Cash Balance Plan Limits in 2026: How the Rules Actually Work
A cash balance plan is a pension plan that allows a business owner or high-earning professional to shelter substantially more pre-tax income each year than a 401(k) permits. For 2026, a 401(k) plus profit sharing is capped at $72,000 in total contributions for one participant. A cash balance plan can sit on top of that […]
New Jersey Capital Gains Tax in 2026: What New Jersey Taxes, and What Changes When You Move
New Jersey taxes capital gains as ordinary income at its regular rates of 1.4% to 10.75%. Unlike the federal system, it has no lower rate for long-term gains. For 2026, the federal government taxes long-term gains at 0%, 15%, or 20%, and higher earners also owe a 3.8% net investment income tax. Two New Jersey […]
The 2026 SALT Cap Is $40,400 — Here’s the Income Level Where It Shrinks Back to $10,000 for New Jersey Earners
For 2026, the federal deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) is capped at $40,400 — but only while your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) stays at or below $505,000. Above that line, the cap drops by 30 cents for every dollar of extra income until it reaches a $10,000 floor at about $606,333 of […]
How a New Jersey S-Corp Owner Reimburses Home Office, Mileage, and Phone Costs Tax-Free
An accountable plan is a written agreement between your S-corp and you as its employee. Under it, the business pays you back for business costs you covered personally: the home office, mileage, your phone, supplies, travel. Set up correctly, the payment is deductible to the corporation and is not wages to you, so it carries […]
Tax Preparer, CPA, or EA: What a Monmouth County Filer Needs, and What It Costs
A Rumson couple brought us a return last March. Two W-2s, one from a Manhattan employer and one from a Red Bank office, plus a Belmar rental they had owned for two years. A seasonal preparer down the shore had charged them $225. New Jersey was filed correctly. New York was not filed at all. […]
The Revenue Range Where a Monmouth County Business Outgrows Its Bookkeeper and Needs CFO-Level Thinking
Most businesses cross this line between $1 million and $2 million in revenue. That’s where published 2026 market data shows fractional CFO support starting to pay for itself, and where we see it happen with our own clients. Below that, a good bookkeeper and clean, current books are usually the higher-return spend. Above $2 million, […]
OBBBA Tax Changes for New Jersey Small-Business Owners in 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, commonly called the OBBBA, changed the tax-planning landscape for New Jersey small-business owners. Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the law made several major federal tax provisions permanent, including the 20% qualified business income deduction and 100% bonus depreciation. It also increased the federal Section 179 deduction, temporarily […]
Retirement Planning for Business Owners: The Tax Moves Your CPA and Advisor Should Be Coordinating
Reviewed by John Geantasio, CPA — August 2026. All figures reflect 2026 limits published by the IRS. For a W-2 employee, retirement planning and tax planning are separate conversations. Pick a contribution rate, pick a fund lineup, and the tax return just reflects what happened. For a business owner, that separation is false. Retirement planning […]
Couples: depending on how you file, you might trigger a bonus or a penalty. Let’s make sure it’s the former.
Married Filing Jointly (MFJ) You and your spouse combine all your income, deductions, and credits on one tax return. You share responsibility for accuracy, taxes owed, and benefits. Most married couples use this status because it generally offers more tax advantages. Married Filing Separately (MFS) Each spouse files their own tax return, reporting only their […]
The Scariest Thing About the Future Isn’t Its AI — It’s Paying More Taxes Than You Should
Every October, talk of ghosts, haunted houses, and spooky surprises fills the air. Everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence taking over the future, replacing jobs, and rewriting the rules of the world. But if you’re a business owner, there’s something far scarier than robots—and it’s already lurking in your bank account. It’s the silent, creeping fear […]
