Form 709 Filing Mechanics: What Happens After the Gift Is Made
Filing Form 709 isn’t hard. Getting it right is. Most practitioners clear the initial hurdle: they know when a return is required. What trips up gift tax returns in practice is everything that happens inside the form. Schedule A is more involved than it looks. Schedule B errors carry forward indefinitely. Gift splitting creates parallel […]
401(k) Rules in 2026: The Roth Catch-Up Mandate, Updated Limits, and Nondiscrimination Testing
The 401k Roth catch-up 2026 mandate — a SECURE 2.0 provision that had been delayed — takes full effect January 1, 2026. Participants age 50 or older whose prior-year FICA wages from the plan’s sponsoring employer exceeded $150,000 can no longer make pre-tax catch-up contributions. Those contributions are now Roth-only. If the plan doesn’t offer […]
529 Plans in 2026: Gift Tax Mechanics, OBBBA Expense Changes, and the Roth IRA Rollover Rules
The 529 plan OBBBA 2026 landscape sits at the intersection of education savings, gift tax planning, and estate mechanics. The basic structure is straightforward: contributions grow tax-deferred, qualified distributions come out federal income tax-free, and the account owner retains control while assets pass out of the estate. Where CPAs earn their keep is in the […]
Section 1202 QSBS in 2026: Effective Date Lines, the 28% Rate Trap, and What Changes for Prior Stock
The Section 1202 QSBS OBBBA changes look generous on paper: a tiered holding period, a higher gain exclusion cap, a broader gross asset threshold. But the practical question for CPAs working with clients who hold qualified small business stock isn’t what the new rules offer — it’s which set of rules actually applies to the […]
HSA Eligibility and the 2026 Rule Changes: Getting It Right on Client Returns
Two things changed for HSA eligibility rules in 2026 under the OBBBA. The contribution limits moved up modestly. The eligibility rules, thanks to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), changed in ways that matter a lot more for return preparation. IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-19 covers the limit adjustments. The OBBBA, signed July 4, 2025, […]
CPE Compliance After Tax Season: Deadlines, Formats, and What Actually Counts
April 16 arrives and the CPA CPE compliance clock keeps running. For CPAs who’ve been heads-down since January, the post-tax-season window is typically when CPA CPE compliance finally gets attention. That’s fine, provided the hours, formats, and subject matter actually meet the state board’s requirements. The gap between what CPAs assume counts and what state […]
CPA Ethics & Responsibilities: Professional Standards That Define the Profession
CPA ethics and professional responsibilities are governed by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and state licensing boards. These CPA ethics standards apply across audit, tax, advisory, and industry roles. Six CPA Ethics Principles of Professional Conduct The AICPA Code establishes six foundational CPA ethics principles that apply to all members regardless of practice area: […]
CPA CPE Requirements: How Many Credits You Need
State licensing boards require CPAs to complete continuing professional education throughout their careers. Credit requirements range from 80 to 120 hours depending on jurisdiction, reporting period structure, and practice type. Understanding CPE Credits CPE credits measure learning time in 50-minute increments. The terms “CPE credits” and “CPE hours” mean the same thing. A 150-minute course […]