2023 Year-End Tax Planning for Businesses

2023 Year-End Tax Planning for Businesses

U.S. businesses are facing pressure to drive revenue, manage costs and increase shareholder value, all while surrounded by economic and political uncertainties. Disruptions to supply chains brought about by the pandemic have continued into 2023. Inflation and rising interest rates have made the cost of debt, goods and services more expensive and cooled consumer spending. The stock market continues to fluctuate and the prospect of a recession is on the rise. What’s more, the outcomes of the upcoming November U.S. Presidential election will shape future tax policies. How do businesses thrive in uncertain times? By turning toward opportunity, which includes proactive tax planning. Tax planning is essential for U.S. businesses looking for ways to optimize cash flow while minimizing their total tax liability over the long term.

 

This article provides a checklist of areas where, with proper planning, businesses may be able to reduce or defer taxes over time. Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in this article is based on enacted tax laws and policies as of the publication date and is subject to change based on future legislative or tax policy changes.

 

Deferring income

Businesses using the cash method of accounting can defer income into 2024 by delaying end-of-year invoices so that payment is not received until 2024. Businesses using the accrual method can defer income by postponing the delivery of goods or services until January 2024.

Companies that want to reduce their 2023 tax liability should consider traditional tax accounting method changes, tax elections and other actions for 2023 to defer recognizing income to a later taxable year and accelerate tax deductions to an earlier taxable year. Depending on their facts and circumstances, some businesses may instead want to accelerate taxable income into 2023 if, for example, they believe tax rates will increase in the near future or they want to optimize usage of net operating losses.

 

Purchase new business equipment 

• Bonus Depreciation. Businesses are allowed to immediately deduct 80% of the cost of eligible property such as machinery and equipment that is placed in service after December 31, 2022, and before January 1, 2024, after which it will be phased downward over a three year period: 60% in 2024, 40% in 2025, and 20% in 2026. The first-year 80% bonus depreciation deduction is available for qualifying assets even if they are placed in service for only a few days in 2023.

 

• Section 179 Expensing. Businesses should take advantage of Section 179 expensing this year whenever possible. In 2023, businesses can elect to expense (deduct immediately) the entire cost of most new equipment up to a maximum of $1.16 million of the first $2.89 million of property placed in service by December 31, 2023. Keep in mind that the Section 179 deduction cannot exceed net taxable business income. The deduction is phased out dollar for dollar on amounts exceeding the $2.89 million threshold and eliminated above amounts exceeding $4.05 million.

 

Depreciation limitations on luxury, passenger automobiles, and heavy vehicles

As a reminder, tax reform changed depreciation limits for luxury passenger vehicles placed in service after December 31, 2017. If the taxpayer doesn’t claim bonus depreciation, the maximum allowable depreciation deduction for 2023 is $12,200 for the first year. Deductions are based on a percentage of business use. A business owner whose business use of the vehicle is 100 percent can take a larger deduction than one whose business use of a car is only 50 percent. For passenger autos eligible for the additional bonus first-year depreciation, the maximum first-year depreciation allowance remains at $8,000. It applies to new and used (“new to you”) vehicles acquired and placed in service after September 27, 2017, and remains in effect for tax years through December 31, 2023. When combined with the increased depreciation allowance above, the deduction amounts to as much as $20,200 in 2023. Heavy vehicles, including pickup trucks, vans, and SUVs whose gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is more than 6,000 pounds, are treated as transportation equipment instead of passenger vehicles. As such, heavy vehicles (new or used) placed into service after December 31, 2022, and before January 1, 2024, qualify for a 80 percent first-year bonus depreciation deduction as well.

 

Repair regulations

 Where possible, end-of-year repairs and expenses should be deducted immediately, rather than capitalized and depreciated. Small businesses lacking applicable financial statements (AFS) can take advantage of de minimis safe harbor by electing to deduct smaller purchases ($2,500 or less per purchase or invoice). Businesses with audited financial statements can deduct $5,000. Small businesses with gross receipts of $10 million or less can also take advantage of safe harbor for repairs, maintenance, and improvements to eligible buildings. Please call if you would like more information on this topic.

