Homestead Tax and Bookkeeping Service

10/30/2026

Good morning one and all, Brian here on the day before free candy day across the USA.

AN IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR THE 2026 TAX YEAR!

For those of you in the service industry, including restaurant workers, hairstylists, barbers, and others who depend on tips, the new tax deduction for tips WAS a wonderful thing!

UNFORTUNATELY, there is a BIG change for 2026, and it could affect a lot of you!

Beginning with the 2026 tax year, qualified tips generally MUST be separately reported on an IRS information form, such as a W-2, 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, or 1099-K, to qualify for the deduction. Employees may also have an additional reporting option through Form 4137.

HERE IS THE BIG PROBLEM!

For those of you who are self-employed, including hairstylists renting booths, CASH TIPS received directly from customers generally will NOT qualify for the deduction unless they are properly reported on one of those forms.

And unfortunately, even if you've kept excellent records of every cash tip received, those records alone will NOT satisfy the requirements for this deduction.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL and could create a significant TAX ISSUE for many of you!

My advice is that if you use a credit-card processor, make sure it is properly tracking and reporting your tips. When possible, encourage customers to include their tips with their card payments so those tips can be properly reported.

If you rent a booth and the salon owner processes customer payments and distributes your tips, make sure they're keeping accurate records and understand the reporting requirements.

Last year, there was some flexibility in the reporting requirements. We had hoped that, just as taxpayers are allowed to maintain their own records of cash income, those same records would be acceptable for documenting qualified tips.

Unfortunately, Congress and the IRS have made it clear that this will NOT be sufficient under the current rules for 2026.

I understand the need to prevent abuse of the deduction. However, I also find it frustrating that the IRS expects taxpayers to report every dollar of cash income they receive but will not necessarily accept those same taxpayers' records when determining whether their tips qualify for a deduction.

PLEASE REMEMBER: Regardless of whether your tips qualify for the deduction, ALL tip income must still be reported on your tax return.

I sincerely hope Congress addresses this issue, but as of today, these are the rules we have to work with.

I wanted to get this information out now rather than have people surprised when they come in to have their taxes prepared.

PLEASE SHARE THIS with anyone who works in a tipped profession, especially those who are self-employed!

We are in and out of the office as we finish up our yearly continuing education.

We appreciate every one of you and wish you a safe and Happy Halloween.

10/05/2026

Good morning, Brian here.

This will be a new rule in 2027 and for the tax year 2027. So, you would start making contributions in 2027.

THIS WILL NOT IMPACT THE 2026 TAX SEASON!!!!!

This will be aimed at elementary, middle, and high school age kids and those private institutions that have been approved.

If it survives through elections, this will be great for people who send kids and pay for private education WITH A QUALIFYING INSTITUTION.

JUST BE AWARE, THE FINAL RULES HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.

IR-2026-117, Oct. 1, 2026 — The Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations to implement the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit under section 25F, commonly known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit, the first federal tax credit supporting private contributions for K-12 schol...

10/04/2026

Good Sunday morning to one and all. Brian here.

As we start pushing toward another tax season, I will be posting a little more often, especially when something changes and you need to know how to get ready for it.

First thing. If you are on Original Medicare — not Medicare Advantage — you may see a $90 direct deposit show up in the next week or so. It is legitimate. It is a one-time Medicare Improvement Fund premium rebate, meant to help offset the October Part B premium. A letter or email explaining it should follow in mid-October.

Not everyone on Original Medicare will get one. From what CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has published, it is generally for people living in the U.S. who are not having their Part B premium paid by Medicaid and who are not paying the income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA). Medicare Advantage enrollees are not eligible.

Most eligible folks will get a direct deposit on or around October 8. If you do not have direct deposit on file with Social Security, you may get a paper check later in October instead. So be patient before you start worrying that you were skipped.

If you want to check eligibility, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). For the status of a payment, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

I will keep watching for the official details and pass along anything else that actually matters for filing.

Have a good day. How about them Kentucky Wildcats!!!

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07/30/2026

Brian here and today is July 30th and I have been trying to come up with words to express the emotions I have been dealing with since Monday.

As many of you know, Jason Perry of A1 Tax offered me a job back in 2013 and he is the one responsible for a large part of my training and what I have learned about the tax business.

I am not going into the background of his illness from about 6 years ago, other than to say, it was nothing short of a miracle, IMO, that he recovered as well as he did.

He started having some the same type of issues within the last year or so and for the last couple of months he has been in and out of the hospital with the doctors trying to treat his illness.

Unfortunately, they could not treat those issues and this past Monday, July 27th, my friend Jason passed away.

I ask that you please keep April, his wife, Abby and Jake, their kids, and Gene, his dad in your prayers. Below is obituary is linked.

I will miss him immensely. The professional aspect is one thing but more than anything else, he was my friend and I loved him dearly.

Jason Perry, beloved husband, father, son, businessman, and friend, passed away on Monday, July 27, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. His passing leaves an immeasurable void in the hearts of all who knew him. Above all else, Jason was devoted to his family. He was the loving

05/04/2026

Good morning one and all. Brian here enjoying the last bit of cool weather we will probably have until the fall.

FIRST and foremost, all of us want to thank each and every client for your continued trust and support of our business. It is only because of your continued support that we continue to thrive.

SECOND, there seems to be an issue at the IRS and many clients across the nation, even those who are not in line for a refund, are receiving such a letter.

So, if you receive a letter as the one we are attaching, feel free to contact us and we will try to offer some guidance. More often than not it is due to a person owing and the IRS refunding any penalty that might have been included and paid.

Finally, we are always available to talk or to meet. As most of you know, we mostly work from home during the off season and we are not at the office as frequently. Please call us at 270-957-8967 if you need to speak with us and leave a message. We will contact you as soon as possible.

Again, thank you so much.

04/10/2026

FYI

IRS announces special Saturday hours at Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide April 11 and April 25

IR-2026-50, April 10, 2026

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced special Saturday hours at select Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country to provide in-person help for taxpayers. The upcoming Saturday hours will be April 11 and April 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

During these special Saturday hours, TACs in dozens of states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will be open to assist taxpayers with a wide range of services. The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov/SaturdayHours to review participating locations and available services before traveling to an office. The IRS will continue to offer these special events through June. Taxpayers can receive help with most services routinely offered at a TAC. Cash payments, however, are not accepted.

In addition to special Saturday hours, over 200 IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide continue to offer extended weekday office hours to provide additional support during the filing season. The extended office hours will run through Thursday, April 30. To see if a nearby TAC is offering extended hours, taxpayers can visit IRS.gov and use the Contact Your Local Office tool to access the TAC Locator. The site lists the services offered, including extended hours, and provides directions to each office.

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