The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 includes two valuable changes that allow much faster depreciation deductions for business assets.

Businesses, retirees, and self-employed individuals who owe quarterly payments or who must file various returns will have extra time to do both. Due dates vary but you can find details for your state and county on the IRS Web at: http://www.irs.gov (click on: “IRS Provides Disaster Relief to Ike Victims”)

As I write this article on Tuesday morning, September 30th, the stock market is in turmoil. Coming off of the single day largest loss in the Dow Jones history, I am fielding calls from nervous and anxious clients asking for tax advice, mostly dealing with investment losses and portfolio declines.

The employer must hire designated community residents. A designated community resident is a new employee who is at least 18 and has not reached the age of 40, and who lives in a designated county. 30 counties in Iowa qualify and 35 counties in Nebraska qualify as a designated county - as well as many counties in surrounding states. Please note that it is the employee that must reside in a designated county. It is not relevant where the employer is located.

The Codification reorganizes the 1000’s of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) pronouncements into 90 accounting topics, and displays them all using a consistent structure. Pronouncements from multiple standard setters and related literature are covered. It is intended to reflect GAAP for non-governmental entities.

Based on questions that we have received lately, it appears that leasing is a favorable way of acquiring assets for some of our clients. The decision to lease is based on specifics such as: better financial terms, necessity, the lack of available financing, or just the desire to keep assets off the balance sheet. In any case, whether the lease is treated as an operating lease, the decision should be dependent upon the terms of each individual lease agreement.