 

Change in deducting meals

As of 2023, deductions are now back where they were prior to 2021. The majority of business meals are now 50% deductible, and most entertainment expenses are not deductible at all.

 

Change in Deducting R&D Expenses

R&D expenses must now be amortized over 5 years (domestic), or 15 years (foreign), beginning with tax years starting after December 31, 2021. Prior to this, R&D expenses could be deducted or amortized over time.

 

Qualified business income deduction

Many business taxpayers – including owners of businesses operated through sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations, as well as trusts and estates, may be eligible for the qualified business income deduction. This deduction is worth up to 20 percent of qualified business income (QBI) from a qualified trade or business for tax years 2018 through 2025. Limitations based on taxable income levels could apply. The QBI is complex, and tax planning strategies can directly affect the amount of deduction, i.e., increase or reduce the dollar amount. As such, it is important to speak with a tax professional before year’s end to determine the best way to maximize the deduction.

 

Dividend planning

Reduce accumulated corporate profits and earnings by issuing corporate dividends to shareholders.

 

Write-off bad debts and worthless stock

While the economy attempts to recover from the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and rising interest rates,  businesses should evaluate whether losses may be claimed on their 2023 returns related to worthless assets such as receivables, property, 80% owned subsidiaries or other investments.

 

• Business bad debts can be wholly or partially written off for tax purposes. A partial write-off requires a conforming reduction of the debt on the books of the taxpayer; a complete write-off requires demonstration that the debt is wholly uncollectible as of the end of the year.

 

• Losses related to worthless, damaged or abandoned property can sometimes generate ordinary losses for specific assets.

 

• Businesses should consider claiming losses for investments in insolvent subsidiaries that are at least 80% owned and for certain investments in insolvent entities taxed as partnerships.

 

Maximize interest expense deductions

 The TCJA significantly expanded Section 163(j) to impose a limitation on business interest expense of many taxpayers, with exceptions for small businesses (those with three-year average annual gross receipts not exceeding $29 million for 2023), electing real property trades or businesses, electing farming businesses and certain utilities.

 

• The deduction limit is based on 30% of adjusted taxable income. The amount of interest expense that exceeds the limitation is carried over indefinitely.

 

• Beginning with 2022 taxable years, taxpayers will no longer be permitted to add back deductions for depreciation, amortization and depletion in arriving at adjusted taxable income (the principal component of the limitation).

 

Maximize tax benefits of NOLs

Net operating losses (NOLs) are valuable assets that can reduce taxes owed during profitable years, thus generating a positive cash flow impact for taxpayers. Businesses should make sure they maximize the tax benefits of their NOLs.

 

For tax years beginning after 2020, NOL carryovers from tax years beginning after 2017 are limited to 80% of the excess of the corporation’s taxable income over the corporation’s NOL carryovers from tax years beginning before 2018 (which are not subject to this 80% limitation, but may be carried forward only 20 years). If the corporation does not have pre-2018 NOL carryovers, but does have post-2017 NOLs, the corporation’s NOL deduction can only negate up to 80% of the 2023 taxable income with the remaining subject to the 21% federal corporate income tax rate. Corporations should monitor their taxable income and submit appropriate quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties.

 

Claim available tax credits

The U.S. offers a variety of tax credits and other incentives to encourage employment and investment, often in targeted industries or areas such as innovation and technology, renewable energy and low-income or distressed communities. Many states and localities also offer tax incentives. Businesses should make sure they are claiming all available tax credits.

 

• The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a refundable payroll tax credit for qualifying employers that were significantly impacted by COVID-19 in 2020 or 2021. For most employers, the compensation eligible for the credit had to be paid prior to October 1, 2021. However, the deadline for claiming the credit does not expire until the statute of limitations closes on Form 941. Therefore, employers generally have three years to claim the ERC for eligible quarters during 2020 and 2021 by filing an amended Form 941-X for the relevant quarter. Employers that received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan can claim the ERC but the same wages cannot be used for both programs.

