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We are in the early days of understanding the possible impact of the new Omicron variant; it can be difficult to parse fact from opinion. In The Atlantic, Derek Thompson looks at the studies and anecdotal evidence available at this point so we can develop an early if imperfect evaluation of the risks.

• Omicron is more transmissible and will spread faster than Delta.
• Omicron will cause more breakthrough infections.
• On the positive side, Omicron will produce less severe illness, but could still result in a high number of hospitalizations.
• Getting vaccinated plus a booster seems to ward off severe illness.
• As long as countries in the southern hemisphere have low vaccination rates, COVID-19 may be with us a long time.

As Thompson concludes his article, “We’re all in this together.” I believe it is now more important than ever before to be, and be diligent and deliberate in your actions,  understanding of and compassionate to others.

I just traveled from NYS through Detroit, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee.

Glad for the window seat and a beautiful morning for flying; great shot of the Rockaway Peninsula.

Even though I am double vaccinated and received my booster 2 weeks prior to my first trip I continued to practice social distancing and wear a mask when not eating or presenting on a seminar.   I had a great time visiting and did not feel out of place anywhere I went.  I would feel terrible if someone got sick because I was an inadvertent carrier.

Now we are all planning and hoping to see family again for the new year, let’s continue to be diligent in our efforts.

Of course I cheat by going on my beach walk/runs (don’t tell Emily as I am only 2 weeks post pain management procedure and she will yell at me, but I feel great and am so glad to be feeling almost back to my old self).

So glad to be out on these beautiful December mornings, each one so different, but glad to share with you.

THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT (ARPA)

Monthly Advance Child Tax Credit Payments

With the last of the advance Child Tax Credit payments under ARPA scheduled to go out this week, Democrats are in a bind to pass legislation to continue those payments, which they see as crucial to reducing childhood poverty. While a few Republicans have signaled that they support a continuation of the program, they also want changes to restrict payments based on income and to tie payments to work.

As a reminder, the IRS will be sending out letters in January with the total amount of advance child tax credit payments received. The information on this letter will be needed for reconciliation purposes when you file your 2021 tax return.  Again we remind you, you will be required to reconcile the total amount of payments received in 2021 with the amount you can claim on your tax return in order to get the proper refund or pay the proper balance due.  For more information on the expanded child tax credits see the IRS FAQs.

TAX MATTERS

IRS Form 6475: 2021 Stimulus Payment

The IRS has created form 6475 which will provide you with your 2021 stimulus payment.  We will be asked to reconcile your eligible amount with the advance payments you may have received during mid-2021.  This is a similar process with what we were asked to do when submitting our 2020 tax returns.

IRS On-Line Services

The IRS will be requiring anyone who wants to access online services such as the Child Tax Credit Update Portal or their online IRS account to log in using an ID.me account by the summer of 2022. Taxpayers with existing non-ID.me log in credentials can continue to use the old system, but will have to create a new ID.me log in to access IRS services after the change. This change is being made to ensure that access to taxpayer information is only available to the correct person.

2021 401K and Other Deferred Income Elections

As 2021 draws to a close, there’s still time to make some changes to your retirement accounts. If you haven’t maxed out your 401(k) contribution, consider making extra salary deferrals by year end to reach the maximum $19,500 or $26,000 for those over 50.

Tax Planning Through IRA Conversions

With tax rates at historic low rates, this might be a good time to convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.

2021 Required Minimum Distributions (RMD)

Don’t forget to take any required minimum distributions from your accounts – after a one- year break from RMDs in 2020, those are once again in effect.

Home Office Deduction for the Self-Employed

Did you start a business working out of your home during 2021? If so, you may be eligible to claim a home office tax deduction. This tax deduction is available to anyone who is self-employed and uses part of their home regularly and exclusively for work. Unfortunately, through 2025, the home office deduction is not available to employees who work from home. The tax code allows two methods for calculating this deduction. Using the simplified method, you can deduct $5 per square foot, up to a $1,500 cap. With the actual expense method you can deduct the actual expenses for your home office.  The actual method may get you a larger deduction, having a greater impact on your tax liability.  It’s a bit more work to gather  and report this information, but well worth is as includable expenses are:

• direct maintenance and repairs for the home office, as well as the pro rata share for:
•  maintaining the entire home
•  insurance
• utilities
• rent or mortgage and real estate taxes

This is obviously NOT a DYI portion of the tax code so be sure to consult with your tax advisor.

FRAUD

Have you invested in cryptocurrency? Due in part to increased cryptocurrency usage, crypto heists are getting bigger. Thieves mainly target either centralized exchanges, which store a user’s assets in digital wallets, or decentralized finance (DeFi) services, which are peer-to-peer financial services running on public blockchains. Thieves tend to exploit weaknesses in code to steal assets, then launder those stolen assets through wallets. Before using a particular crypto wallet or exchange, users should evaluate the reputation and professionalism of the company and the people involved. Adding two-factor authentication and requiring approval for withdrawals can also help to keep your assets safe.

