Bivens & Wilson, P.S.

03/17/2026

12/04/2025

With the 2025 tax filing season underway, be aware that the deadline is coming up fast for businesses to submit certain information returns to the federal government and furnish them to workers. By January 31, 2025, employers must file these forms and furnish them to recipients:
Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Form W-2 shows the wages paid and taxes withheld for the year for each employee. It must be furnished to employees and filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA). The IRS notes that “because employees’ Social Security and Medicare benefits are computed based on information on Form W-2, it’s very important to prepare Form W-2 correctly and timely.”
Form W-3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements. Anyone required to file Form W-2 must also file Form W-3 to transmit Copy A of Form W-2 to the SSA. The totals for amounts reported on related employment tax forms (Form 941, Form 943, Form 944 or Schedule H for the year) should agree with the amounts reported on Form W-3.
Failing to timely file or include the correct information on either the information return or statement may result in penalties.
Freelancers and independent contractors
The January 31 deadline also applies to Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation. This form is furnished to recipients and filed with the IRS to report nonemployee compensation to independent contractors.
If the following four conditions are met, payers must generally complete Form 1099-NEC to report payments as nonemployee compensation:
You made a payment to someone who isn’t your employee,
You made a payment for services in the course of your trade or business,
You made a payment to an individual, partnership, estate, or, in some cases, a corporation, and
You made a payment of at least $600 to a recipient during the year.
Note: When the IRS requires you to “furnish” a statement to a recipient, it can be done in person, electronically or by first-class mail to the recipient’s last known address. If forms are mailed, they must be postmarked by January 31.
Your business may also have to furnish a Form 1099-MISC to each person to whom you made certain payments for rent, medical expenses, prizes and awards, attorney’s services, and more. The deadline for furnishing Forms 1099-MISC to recipients is January 31 but the deadline for submitting them to the IRS depends on the method of filing. If they’re being filed on paper, the deadline is February 28. If filing them electronically, the deadline is March 31.
Act fast
If you have questions about filing Form W-2, Form 1099-NEC or any tax forms, contact us. We can assist you in complying with all the rules.
© 2025

11/26/2025

Whether you’re selling your business or acquiring another company, the tax consequences can have a major impact on the transaction’s success or failure. So if you’re thinking about a merger or acquisition, you need to consider the potential tax impact. For tax purposes, a transaction can basically be structured as either an asset sale or a stock sale. For tax and nontax reasons, sellers typically prefer stock sales while buyers usually prefer to purchase assets. We can assess the potential tax consequences before you start negotiating a merger or acquisition to help avoid unwelcome tax surprises after a deal is signed. Contact us to get started.

11/24/2025

The 2026 Social Security wage base has been released. What’s the tax impact on employees and the self-employed? Let’s take a look.
F**A tax 101
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (F**A) imposes two payroll taxes on wages and self-employment income — one for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, commonly known as the Social Security tax, and the other for Hospital Insurance, commonly known as the Medicare tax.
The F**A tax rate is 15.3%, which includes 12.4% for Social Security and 2.9% for Medicare. If you’re an employee, F**A tax is split evenly between your employer and you. If you’re self-employed, you pay the full 15.3% — but the “employer” half is deductible.
All wages and self-employment income are generally subject to Medicare tax. But the Social Security tax applies to such income only up to the Social Security wage base. The Social Security Administration has announced that the wage base will be $184,500 for 2026 (up from $176,100 for 2025). Wages and self-employment income above this threshold aren’t subject to Social Security tax.
Another payroll tax that higher-income taxpayers must be aware of is the additional 0.9% Medicare tax. It applies to F**A wages and self-employment income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers and $125,000 for separate filers). There’s no employer portion for this tax, but employers are required to withhold it once they pay an employee wages for the year exceeding $200,000 — regardless of the employee’s filing status. (You can claim a credit on your income tax return for withholding in excess of your actual additional Medicare tax liability.)
What will you owe in 2026?
For 2026, if you’re an employee, you’ll owe:
6.2% Social Security tax on the first $184,500 of wages, for a maximum tax of $11,439 (6.2% × $184,500), plus
1.45% Medicare tax on wages up to the applicable additional Medicare tax threshold, plus
2.35% Medicare tax (1.45% regular Medicare tax plus 0.9% additional Medicare tax) on all wages in excess of the applicable additional Medicare tax threshold.
For 2026, if you’re self-employed, you’ll owe:
12.4% Social Security tax on the first $184,500 of self-employment income (half of which will be deductible), for a maximum tax of $22,878 (12.4% × $184,500), plus
2.9% Medicare tax on self-employment income up to the applicable additional Medicare tax threshold (half of which will be deductible), plus
3.8% Medicare tax (2.9% regular Medicare tax plus 0.9% additional Medicare tax) on all self-employment income in excess of the applicable additional Medicare tax threshold. (Half of the 2.9% portion will be deductible; none of the 0.9% portion will be deductible.)
The payroll tax deduction for the self-employed can be especially beneficial because it reduces adjusted gross income (AGI) and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). AGI and MAGI can trigger certain additional taxes and the phaseouts of many tax breaks.
Have questions?
Payroll taxes get more complicated in some situations. For example, what if you have two jobs? Payroll taxes will be withheld by both employers. Can you ask your employers to stop withholding Social Security tax once, on a combined basis, you’ve reached the wage base threshold? No, each employer must continue to withhold Social Security tax until your wages with that employer exceed the wage base. Fortunately, when you file your income tax return, you’ll get a credit for any excess withheld.
If you have more questions about payroll taxes, such as what happens if you have wages from a job and self-employment income, please contact us. We can help you ensure you’re complying with tax law while not overpaying.
© 2025