 

In response to mounting concerns over a surge in improper claims for the ERC, on September 14, 2023, the IRS announced an immediate moratorium on processing new claims for the pandemic-era relief program. The moratorium, effective until at least the end of 2023, aims to protect businesses from scams and predatory tactics. While the IRS continues to process previously filed ERC claims received before the moratorium, the agency warns that increased fraud concerns will result in longer processing times.

 

However, the pause on processing new claims does not modify the statute of limitations that expires on April 15, 2024, for wages paid in 2020. Therefore, an employer considering a new request for a legitimate ERC claim should proceed after carefully reviewing Information Releases 2023-169 and 2023-170, which the IRS released on September 14, 2023. For employers who would like to make a change to a pending claim that has not been processed or paid, the IRS is expected to issue guidance in the near future.

 

• Businesses that incur expenses related to qualified research and development (R&D) activities are eligible for the federal R&D credit.

 

The IRS on September 15, 2023, released a preview of proposed changes to Form 6765, Credit for Increasing Research Activities, which taxpayers use to claim the research credit. The proposed changes, likely to become effective at the beginning of the 2024 tax year, include a new Section E with five questions seeking miscellaneous information and a new Section F for reporting quantitative and qualitative information for each business component, required under Section 41 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

The IRS has also requested feedback on whether Section F should be optional for some taxpayers, including those with qualified research expenditures that are less than a specific dollar amount at a controlled group level; with a research credit that is less than a specific dollar amount at a controlled group level; or that are Qualified Small Businesses for payroll tax credit purposes.

 

It is important to note that if Section F were made optional for certain taxpayers, it would not exempt them from the requirement to maintain books and records or provide Section F information in a similar format, if requested; and it would not apply to amended returns for the research credit.

 

• Taxpayers that reinvest capital gains in Qualified Opportunity Zones may be able to temporarily defer the federal tax due on the capital gains. The investment must be made within a certain period after the disposition giving rise to the gain. Post-reinvestment appreciation is exempt from tax if the investment is held for at least 10 years but sold by December 31, 2047.

 

• Other incentives for employers include the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the Federal Empowerment Zone Credit, and credits for paid family and medical leave (FMLA).

 

• There are several federal tax benefits available for investments to promote energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) extends and enhances certain green energy credits as well as introduces a variety of new incentives. Projects that have historically been eligible for tax credits and that have been placed in service in 2023 may be eligible for credits at higher amounts. Certain other projects may be eligible for tax credits beginning in 2023. The IRA also introduces prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements in the determination of certain credit amounts, as well as direct pay or transferability tax credit monetization options beginning with projects placed in service in 2023.

 

• Under the CHIPS Act, taxpayers that invest in semiconductor manufacturing or the manufacture of certain equipment required in the semiconductor manufacturing process may be entitled to a 25% advanced manufacturing investment credit beginning in 2023. The credit generally applies to qualified property placed in service after December 31, 2022 and for which construction begins before January 1, 2027.

 

Partnerships and S corporations

Partnerships, S corporations and their owners may want to consider the following tax planning opportunities:

 

• Taxpayers with unused passive activity losses attributable to partnership or S corporation interests may want to consider disposing of the interest to utilize the loss in 2023.

 

• Taxpayers other than corporations may be entitled to a deduction of up to 20% of their qualified business income (within certain limitations based on the taxpayer’s taxable income, whether the taxpayer is engaged in a service-type trade or business, the amount of W-2 wages paid by the business and the unadjusted basis of certain property held by the business). Planning opportunities may be available to maximize this deduction.

 

• Certain tax basis, at-risk and active participation requirements must be met for losses of pass-through entities to be deductible by a partner or S corporation shareholder. In addition, an individual’s excess business losses are subject to overall limitations. There may be steps that pass-through owners can take before the end of 2023 to maximize their loss deductions. The Inflation Reduction Act extends the excess business loss limitation by two years (the limitation was scheduled to expire for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027).