THE GREAT REASSESSMENT

The exit interview is a common ritual when leaving a job. But before you agree to one, think carefully about what you want to achieve with a conversation about your reasons for leaving. Pro-active employers generally welcome honest feedback which helps them improve their workplaces. Exit interviews can also provide the cathartic experience for expressing long-held frustrations and grievances. However, it’s wise to carefully consider how any negative comments might reflect badly on you in the future.

The “Great Resignation” is not just about people quitting their jobs, as Derek Thompson explains in a piece in The Atlantic that counters three common myths.

• the Great Resignation isn’t just about people quitting their jobs. In the sectors with the greatest numbers of quits, such as leisure and hospitality,  many people are leaving low-paying positions for jobs with better pay and benefits
• the Great Resignation isn’t about white-collar burnout. While many white-collar workers have been expressing increased levels of burnout, that burnout does not seem to result in large numbers leaving their jobs.
• this is not solely a 2021 phenomenon. The largest group of people who left the workforce (maybe for good) tend to be older workers who quit in 2020, possibly for health reasons, and possibly as an early retirement.

REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK OPTIONS

The Omicron variant, a Thanksgiving-related surge in infections, and uncertainty about the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate is upending plans to return to the office and require vaccination. Many companies are extending or continuing with remote and hybrid work options, while companies are split between continuing with vaccine mandates or encouraging employees to be vaccinated. Companies that have committed to reopening offices and operating as they did before the pandemic are having the most challenging time, as many employees have either moved away or threaten to quit if they must return to the office.

LEADERSHIP

Problems with company identity and employee morale frequently manifest as turnover. To get through difficult times, Vladik Rikhter, CEO and co-founder of Zenput, says the foundation to his company’s success in 2021 was building a resilient leadership team, maintaining transparency, and investing in team identity. A resilient leadership team works not just for the best compensation, but for the mission and vision of the company. Demonstrating transparency during good times as well as bad times helps in overcoming obstacles. Leaders who are clear on a company’s mission, vision, and values, and connect those to the team helps to build strong teams who can get through tough times together.

ECONOMY

According to the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for October, the number of people quitting their jobs is decreasing. The JOLTS survey runs a month behind the nonfarm payrolls report, and showed that the number of openings exceeded those looking for jobs by 3.6 million in October.

Multiple rounds of government stimulus payments increased the overall savings rate by 26% this past spring, but that pandemic era savings is rapidly dwindling. While those in the lowest income groups saw the largest percentage increase in savings rates, that still amounted to total cash balances of only about $1,000. With stimulus payments and the additional federal unemployment payments at an end, many families have already depleted their savings. While the additional cash buffer gave many workers additional leverage to seek out new jobs with higher wages, over the long run, those wage increases may be passed on as price increases or may threaten the long-term viability of some businesses.

Why has counting and predicting the number of jobs been so difficult in the COVID-19 era? Two big reasons: First, predicting the behavior of companies and consumers amid unprecedented government stimulus, labor-market shifts, and virus fears has been difficult for economists. Second, government payroll data comes largely from surveys, and employers have not been providing as much data. While an error of 200,000 in the number of jobs created seems significant, that amounts to only a rounding error compared to the 149 million jobs in the entire U.S. labor market. Labor estimates also depend on regular ebbs and flows with the seasons, but the pandemic has disrupted those regular patterns.

GENERAL RESOURCES

• IRS resources for stimulus payments:
  • Use the Get My Payment tool to check on EIP payment status
  • Eligibility and general information about Economic Impact Payments
  • A list of frequently asked questions for stimulus payments
• IRS information about the Advance Child Tax Credit Payments
  • Portal to update information
  • A list of frequently asked questions on the advance Child Tax Credit Payments
• The best source for up-to-date and accurate health information is the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
• Our Covid-19 Resource Center with relevant blog posts, videos and prior weekly newsletters
• Payroll, HR and benefits company Gusto has put together An Employer’s Guide to Navigating the Coronavirus
• Accounting Today has a special page for articles on COVID-19
• Intuit QuickBooks has a dedicated page to help small businesses
• Entrepreneur put together a listing of free tech resources for remote work
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has warnings about COVID-related scams
• Fast Company has a listing of the best productivity apps for 2020
• The New York Times has an online newsletter on K-12 and higher education
• The Wall Street Journal has a collection of articles on education
• The Louvre has digitized 482,000 artworks from its collection
• PC Magazine explains how to carry your vaccination card on your phone
• How to create a strong password

We sincerely hope that you and your family are well and remain well. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are all in this together!

If you need help with your accounting, want to create a tax minimization plan, want to discuss your business growth plan or your finances, are concerned about retirement goals or need to be held accountable for your 90 day action plan, contact us for a complimentary discovery session or an appointment to just get started.