11/19/2025

Beginning in 2026, taxpayers in the top (37%) federal income tax bracket will see their itemized deductions reduced. Generally, their tax benefit from the deductions will be as if they were in the 35% bracket. If you’re at risk of being subject to the new limitation, you can take steps in 2025 to help mitigate the negative impact. For example, make large charitable contributions this year instead of next. If you aren’t already maxing out your state and local tax (SALT) deduction, you might be able to pay state and local property tax bills in 2025 instead of 2026. We can help you look at your tax picture for this year and next to determine what strategies will be most beneficial overall.

11/17/2025

Staying compliant with payroll tax laws is crucial for small businesses. Mistakes can lead to fines, strained employee relationships and even legal consequences. Below are six quick tips to help you stay on track.
1. Maintain organized records
Accurate recordkeeping is the backbone of payroll tax compliance. Track the hours worked, wages paid and all taxes withheld. Organizing your documentation makes it easier to verify that you’re withholding and remitting the correct amounts. If you ever face an IRS or state tax inquiry, having clear, detailed records will save time and reduce stress.
2. Understand federal withholding
Federal income tax. Employees complete Form W-4 so you can determine how much federal income tax to withhold. The amounts can be calculated using IRS tax tables.
F**A taxes (Social Security and Medicare). Your business is responsible for withholding a set percentage from each employee’s wages for Social Security and Medicare, and you must match that amount as an employer. The current tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% for the employer and 6.2% for the employee (12.4% total). Taxpayers only pay Social Security tax up to a wage base limit. For 2025, the wage base limit is $176,100. The current rate for Medicare tax is 1.45% for the employer and 1.45% for the employee (2.9% total). There’s no wage base limit for Medicare tax. All wages are subject to it.
3. Don’t overlook employer contributions
Depending on your state and industry, you may need to contribute additional taxes beyond those withheld from employee paychecks.
Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax. Employers pay FUTA tax to fund unemployment benefits.
State unemployment insurance. Requirements vary by state, so consult your state’s labor department for details. You can also find more resources at the U.S. Department of Labor.
4. Adhere to filing and deposit deadlines
Deposit schedules. Your deposit frequency for federal taxes (monthly or semi-weekly) depends on the total amount of taxes withheld. Missing a deadline can lead to penalties and interest charges.
Quarterly and annual filings. You must submit forms like the 941 (filed quarterly) and the 940 (filed annually for FUTA tax) on time, with any tax due.
Under the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty, a “responsible person” who willfully fails to withhold or deposit employment taxes can be held personally liable for a steep penalty. The penalty is equal to the full amount of the unpaid trust fund tax, plus interest. For this purpose, a responsible person can be an owner, officer, partner or employee with authority over the funds of the business.
5. Stay current with regulatory changes
Tax laws are never static. The IRS and state agencies update requirements frequently, and new legislation can introduce additional obligations. A proactive approach helps you adjust payroll systems or processes in anticipation of changes, rather than scrambling at the last minute.
6. Seek professional advice
No matter how meticulous your business is, payroll taxes can be complex. We can provide guidance specific to your industry and location. We can help you select the right payroll system, calculate employee tax withholding, navigate multi-state filing requirements and more. In short, we can help ensure that every aspect of your payroll is set up correctly.
© 2025