 

• Various states have enacted PTE tax elections that seek a workaround to the federal personal income tax limitation on the deduction of state taxes for individual owners of pass-through entities. See State pass-through entity tax elections, below.

 

Consideration for employers

Employers should consider the following issues as they close out 2023 and enter 2024:

 

• The SECURE Act 2.0 requires 401(k) and 403(b) plans to automatically enroll participants in the respective plans upon becoming eligible (although employees may opt out of coverage).

 

• For long-term part-time workers, the SECURE Act 2.0 reduces the 3 year eligibility rule to just 2 years, effective for the plan years beginning after December 31, 2024.

 

• Employers may allow plan participants to designate matching and nonelective contributions as Roth contributions.

 

• Small employers are eligible for a plan start-up credit, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. The start-up credit for adopting a workplace retirement plan increases from 50% to 100% administrative costs for small employers with up to 50 employees. The credit remains 50% for employers with 51-100 employees. Employers with a defined contribution plan may also receive an additional credit based on the amount of employer contributions of up to $1,000 per employee. This additional credit phases out over five years for employers with 51-100 employees.

 

• SIMPLE and Simplified employee Pensions (SEPs) can accept Roth contributions effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. In addition, employers can offer employees the ability to treat employee and employer SEP contributions as Roth contributions (in whole or in part).

 

• Employers have until the extended due date of their 2023 federal income tax return to retroactively establish a qualified retirement plan and to fund the new or an existing plan for 2023. However, employers cannot retroactively eliminate existing retirement plans (such as simplified employee pensions (SEPs) or SIMPLE plans) to make room for a retroactively adopted plan (such as an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) or cash balance plan).

 

• Contributions made to a qualified retirement plan by the extended due date of the 2023 federal income tax return may be deductible for 2023; contributions made after this date are deductible for 2024.

 

• Employers should ensure that common fringe benefits are properly included in employees’ and, if applicable, 2% S corporation shareholders’ taxable wages. Partners and LLC members (including owners of capital interests and profits interests) should not be issued W-2s.

 

• Generally, for calendar year accrual basis taxpayers, accrued bonuses must be fixed and determinable by year end and paid within 2.5 months of year end (by March 15, 2024) for the bonus to be deductible in 2023. However, the bonus compensation must be paid before the end of 2023 if it is paid by a Personal Service Corporation to an employee-owner, by an S corporation to any employee-shareholder, or by a C corporation to a direct or indirect majority owner.

 

• Businesses should assess the tax impacts of their mobile workforce. Potential impacts include the establishment of a corporate tax presence in the state or foreign country where the employee works; dual tax residency for the employee; additional taxable compensation for remote workers’ travel to a work location that is determined to be personal commuting expense; and payroll tax, benefits, and transfer pricing issues.

 

Beneficial ownership interest (BOI) reporting

 The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) requires the disclosure of the beneficial ownership information of certain entities to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) starting in 2024. This is not a tax filing requirement, but an online report to be completed if applicable to FinCEN. There are severe penalties for businesses who willingly do not comply with the requirements.

 

State and local taxes

Businesses should monitor the tax laws and policies in the states in which they do business to understand their tax obligations, identify ways to minimize their state tax liabilities, and eliminate any state tax exposure. The following are some of the state-specific areas taxpayers should consider when planning for their tax liabilities in 2023 and 2024:

 

Nexus rules

• Has the business reviewed the nexus rules in every state in which it has property, employees or sales to determine whether it has a tax obligation? State nexus rules are complex and vary by state. Even minimal or temporary physical presence within a state can create nexus, e.g., temporary visits by employees for business purposes; presence of independent contractors making sales or performing services, especially warranty repair services; presence of mobile or moveable property; or presence of inventory at a third-party warehouse. In addition, many states have adopted a bright-line factor-presence nexus threshold for income tax purposes (e.g., $500,000 in sales). Also keep in mind that foreign entities that claim federal treaty protection are likely not protected from state income taxes, and those foreign entities that have nexus with a state may still be liable for state taxes.

