Category: etra

The federal government has announced a major change that will affect how numerous Americans receive their tax refunds and federal benefit payments. The U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) will soon stop issuing paper checks. This transition is designed to increase efficiency, reduce fraud and lower administrative costs — but…

On July 4, President Trump signed into law the far-reaching legislation known as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As promised, the tax portion of the 870-page bill extends many of the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the sweeping tax legislation enacted during the first Trump administration. It also incorporates…

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed its budget reconciliation bill, dubbed The One, Big, Beautiful Bill. Among other things, the sweeping bill would eliminate clean vehicle credits by the end of 2025 in most cases. If you’ve been pondering the purchase of a new or used electric vehicle (EV), you’ll want to buy sooner rather…

The U.S. Senate passed its version of The One, Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB) by a vote of 51 to 50 on July 1. (Vice President J.D. Vance provided the tiebreaking vote.) At its core, the massive bill is similar to the bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last May. It includes extensions of many…

On July 4, President Trump signed into law the far-reaching legislation known as the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As promised, the tax portion of the 870-page bill extends many of the provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the sweeping tax legislation enacted during the first Trump administration. It also incorporates…

The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) includes numerous provisions affecting the tax liability of U.S. businesses. For many businesses, the favorable provisions outweigh the unfavorable, but both kinds are likely to impact your tax planning. Here are several provisions included in the new law that may influence your business’s tax liability. Qualified business income…

Victims of presidentially declared disasters in recent years who couldn’t previously claim a casualty loss deduction may now be able to claim a refund. Additional tax relief also might be available. Read on to learn more about the potential opportunities for victims of certain disasters. Loosened restrictions for casualty losses The tax relief comes via…

The twisty journey of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA’s) beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements has taken yet another turn. Following a February 18, 2025, ruling by a federal district court (Smith v. U.S. Department of the Treasury), the requirements are technically back in effect for covered companies. But a short time later, the U.S. Department…

President Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement of global tariffs caught businesses, as well as foreign countries and worldwide financial markets, off guard. While the president has long endorsed the imposition of tariffs, many businesses expected him to take a targeted approach. Instead, Trump rolled out a baseline tariff on all imports to the United States and…

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) significantly limited the types of theft losses that are deductible on federal income taxes. But a recent “advice memo” (CCA 202511015) from the IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel suggests more victims of fraudulent scams may be able to claim a theft loss deduction than previously understood. Casualty loss deduction…