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Recordkeeping

Everything About Recordkeeping

67 articles
Business recordkeeping requirements, document retention periods, and audit-ready documentation practices

Form 1099-DA Arrives in 2026: A Crypto Investor's Guide to the IRS's First Digital Asset Reporting Form

U.S. digital asset brokers must issue Form 1099-DA for sales after December 31, 2024. This guide explains what each box reports, why 2025 forms cover only gross proceeds while 2026 forms add cost basis, and how to reconcile broker data with your own records on Form 8949.

Form 990, 990-EZ, and 990-N: How Nonprofits Choose the Right Annual Return and Avoid Automatic Revocation

Nonprofits with gross receipts of $50,000 or less file Form 990-N; those under $200,000 receipts and $500,000 assets file 990-EZ; everyone else files the full 990. This guide covers thresholds, deadlines, late penalties up to $120 per day, and the three-year automatic revocation rule that quietly strips exempt status.

HTS Codes and Tariff Classification for Small Importers in 2026: Why Importer of Record Liability Persists Even When You Use a Customs Broker

How the 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule, Chapter 99 add-ons, and Section 301 layers assign legal duty liability to the importer of record—not the broker—and how a prior disclosure under 19 U.S.C. § 1592(c)(4) can cap penalties at interest if you find errors before CBP audits.

IRS Statute of Limitations Under Section 6501: How Long the IRS Has to Audit, Assess, or Refund

Section 6501 gives the IRS three years from filing to assess tax — but the window stretches to six years for omissions over 25% of gross income or basis overstatements, and never closes at all for unfiled returns, fraud, or undisclosed foreign reporting. A practical guide to ASED, refund claim windows under Section 6511, the 10-year CSED, Form 872 consents, and what records to keep.

Section 754 Election: How Partnerships Use Inside Basis Step-Ups to Save Incoming Partners and Heirs From Phantom Gains

A Section 754 election lets a partnership adjust the inside basis of its assets when an interest transfers or property is distributed, preventing incoming partners and heirs from being taxed on appreciation that economically belonged to the seller. The election is permanent, covers both 743(b) and 734(b) adjustments, and matters most for real estate, family, and professional service partnerships.

The Accountable Plan: How S-Corp Owners Reimburse Themselves Tax-Free for Home Office, Mileage, and Travel

A working IRS-compliant accountable plan lets S-Corp owners reimburse home office, 72.5¢/mile mileage, internet, and travel tax-free—turning otherwise-lost expenses into deductible corporate spending. This guide covers the three §1.62-2 requirements, a worked $3,126 home office calculation, the five mistakes that get plans reclassified as wages, and the monthly bookkeeping rhythm that keeps it audit-proof.