 

• Has the business considered the state income tax nexus consequences of its mobile or remote workforce, including the impacts on payroll factor and sales factor sourcing? Most states that provided temporary nexus and/or withholding relief relating to teleworking employees lifted those orders during 2021.

 

• Does the business qualify for P.L. 86-272 protection with respect to its activities in a state? For businesses selling remotely and that have claimed P.L. 86-272 protection from state income taxes in the past, how is the business responding to changing state interpretations of those protections with respect to businesses engaged in internet-based activities?

 

Taxable income and tax calculation

• Does the state conform to federal tax rules or decouple from them? Not all states follow federal tax rules. For example, many states have their own systems of depreciation, and may or may not allow federal bonus depreciation.

 

• Has the business claimed all state NOL and state tax credit carrybacks and carryforwards? Most states apply their own NOL/credit computation and carryback/forward provisions.

 

• Is the business claiming all available state and local tax credits? States offer various incentive credits including, e.g., for research activities, expanding or relocating operations, making capital investments or increasing headcount.

 

Allocation and apportionment

• Is the business correctly sourcing its sales of tangible personal property, services, and intangibles to the proper states? The majority of states impose single-sales factor apportionment formulas and require market-based sourcing for sales of services and licenses/sales of intangibles using disparate market-based sourcing methodologies.

 

• If the business holds an interest in a partnership, have the consequences with respect to factor flow-through and other potential special partnership apportionment provisions been considered?

 

• If the business is a manufacturer, retailer, transportation company, financial corporation, or other special industry, have state special apportionment elections or required special apportionment formulas been considered?

 

State pass-through entity elections

The TCJA introduced a $10,000 limit for individuals with respect to federal itemized deductions for state and local taxes paid during the year ($5,000 for married individuals filing separately). More than 30 states have enacted workarounds to this deduction limitation for owners of pass-through entities, by allowing a pass-through entity to make an election (PTE tax election) to be taxed at the entity level. PTE tax elections present complex state and federal tax issues for partners and shareholders. Before making an election, care needs to be exercised to avoid state tax traps, especially for nonresident owners, that could exceed any federal tax savings.

 

Other state and local taxes

State and local property taxes, sales and use taxes and other indirect state and local taxes can be the largest piece of an organization’s state tax expenditures, even exceeding state and local income and franchise taxes. Just like state income taxes, businesses should understand and plan for their other state and local tax obligations. Some areas of consideration include:

 

• Has the business reviewed its sales and use tax nexus footprint, the taxability of its products and services, and whether it is charging the appropriate sales and use tax rates? A comprehensive review of the sales and use tax function along with improving or automating processes may help businesses report and pay the appropriate amount of tax to the correct states and localities.

 

• Remote retailers, marketplace sellers and marketplace facilitators (i.e., marketplace providers) should be sure they are in compliance with state sales and use tax laws and marketplace facilitator rules.

 

Begin planning for the future

Businesses should consider actions that will put them on the best path forward for 2023 and beyond. Businesses can begin now to:

 

• Reevaluate choice of entity decisions while considering alternative legal entity structures to minimize total tax liability and enterprise risk.

 

• Evaluate global value chain and cross-border transactions to optimize transfer pricing and minimize global tax liabilities.

 

• Review available tax credits and incentives for relevancy to leverage within applicable business lines.

 

• Consider legal entity rationalization, which can reduce administrative costs and provide other benefits and efficiencies.

 

• Consider the benefits of an ESOP as an exit or liquidity strategy, which can provide tax benefits for both owners and the company.

 

• Perform a cost segregation study with respect to investments in buildings or renovation of real property to accelerate taxable deductions, claim qualifying bonus depreciation and identify other discretionary incentives to reduce or defer various taxes.

 

• Perform a state-by-state analysis to ensure the business is properly charging sales taxes on taxable items, but not exempt or non-taxable items, and to determine whether the business needs to self-remit use taxes on any taxable purchases (including digital products or services).

 

• Review transfer pricing compliance.

 

Year-end planning could make a difference in your tax bill

  If you’d like more information, please call to schedule a consultation to discuss your specific tax and financial needs and develop a plan that works for your business.