Arrow Exchange Tax Solutions

  Help protect your employees’ 401(k) plan savings from fraud Recently, a 401(k) plan participant was defrauded of approximately $740,000 when he fell victim to an elaborate scheme perpetrated by overseas criminals. However, even friends, family members and employers have been discovered stealing from 401(k) accounts, adding up to millions of dollars in losses every year. Here’s what your organization can do to help keep your employees’ retirement savings safe from theft. Assessing existing protections If your organization sponsors a 401(k) plan, assessing plan service providers’ protection systems and policies is essential. Most providers carry cyber fraud insurance that they extend to plan participants. But there may be limits to this protection if, for example, the provider determines that you (the sponsor) or employees (participants) opened the door to a security breach. Your plan’s documents may say that participants must adopt the provider’s recommended security practice...

  Understand your spouse’s inheritance rights before getting remarried One of the golden rules of estate planning is to revisit your plan after a significant life event. Such an event may be getting married, having a child, going through a divorce or getting remarried. If you’re taking a second trip down the aisle, you may have different expectations than when you married the first time, especially when it comes to estate planning. For example, if you have children from a previous marriage, your priority may be to provide for them. You may feel your new spouse should have more limited rights to your assets than your spouse in your first marriage. Unfortunately, your state’s law may not see it that way. Indeed, in nearly every state, a person’s spouse has certain property rights that apply regardless of the terms of the estate plan. And these rights are the same whether it’s your first marriage or your second or third. Defining an elective share Spousal property rights are creatures...

  From flights to meals: A guide to business travel tax deductions As a business owner, you may travel to visit customers, attend conferences, check on vendors and for other purposes. Understanding which travel expenses are tax deductible can significantly affect your bottom line. Properly managing travel costs can help ensure compliance and maximize your tax savings. Your tax home Eligible taxpayers can deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses of business travel when away from their “tax homes.” Ordinary means common and accepted in the industry. Necessary means helpful and appropriate for the business. Expenses aren’t deductible if they’re for personal purposes, lavish or extravagant. That doesn’t mean you can’t fly first class or stay in luxury hotels. But you’ll need to show that expenses were reasonable. Your tax home isn’t necessarily where you maintain your family home. Instead, it refers to the city or general area where your principal place of  business  i...

The IRS recently announced 2026 amounts for Health Savings Accounts The IRS recently released the 2026 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Employees will be able to save a modest amount more in their HSAs next year. HSA basics An HSA is a trust created or organized exclusively for the purpose of paying the “qualified medical expenses” of an “account beneficiary.” An HSA can only be established for the benefit of an “eligible individual” who is covered under a “high-deductible health plan” (HDHP). In addition, a participant can’t be enrolled in Medicare or have other health coverage (exceptions include dental, vision, long-term care, accident and specific disease insurance). Within specified dollar limits, an above-the-line tax deduction is allowed for an individual’s contribution to an HSA. This annual contribution limitation and the annual deductible and out-of-pocket expenses under the tax code are adjusted annually for inflation. Inflation adjustments for ...

It may be in your best interest to file a gift tax return If you’ve given a significant financial gift to a family member, you may wonder whether you’re required to file a gift tax return. Even if no tax is due, filing Form 709, United States Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return, can be a smart decision. Indeed, a timely filed gift tax return that meets the IRS’s adequate disclosure requirements starts the clock on the statute of limitations. This year, the deadline to file a 2024 gift tax return is April 15 (October 15 if you file for an extension). Three-year time limit Generally, the IRS has three years to challenge the value of a transaction for gift tax purposes or to assert that a nongift was, in fact, a partial gift. But unless the transaction is adequately disclosed, there’s no time limit for reviewing it and assessing additional gift tax. That means the IRS can collect unpaid gift taxes — plus penalties and interest — years or even decades later. Some may hesitat...

  Why you should exercise caution when investing in crypto Driven by an increased interest in cryptocurrency, little regulatory oversight and the constant introduction of new coins, cryptocurrency fraud could reach unprecedented levels in 2025. Fraud perpetrators no longer need to rely only on phishing attacks or counterfeit coins — they’re now using artificial intelligence to scam crypto investors. Unfortunately, many law enforcement agencies don’t have the resources to keep up with the latest fraud schemes. it’s up to crypto investors to be on the lookout for potential fraud. AI enters the equation The first crypto scams involved Ponzi schemes and rug pulls, where promoters abandoned coins they introduced and disappeared with investors’ funds. Now, AI-powered frauds involving deepfake influencers have become almost run-of-the-mill. For example, “pig butchering,” where criminals build long-term relationships with their victims to foster trust and entice them to invest in fict...