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Guides · US Tax

US Tax guides

364 plain-English guides on us tax, each one ending in what to do next.

All Cross-BorderUS TaxCanadian TaxSmall Business & BookkeepingCFO & AdvisoryTax Planning

Page 15 of 16, newest first.

US Tax

Restaurant Sales Tax: Food and Beverage Exemptions, Catering Rules, and State-by-State Differences

A bottle of water sold at a restaurant is taxable in states where prepared food is taxable, but exempt in states where non-prepared beverages are exempt.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Restaurant Startup Costs: Pre-Opening Expenses, Liquor Licenses, and the IRC 195 Election

Which restaurant pre-opening costs are deductible immediately, which must be amortized over 180 months under IRC 195, and which are capital expenditures.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Restaurant Tip Reporting: Form 8027, Tip Allocation, and IRS Compliance

Restaurants with 10 or more tipped employees must file Form 8027. If reported tips fall below 8% of gross receipts, the IRS requires tip allocation.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Schedule E vs Schedule C for Rentals: When Short Stays Trigger Self-Employment Tax

Traditional rentals go on Schedule E. The default for rental real estate income is Schedule E, where it is not subject to self-employment tax.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Self-Directed IRA Real Estate: The UBIT and UDFI Tax Most CPAs Miss

A self-directed IRA can buy real estate, but if the IRA uses a mortgage (non-recourse debt) to fund the purchase.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

The Short-Term Rental Loophole: Can STR Losses Offset My W-2 Income?

A short-term rental with an average stay of 7 days or less is not a rental activity for passive loss rules.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Trucking Bookkeeping for Owner-Operators: What to Track, How to Organize, and What the IRS Expects

An owner-operator's bookkeeping determines the tax bill, the audit risk, and whether they know if they're making money.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Trucking Entity Structure: LLC, S-Corp, or Sole Prop for Owner-Operators

The entity choice changes how much self-employment tax an owner-operator pays and how much liability protection exists.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Form 2290 Heavy Vehicle Use Tax: Who Files, When It's Due, and How to Handle It

If you own or operate a truck with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, the IRS wants a Form 2290 from you every year.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Fuel Tax Credits (Form 4136) and IFTA for Truckers: What You Can Claim

Owner-operators pay federal excise tax on every gallon of diesel. On top of that, every state levies its own fuel tax, and the rates vary wildly.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Trucking IRS Audit Triggers: What Gets Owner-Operators Flagged and How to Defend

Owner-operators are high-audit-risk taxpayers. Large deductions, cash operations, and per diem claims put truckers on the IRS radar.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Leased Truck Tax Deductions: Lease-Purchase Programs, True Leases, and What You Can Write Off

How the IRS classifies your truck lease as a true lease or conditional sale, and why the answer controls whether you deduct payments, depreciation.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Owner-Operator Tax Deductions: Per Diem, Fuel, Truck Payments, and Everything Else the IRS Allows

The full list of owner-operator tax deductions, how per diem works, when actual expenses beat the standard mileage rate, and what records the IRS expects.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Owner-Operator vs Company Driver: Tax Differences, Deductions, and Which Pays Less

How taxes work for W-2 company drivers versus 1099 owner-operators, what each side can deduct, and what changes when you switch from one to the other.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Trucking Retirement Planning: SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), and Building Wealth as an Owner-Operator

Self-employed truckers can shelter $60,000 or more per year from tax with the right retirement plan.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Truck Depreciation for Owner-Operators: Section 179, Bonus Depreciation, and MACRS

Each mechanism has different dollar limits, different income limitations, and different consequences when you eventually sell or trade the truck.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP): Personal Liability for Business Payroll Taxes

When a business withholds federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare from employees' paychecks but does not send those withheld amounts to the IRS.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

Unallowable Costs Under FAR 31.205: What Government Contractors Cannot Charge

When you bill the federal government for costs incurred on a contract, the government does not pay for everything.

Aug 27, 2026
US Tax

IRS Bank Levy: What to Do in the First 21 Days

The bank is required to hold the funds for 21 calendar days before sending them to the IRS. That 21-day window is your window to act.

Aug 26, 2026
US Tax

IRS CP2000 Notice: Should I Agree, Disagree, or Partially Respond?

A CP2000 is not an audit. It is not a bill. It is a proposed adjustment from the IRS's Automated Underreporter (AUR) program.

Aug 26, 2026
US Tax

IRS Currently Not Collectible: When It's the Right Move and When It Isn't

Currently Not Collectible (CNC) is an IRS designation that pauses all collection activity on your account.

Aug 26, 2026
US Tax

IRS First-Time Abatement: Do You Qualify, and How to Ask

The IRS first-time abatement waives failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties if you have a clean three-year history.

Aug 26, 2026
US Tax

IRS Installment Agreement: Which Type to Pick

The four types of IRS installment agreements, which one fits your balance, the setup fees, and the traps that extend your debt.

Aug 26, 2026
US Tax

Offer in Compromise: The Honest Assessment

An Offer in Compromise lets you settle an IRS tax debt for less than the full amount owed. That much is true.

Aug 26, 2026