ARDMORE, Pa. — The so-called “fiscal cliff” tax package recently signed into law renewed more than 50 temporary tax breaks through 2013, saving individuals and businesses an estimated $76 billion. For the owners and operators of small- and medium-sized dry cleaning businesses, there is good news and bad news contained in the fiscal cliff tax laws.
First, the good news: greater certainty in taxes. The owners and operators of dry cleaning businesses have grown used to many longstanding tax breaks but they also have had to get used to the uncertainty of whether they will be renewed each year.
On the downside, in addition to a 3.8% Net Investment Income (NII) tax and a 0.9% Additional Medicare tax that, thanks to the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, began in 2013, many dry cleaners and laundry owners discovered they are subject to new taxes. Single individuals with incomes above the $400,000 level and married couples with income higher than $450,000 will pay more in taxes in 2013.
TAXING IT ALONE
Single individuals with incomes above the $400,000 level and married couples with income higher than $450,000 will pay more because of a higher 39.6% income tax rate and a 20% maximum capital gains tax. Of course, for other individuals, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) has finally been indexed for inflation.
Ironically, the AMT was created to ensure that wealthy individuals, not middle-income households, would pay some kind of income tax. The new law increases the 2012 exemption amounts to $50,600 for unmarried individuals and $78,750 for couples filing jointly. For 2013, the AMT exemption amounts are predicted to be $80,750 for married couples filing jointly and $51,900 for single individuals.
ESTATE TAXES NEVER DIE
Always of significant interest to family-owned businesses, the estate tax has long been a bit of a mixed bag. The $5 million-per-person exemption was kept in place (and indexed for inflation). The top rate was increased, however, to 40% effective Jan. 1, 2013. This change is expected to increase government revenues from 2012 levels by $19 billion. Other good news for estate planning: portability is kept in place and estate and gift taxes remain unified, i.e., the $5 million stays in place for gift-tax purposes as well as estates. And, best of all, it is all permanent.
PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
The majority of dry cleaning businesses operate as pass-through entities, such as partnerships and S corporations. Profits are passed through to their individual owners and therefore are taxed at individual income tax rates. Some business owners might be considering switching to a regular C corporation with its top rate of 35% rather than doing business through an S corporation, LLC, etc., subject to a top rate of 39.6% on the pass-through income.
But it’s important to look much deeper than the tax rates. With a pass-through entity, the shareholders are taxed only once on the income. With a regular C corporation, distributions would first be taxed at the corporate level and once again at the shareholder’s level for an additional 15-20%, plus the 3.8% net investment income tax.
That double taxation becomes even more significant on the sale of the dry cleaning business. Although there are provisions in the tax law that allow all or a portion of the gain on the sale of a business to be excluded or ignored, they are limited.
Another consideration, particularly for small businesses, is that any expenses disallowed by an IRS auditor will only result in increased income to the pass-through entity. When doing business as a regular corporation, disallowed personal expenses increase the income of the corporation and are taxed as constructive dividends to the shareholders. The same is true for unreasonable compensation of shareholder/officers.
Keep in mind that if a switch from an S corporation to a regular C corporation is made, a switch back to an S corporation can’t be made for five years—unless permission is received from the IRS. If an LLC or partnership is incorporated, there can be expenses and potential tax consequences.
The increase in the top tax rates, the AMT relief provided for the 2012 tax year, and the hidden taxes all combine to make it possible for many small- and medium-sized businesses ineligible for business credits thanks to AMT limitations in 2011 to potentially be able to take advantage of these dozens of credits. It is, in essence, a back-door opportunity for small businesses, similar to when Congress expanded eligibility for credits for 2010.
Although it is not the grand bargain as envisioned by lawmakers, many popular but temporary tax extenders relating to businesses were included in the American Taxpayer Relief Act: the Code Section 179 small-business expensing, bonus depreciation, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Unfortunately, the new law is effectively a stopgap measure designed expressly to prevent the onus of the expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts from falling on middle-income taxpayers. Congress must still address spending cuts and may even tackle tax “reform.”
The time is now—before filing the dry cleaning operation’s 2012 tax returns—for every dry cleaning business owner, operator and manager to consult with their accountants and/or tax professionals to focus on the potential savings offered by these newly revised, extended and expanded business credits, deductions and tax write-offs.
Information in this article is provided for educational and reference purposes only. It is not intended to provide specific advice or individual recommendations. Consult a financial adviser for advice regarding your particular situation.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].