandemic

Charitable Contributions

  • The bill creates a new charitable deduction of up to $300 available for those who can’t itemize their deductions for donations to qualified charities
  • The limit on charitable deductions (those that are itemized) are increased, allowing donors to deduct up to 100 percent of donations against 2020 AGI. For example, if you have $1.3 million in income, you can donate $1.3 million and deduct the entire amount
    • Only cash gifts to public charities qualify; you cannot donate stocks or gift via private foundations to be eligible

Miscellaneous Provisions: Renter’s Relief

  • The law puts a temporary 120-day nationwide stop to evictions if the landlord has a mortgage from a governmental agency, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and others. Additionally, landlords are not allowed to charge penalties for delinquencies during this period.

Business Provisions

Charitable Deductions

  • The 10 percent limitation on charitable donations is increased to 25 percent of taxable income

Qualified Property Improvements

  • Businesses will have the option to write off costs that are typically only depreciable over a 30-year period, especially businesses in the hospitality industry

Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans

  • Small businesses and non-profits that have 500 employees (full- and part-time) or fewer are eligible to receive SBA loans of up to $10 million
  • The loans may be used to cover the cost of payroll, paid leave, group health benefits, mortgage and rent payments, utilities and interest on other debts
  • No collateral or personal guarantees are required

Employee Retention Credit

  • Employers are eligible for a payroll tax credit of up to 50 percent of wages paid during the COVID-19 crisis, which is defined as March 13, 2020, through the end of the year, up to a maximum credit of $5,000 per employee
  • The credit is limited to employers whose operations have been suspended due to the virus outbreak or whose gross receipts have fallen by more than 50 percent compared to the same quarter in the prior year

Payroll Tax Deferral

  • Employers can defer their 6.2 percent portion of the FICA tax (Social Security portion only), delaying payment over two years with 50 percent due in 2021 and the other 50 percent due by 2022.

Net Operating Loss (NOL) Changes

  • The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act disallowed the carryback of NOL completely; and before this in 2018, only a two-year carryback was allowed. This bill allows a five-year carryback for losses from 2018, 2019 and 2020; and taxpayers can amend prior year’s returns as well.
  • The 80 percent limit on NOLs for these same years is removed, allowing a 100 percent reduction in taxable income.

Business Interest Expense Deductions

  • Business interest that falls under Section 163(j) gets an increased deduction limit from 30 percent to 50 percent of taxable income for 2019 and 2020.
  • 2019 taxable income can be used to calculate the interest limitation for 2020 if it’s more favorable
    • The above is not applicable to partnerships

Should You File an Amended 2018 Return?

3 min read

Amended 2018 Tax ReturnDuring the holiday season in December, Congress passed the Consolidated Budget Appropriations Act of 2020. Included in this Act was a tax package that renewed more than 24 tax provisions through what are known as extenders. An extender makes a tax provision effective retroactively. Some of the extender provisions are rather esoteric, so we’ll only focus on those most applicable to the broader taxpayer base.

Extenders in More Detail

Among the widely applicable extender provisions, there are the following. It’s best to check with your tax professional to see which of the more than two dozen extenders may apply to your personal situation.

  • Deducting PMI (private mortgage insurance) if you itemize
  • The delusionality of some types of tuition and fees
  • The ability to exclude debt forgiveness on a qualified residence

Wait, I Don’t Understand What Happened?

Most people are probably wondering at this point how they can obtain the benefit of these retroactive changes, which were not allowed when they filed their original 2018 tax return. The answer is to file an amended tax return – or Form 1040X.

Taxpayers often need to file an amended return when they receive updated or changed inputs, such as when a brokerage sends a corrected Form 1099. Unlike this situation where the basis of your filing changed due to updated information, with the extenders you’ll only want to file if it’s to your benefit.

But Do I Have to File an Amended Return?

Tax law does not actually require that a taxpayer file an amended return when learning the original return submitted did not reflect the correct amount of tax. The assumption is that it was correct the first time. Amendments are allowed, but they are not mandatory.

If you do choose to file an amended return, you have to adjust everything to reflect the tax law and any changes in the information received. You are not allowed to pick and choose only the favorable difference between the original and amended filing.

OK, But Should I File an Amended Return?

The answer to this question is probably a tax accountant’s favorite – it depends.

The most frequent worry among taxpayers is that filing an amended return will trigger an IRS audit. This fear arises from the fact that generally returns are filed and processed electronically, but all amended returns are processed by live people. The biggest risk here is to not include a full explanation of the changes in the return, including what is different, why it’s changed, and the basis for the difference.

Refund or No Refund – Does it Matter?

Another question that often perplexes taxpayers is whether they should file an amended return if doing so will not result in an additional refund. Just because your amended tax return won’t result in a check in your mailbox, there are situations where it’s still to your benefit. One example is if the amended return will increase your capital or passive loss carryforwards.

The Sands of Time

Since amended returns are processed by people and not electronically, the turn-around time is a bit longer than most returns. The IRS says amended tax returns typically take eight to 12 weeks, but it’s often longer.

Conclusion

While you might not have to file an amended return, it could be to your benefit from either the tax extenders, corrected information that arrived after your initial filing or a combination of both. Every taxpayer situation is different, so it’s best to consult us.