If you have a parent entering a nursing home, you may not be thinking about taxes. But there are a number of possible tax implications. Here are five.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has released new guidance intended to expedite the forgiveness process for certain borrowers under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The simplified process generally is available for loans of $150,000 or less, which the SBA reports account for 93% of outstanding PPP loans. The guidance comes at a time when many borrowers are nearing a critical deadline regarding their applications for forgiveness.

If you’re planning your estate, or you’ve inherited assets, you may not know the “basis” for tax purposes. Under the current rules (known as the “step-up” rules), an heir receives a basis in inherited property equal to its date-of-death value. For example, if your grandmother paid $500 for stock in 1935 and it’s worth $1 million at her death, the basis is stepped up to $1 million for your grandmother’s heirs, and that gain escapes federal income tax. Be aware that President Biden has proposed ending the ability to step-up the basis for gains exceeding $1 million (with exemptions for farms and family businesses). Contact us for tax help with estate planning or inheritances.

A critical deadline is approaching for many of the businesses that have received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was created in March 2020 by the CARES Act. If these borrowers don’t take action before the deadline expires, their loans will become standard loans, and the borrowers could be responsible for repaying the full amount plus 1% interest before the maturity date. In addition, some borrowers could face audits.

Do you have significant investment-related expenses, including the cost of subscriptions to financial services, home office expenses and clerical costs? Under current tax law, these expenses aren’t deductible through 2025 if they’re considered investment expenses for the production of income. But they’re deductible if they’re considered trade or business expenses.

In Notice 2021-40, the IRS recently announced a 12-month extension (through June 30, 2022) of its temporary relief from the requirement that certain signatures must be witnessed “in the physical presence” of a 401(k) plan representative or notary public; instead, audio-video technology can be used. The relief was provided primarily to facilitate plan loans and distributions under the CARES Act, but it applies to any signature that is required to be witnessed in the physical presence of a plan representative or notary public. This includes spousal consents. Notice 2021-40 also requests comments regarding whether permanent modifications should be made. Contact us for more information.

The IRS just released audit statistics for the 2020 fiscal year and fewer taxpayers had their returns examined compared with prior years. Overall, just 0.5% of individual returns were audited. Historically, this is very low. However, even though a small percentage of returns are being audited these days, that will be little consolation if yours is one of them. Plus, the Biden administration has announced it would like to increase tax compliance. The easiest way to survive an IRS audit is to prepare. On an ongoing basis, maintain documentation (invoices, bills, canceled checks, receipts, or other proof) for items reported on your returns. Contact us if you receive an IRS audit letter.