Bonus depreciation is back to 100 percent for good, and the IRS has now issued the guidance business owners need to actually use it. Under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Congress made the full first-year write-off for equipment and other qualified property permanent, reversing a phase-down that was set to drop bonus depreciation to 40% this year and disappear entirely by 2027. That is real news for any Read More

The federal deduction for state and local taxes — the SALT cap — just went from $10,000 to $40,000, indexed up to $40,400 for 2026. It is one of the biggest changes to itemized deductions in years, and the timing matters if you are doing year-end tax planning. But how much this actually helps you depends heavily on where your business operates, and the answer looks very different in Houston than it does in Read More

The Q3 2026 estimated tax deadline — September 15, 2026 — is only two weeks out, and it is one of the easiest dates to lose track of when you are running a business. If you are self-employed, own a pass-through entity, or otherwise receive income that is not subject to withholding, this is the payment that keeps you out of penalty territory before the year is over. The Q3 2026 Estimated Tax Deadline Is Read More

What Is the Section 45S Paid Family and Medical Leave Credit? For years, the federal tax credit for employers who offer paid family and medical leave (PFML) was a temporary provision that Congress had to keep renewing, which made it hard for business owners to plan around. The Working Families Tax Cuts changed that: the Section 45S credit is now permanent, and the IRS issued Notice 2026-28 on August 5, 2026, to Read More

What Is the "No Tax on Overtime" Deduction? Since the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect, employees who earn qualified overtime compensation have been able to deduct a portion of that pay on their federal income tax return. The deduction is available whether or not the employee itemizes, but it comes with real limits: up to $12,500 per year for single filers, or $25,000 for married couples filing jointly, and it Read More

For years, taxpayers who missed a filing or payment deadline for the first time could call the IRS and request First-Time Abate, a manual process that waived certain penalties for people with an otherwise clean compliance history. Starting this summer, the IRS is phasing that process out in favor of an automatic system, and the details matter if you are counting on penalty relief working the way it always has. Most Read More

A Major Shift for Research and Development Costs If your business spends money on product development, software engineering, or other research and experimental (R&E) activities, a recent change in federal tax law means you may be able to deduct R&D costs in full again, right away, instead of spreading the write-off over several years. Under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Congress restored Read More

In July 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanently extended the Section 199A Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, a 20% write-off for owners of pass-through businesses that had been scheduled to disappear at the end of 2025. For business owners in Houston, the Woodlands, and Denver who have been putting off an entity review, this is the moment to revisit it. Permanence changes the long-term math behind Read More

Tax planning for attorneys and law firm owners looks different from tax planning for most small businesses. Trust account rules, contingency fee timing, and entity elections all interact with the tax code in ways unique to the legal profession. With several federal tax provisions changing for 2026, now is a good time to revisit your firm's tax strategy. Why Tax Planning Looks Different for Law Firm Owners Most Read More

More Houston-area business owners are looking at Denver as their next market. Colorado's growing economy, younger workforce, and business-friendly reputation make it an attractive place to open a second location — but expanding across state lines brings tax and entity questions that are easy to overlook until they become expensive. Here's what to think through before you sign a lease in Denver. Do You Need to Read More