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The Fiscal Cliff




                                    Certified
                                    Public
  Presented by Rachel Taylor, CPA   Accountants
                                    -----------------
                                    Business
                                    Consultants
The Fiscal Cliff Defined:
1.   Expiration of particular tax cuts
2.   Shifts in alternative minimum tax
3.   Increased Medicare taxes
4.   New spending cuts
5.   Tax extenders
6.   Expiration of
     payroll tax cut



                                         Certified
                                         Public
                                         Accountants
                                         -----------------
                                         Business
                                         Consultants
1. Expiration of Tax Cuts
     Bush-Era tax cuts (2001/2003)
        Reduced tax rates
        Reduced taxes on long term capital
        gains
        Reduced taxes on qualified dividends
        Increased child tax credit

     Obama-Era tax cuts (2009)
        Expanded earned income credit
        Expanded child tax credit
        New American Opportunity Credit
        for tuition
                                                Certified
                                                Public
                                                Accountants
                                                -----------------
                                                Business
                                                Consultants
2. Shift in Alternative
Minimum Tax
 The AMT patch is scheduled
to expire.
 The reduced AMT exemption
will cause more people to pay
AMT.

                                 Certified
                                 Public
                                 Accountants
                                 -----------------
                                 Business
                                 Consultants
3. Increased Medicare Taxes
 New taxes on high income
taxpayers (earning over $250,000)
                  An additional .09%
                 Medicare tax on earnings
                 above $250,000.

                  An additional 3.8%
                 Medicare tax on capital
                 gains, dividends, and
                 interest income over
                                            Certified
                 certain thresholds.        Public
                                            Accountants
                                            -----------------
                                            Business
                                            Consultants
4. New Spending Cuts
             Provisions from
            the Budget Control
            Act of 2011 are
            slated to go into
            effect.

             Includes military
            and Medicare
            budgets.              Certified
                                  Public
                                  Accountants
                                  -----------------
                                  Business
                                  Consultants
5. Extenders
            Other various short-
           term tax provisions
           that Congress
           regularly extends.

            Includes individual
           and business credits.
                                    Certified
                                    Public
                                    Accountants
                                    -----------------
                                    Business
                                    Consultants
6. Payroll Tax Cut




 The social security tax rate cut will expire.
 It was intended to be short term.
                                                  Certified
                                                  Public
                                                  Accountants
                                                  -----------------
                                                  Business
                                                  Consultants
Benefits to Fiscal Cliff?




 Forces a decrease in the deficit  by half
a trillion dollars ($500,000,000,000)
 Future tax breaks?                           Certified
                                               Public
                                               Accountants
                                               -----------------
                                               Business
                                               Consultants
Effect of the Fiscal Cliff
on Taxes
 Taxes will rise by $500 billion in 2013. Almost 90% of
taxpayers will see taxes rise.

 Middle income taxpayers will pay $2,000 more.

 High income taxpayers (top 1%) will pay $120,000
more.

 Low income taxpayers (less than $20,113/year) will
pay $412 more
                                                           Certified
                                                           Public
                                                           Accountants
                                                           -----------------
                                                           Business
                                                           Consultants
Effect of the Fiscal Cliff on
Businesses
              Job loss estimated at 2.14
             million.

              Decrease in gross domestic
             product could lead to another
             recession.

              Decreased hiring and
             spending as a result of
             uncertainty.

              Loss of bonus depreciation    Certified
             and decreased Section 179       Public
                                             Accountants
             expense.                        -----------------
                                             Business
                                             Consultants
Effect of the Fiscal Cliff on
Real Estate Markets




 It depends on what happens, and how
long it takes.
 Commercial real estate could suffer   Certified
                                        Public
sooner than residential.                Accountants
                                        -----------------
                                        Business
                                        Consultants
What can Congress do?




 Option 1: Nothing.
 Option 2: Congress can act during the lame
duck session.
 Option 3: Congress can act after the new
year.                                           Certified
                                                Public
                                                Accountants
                                                -----------------
                                                Business
                                                Consultants
What is Likely to Happen?
Politicians disagree on certain aspects of
the tax increases:
                    The Bush-era tax cuts for
                   high income taxpayers.

                    The expanded credits
                   including earned income
                   credit and child tax credit.

                    The increased tax rates on
                   capital gains and dividends.   Certified
                                                  Public
                                                  Accountants
                                                  -----------------
                                                  Business
                                                  Consultants
What if Romney is elected?
        If Republicans have good
       representation in Congress, it
       is likely that no action will be
       taken during the lame duck
       session.

        It is likely that Republicans
       want to continue tax
       breaks, including those for the
       wealthiest households.
                                          Certified
                                          Public
                                          Accountants
                                          -----------------
                                          Business
                                          Consultants
What if Obama is elected?
         Partisanship will likely
        continue especially if
        Republicans make gains in
        Congress.

