A gift tax return — Form 709 — trips up more practitioners more often than expected, partly because the filing trigger isn’t just about owing tax. A client made a large gift last year. Now the question lands on the desk: does this require a return? Clients can owe nothing and still have a filing […]
Displaying: Tax
401(k) Planning in 2026: Contribution Limits, Plan Types, and Key Rules for CPAs and Advisors
The 401(k) remains the most widely used employer-sponsored retirement vehicle in the country. Contribution limits went up in 2026, a new Roth catch-up requirement for high earners took effect, and the foundational rules on plan design, vesting, and nondiscrimination testing remain as consequential as ever. Here’s a current reference on how the numbers and rules look this year. 2026 […]
529 Plans in 2026: Education Savings, Estate Planning, and What OBBBA Changed
Section 529 plans have been a core education savings tool since 1996. The basic structure hasn’t changed: contributions grow tax-deferred, and qualified distributions come out federal income tax-free. What has changed, thanks to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed July 4, 2025, is the scope of what those plans can cover and who benefits from them. Two […]
Section 1202 Qualified Small Business Stock in 2026: New Rules, Higher Stakes, Strict Requirements
Section 1202 has been around since 1993. For most of that time it was a niche provision, useful in the right circumstances but constrained by a rigid five-year holding period and dollar thresholds that hadn’t kept pace with inflation. The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law July 4, 2025, changed that. Three […]
Surgent Celebrates International Accounting Day 2025 With Week-Long Events and Expert-Led CPE Conference
Virtual sessions during International Accounting Week explore artificial intelligence, audit quality management and OBBBA tax reform, culminating with a free CPA Mock Exam RADNOR, Pa. (Oct. 30, 2025) — Surgent Accounting & Financial Education, a division of KnowFully Learning Group, announced a week-long celebration of International Accounting Day 2025, to be held Nov. 10–14. The […]
Surgent CPE Announces First-to-Market CPE Webinars Covering One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Tax Reform
Industry-leading courses provide timely analysis of major new tax law for accounting and finance professionals RADNOR, Pa. (July 3, 2025) — Surgent CPE, a recognized leader in continuing professional education for accounting and finance professionals, announced today the immediate availability of two new CPE webinars providing in-depth coverage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act […]
Navigating the SALT Landscape: What CPAs Need to Know for 2025
As the December 31, 2025 expiration date for key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) approaches, CPAs face increasing questions from clients about the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap and its implications. This blog explores the current SALT landscape, potential changes on the horizon, and strategic considerations CPAs should be […]
The No Tax on Tips Act: What This Means for Workers and CPAs
What Is the No Tax on Tips Act? The No Tax on Tips Act is a significant piece of tax legislation that recently passed unanimously in the Senate and is now headed to the House of Representatives. If enacted, this bill would create a federal income tax deduction of up to $25,000 annually for qualified […]
Tips to Help Accounting and Tax Pros Understand Market Trends in Election Years
“The numbers side of accounting is easy. The people side is hard.” That’s the lesson David Peters learned from a mentor early in his career, and it’s at the heart of his Surgent CPE course, “How Our Economy and Markets Perform in Election Years.” Contentious campaigns, roiling economic cycles, volatile financial markets and rampant misinformation […]
