J.K. Lasser's Small Business Taxes 2026: Your Complete Guide to a Better Bottom Line

by Barbara Weltman

Overview

Straightforward small business tax guidance from America’s favorite expert

In the newly revised J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes 2026: Your Complete Guide to a Better Bottom Line, small business attorney and tax expert Barbara Weltman delivers small business tax planning info based on the new tax law. You’ll discover the exact steps you need to take to minimize your 2025 tax bill and position your business for tax savings in the year ahead. The book contains comprehensive and straightforward guidance that walks you through which deductions and credits to look out for and how to use them.

Weltman shows you the tax relief and newly created write-off opportunities legally available to your small business—as well as how to claim them on your IRS forms—and what records and receipts you’ll need to keep. You’ll also find:

• Tax facts, strategies, checklists, and the latest info you need to make sure you pay Uncle Sam what he’s owed – and not a penny more
• Sample IRS forms that show you how to properly claim applicable deductions and credits
• New tax laws, court decisions, and IRS rulings that impact your bottom line
• A complimentary new e-supplement that contains the latest developments from the IRS and Congress

An essential resource for small business owners, J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes 2026 is your personal roadmap to shrinking your tax bill while making sure you pay your fair (and legal) share.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781394359790
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/09/2025
Series:	J.K. Lasser
Pages:	640
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

BARBARA WELTMAN is an attorney and a nationally recognized expert in taxation for small businesses, as well as the author of many top-selling books on taxes and finance, including J.K. Lasser’s 1001 Deductions & Tax Breaks. She is also the publisher of Idea of the Day® and Big Ideas for Small Business®, an award-winning blogger and quoted regularly in major publications (including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Consumer Reports). Visit her at www.BigIdeasForSmallBusiness.com.

Table of Contents

Preface v

Introduction vii

Part 1 Organization 1

1. Business Organization 3

2. Tax Year and Accounting Methods 36

3. Recordkeeping for Business Income and Deductions 51

Part 2 Business Income and Losses 61

4. Income or Loss from Business Operations 63

5. Capital Gains and Losses 96

6. Gains and Losses from Sales of Business Property 117

Part 3 Business Deductions and Credits 129

7. Employee Compensation: Salary, Wages, and Employee Benefits 131

8. Travel, Meals, and Gift Expenses 166

9. Vehicle Expenses 187

10. Repairs, Maintenance, and Energy Improvements 215

11. Bad Debts 234

12. Rents 245

13. Taxes and Interest 255

14. Expensing, Depreciation, Amortization, and Depletion 274

15. Advertising Expenses 308

16. Retirement Plans 314

17. Casualty and Theft Losses 359

18. Home Office Deductions 372

19. Medical Coverage 389

20. Deductions and Tax Credits for Farmers 410

21. Qualified Business Income Deduction 421

22. Miscellaneous Business Deductions 436

23. Roundup of Tax Credits 470

Part 4 Tax Planning for Your Small Business 483

24. Income and Deduction Strategies 485

25. Distributions from Your Business 497

26. Tax Strategies for Opening or Closing a Business 501

27. Tax Strategies for a Sideline Business 514

28. Tax Strategies for Multiple Businesses 518

29. Alternative Minimum Tax 523

30. Other Taxes 527

31. Filing Tax Returns, Paying Taxes, and Making Refund Claims 545

32. Retirement and Succession Planning 558

33. Working with CPAs and Other Tax Professionals 566

34. Handling Audits with the IRS 570

35. Using IRS Services 575

Appendix A. Information Returns 582

Appendix B. Tax Penalties 591

Appendix C. Checklist of Tax-Related Corporate Resolutions 598

Appendix D. List of Dollar Limits and Amounts Adjusted for Inflation 600

Index 603