         The Democrats have
        asked upper income
        families (earning more than
        $250,000) to pay more by
        way of increased rates.
                                      Certified
                                      Public
                                      Accountants
                                      -----------------
                                      Business
                                      Consultants
Things to Consider
 The looming deficit is
a problem.

 The economy is
sensitive.

 Consumer
confidence is
improving but still        Certified

fragile.                   Public
                           Accountants
                           -----------------
                           Business
                           Consultants
Want to Know More?




Read the analysis from the Tax Policy
Center entitled Toppling Off the Fiscal
Cliff: Whose Taxes Rise and How Much?
                                           Certified
                                           Public
                                           Accountants
                                           -----------------
                                           Business
                                           Consultants
Trusted advisors serving quality clients.                                 Certified
                                                                          Public
                                                                          Accountants
                                                                          ----------------
               Rachel Taylor                205-345-8440       JMFCPAs    Business
               rtaylor@jmf.com              www.jmf.com    info@jmf.com   Consultants

More Related Content

Understanding the Fiscal Cliff

  • 1. The Fiscal Cliff Certified Public Presented by Rachel Taylor, CPA Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 2. The Fiscal Cliff Defined: 1. Expiration of particular tax cuts 2. Shifts in alternative minimum tax 3. Increased Medicare taxes 4. New spending cuts 5. Tax extenders 6. Expiration of payroll tax cut Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 3. 1. Expiration of Tax Cuts Bush-Era tax cuts (2001/2003) Reduced tax rates Reduced taxes on long term capital gains Reduced taxes on qualified dividends Increased child tax credit Obama-Era tax cuts (2009) Expanded earned income credit Expanded child tax credit New American Opportunity Credit for tuition Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 4. 2. Shift in Alternative Minimum Tax The AMT patch is scheduled to expire. The reduced AMT exemption will cause more people to pay AMT. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 5. 3. Increased Medicare Taxes New taxes on high income taxpayers (earning over $250,000) An additional .09% Medicare tax on earnings above $250,000. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax on capital gains, dividends, and interest income over Certified certain thresholds. Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 6. 4. New Spending Cuts Provisions from the Budget Control Act of 2011 are slated to go into effect. Includes military and Medicare budgets. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 7. 5. Extenders Other various short- term tax provisions that Congress regularly extends. Includes individual and business credits. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 8. 6. Payroll Tax Cut The social security tax rate cut will expire. It was intended to be short term. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 9. Benefits to Fiscal Cliff? Forces a decrease in the deficit by half a trillion dollars ($500,000,000,000) Future tax breaks? Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 10. Effect of the Fiscal Cliff on Taxes Taxes will rise by $500 billion in 2013. Almost 90% of taxpayers will see taxes rise. Middle income taxpayers will pay $2,000 more. High income taxpayers (top 1%) will pay $120,000 more. Low income taxpayers (less than $20,113/year) will pay $412 more Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 11. Effect of the Fiscal Cliff on Businesses Job loss estimated at 2.14 million. Decrease in gross domestic product could lead to another recession. Decreased hiring and spending as a result of uncertainty. Loss of bonus depreciation Certified and decreased Section 179 Public Accountants expense. ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 12. Effect of the Fiscal Cliff on Real Estate Markets It depends on what happens, and how long it takes. Commercial real estate could suffer Certified Public sooner than residential. Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 13. What can Congress do? Option 1: Nothing. Option 2: Congress can act during the lame duck session. Option 3: Congress can act after the new year. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 14. What is Likely to Happen? Politicians disagree on certain aspects of the tax increases: The Bush-era tax cuts for high income taxpayers. The expanded credits including earned income credit and child tax credit. The increased tax rates on capital gains and dividends. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 15. What if Romney is elected? If Republicans have good representation in Congress, it is likely that no action will be taken during the lame duck session. It is likely that Republicans want to continue tax breaks, including those for the wealthiest households. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 16. What if Obama is elected? Partisanship will likely continue especially if Republicans make gains in Congress. The Democrats have asked upper income families (earning more than $250,000) to pay more by way of increased rates. Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 17. Things to Consider The looming deficit is a problem. The economy is sensitive. Consumer confidence is improving but still Certified fragile. Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 18. Want to Know More? Read the analysis from the Tax Policy Center entitled Toppling Off the Fiscal Cliff: Whose Taxes Rise and How Much? Certified Public Accountants ----------------- Business Consultants
  • 19. Trusted advisors serving quality clients. Certified Public Accountants ---------------- Rachel Taylor 205-345-8440 JMFCPAs Business rtaylor@jmf.com www.jmf.com info@jmf.com Consultants