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Tax Updates

IRS and California tax news, explained

A short monthly summary of the federal and California tax changes that matter to families, businesses and nonprofits, reviewed by our CPA.

November 2026

Key numbers for your 2026 return, and the first look at 2027

For the 2026 return you will file in early 2027

  • Standard deduction: $16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly, $24,150 head of household.
  • New deductions continue, whether or not you itemize (income limits apply): qualified tips up to $25,000; qualified overtime up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint); interest on a qualifying new-car loan up to $10,000; and an extra $6,000 deduction for taxpayers 65 and older.
  • New for 2026: taxpayers who take the standard deduction can also deduct cash gifts to charity, up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint). Donor-advised funds do not qualify.

For business owners

  • Form 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC: the reporting threshold rises from $600 to $2,000 for payments made in 2026. Keep collecting W-9s from every contractor anyway.
  • Form 1099-K: payment apps and card processors report only when you receive more than $20,000 and more than 200 transactions. All income is still taxable even without a form.

Looking ahead: 2027 figures (announced Nov. 5, 2026)

  • Standard deduction: $16,600 single, $33,200 joint, $24,925 head of household.
  • Child tax credit: up to $2,300 per child.
  • Annual gift exclusion: $20,000 per person. Estate exclusion: $15.48 million.

California

  • The Franchise Tax Board will publish its inflation-adjusted 2026 amounts in late December. We'll cover them in our next update.
What to do before December 31: top up retirement contributions, make planned charitable gifts, keep records of tips and overtime, and book your return by January 31 to get our Early Bird price.

Sources: IRS IR-2026-133 · IRS 2026 adjustments · IRS new deductions · California FTB

Noviembre de 2026

Cifras clave para su declaración de 2026 y un primer vistazo a 2027

Para la declaración de 2026 que presentará a inicios de 2027

  • Deducción estándar: $16,100 soltero, $32,200 casados declarando juntos, $24,150 cabeza de familia.
  • Siguen las nuevas deducciones, detalle o no sus deducciones (con límites de ingreso): propinas calificadas hasta $25,000; horas extra calificadas hasta $12,500 ($25,000 en conjunto); intereses de un préstamo calificado para auto nuevo hasta $10,000; y una deducción adicional de $6,000 para mayores de 65 años.
  • Nuevo para 2026: quienes toman la deducción estándar también pueden deducir donaciones en efectivo a organizaciones benéficas, hasta $1,000 ($2,000 en conjunto). Los fondos asesorados por donantes no califican.

Para dueños de negocio

  • Formularios 1099-NEC y 1099-MISC: el umbral sube de $600 a $2,000 para pagos hechos en 2026. Siga pidiendo el W-9 a cada contratista.
  • Formulario 1099-K: las aplicaciones de pago reportan solo si recibe más de $20,000 y más de 200 transacciones. Todo ingreso sigue siendo tributable aunque no reciba el formulario.

Mirando a 2027 (anunciado el 5 de noviembre de 2026)

  • Deducción estándar: $16,600 soltero, $33,200 en conjunto, $24,925 cabeza de familia.
  • Crédito tributario por hijos: hasta $2,300 por hijo.
  • Exclusión anual de donaciones: $20,000 por persona. Exclusión del patrimonio: $15.48 millones.

California

  • La Junta de Impuestos de California (FTB) publicará sus cifras ajustadas de 2026 a finales de diciembre. Las cubriremos en la próxima actualización.
Qué hacer antes del 31 de diciembre: aumente sus aportes de jubilación, haga las donaciones previstas, guarde registros de propinas y horas extra, y reserve su declaración antes del 31 de enero para obtener nuestro precio anticipado.

Fuentes: IRS IR-2026-133 · IRS ajustes 2026 · IRS nuevas deducciones · FTB California

نوفمبر 2026

أرقام مهمة لإقرارك عن عام 2026، ونظرة أولى على عام 2027

لإقرار عام 2026 الذي ستقدّمه في بداية 2027

  • الخصم القياسي: ‏16,100 دولار للأعزب، و32,200 دولار للمتزوجين بإقرار مشترك، و24,150 دولارًا لرب الأسرة.
  • تستمر الخصومات الجديدة سواء فصّلت خصوماتك أم لا (مع حدود للدخل): الإكراميات المؤهلة حتى 25,000 دولار؛ أجر العمل الإضافي المؤهل حتى 12,500 دولار (25,000 للإقرار المشترك)؛ فوائد قرض سيارة جديدة مؤهل حتى 10,000 دولار؛ وخصم إضافي قدره 6,000 دولار لمن بلغ 65 عامًا فأكثر.
  • جديد لعام 2026: يمكن لمن يأخذ الخصم القياسي أيضًا خصم التبرعات النقدية للجمعيات الخيرية حتى 1,000 دولار (2,000 للإقرار المشترك). لا تشمل صناديق المانحين.

لأصحاب الأعمال

  • نموذجا ⁦1099-NEC⁩ و⁦1099-MISC⁩: يرتفع حد الإبلاغ من 600 دولار إلى 2,000 دولار للمدفوعات في عام 2026. استمر في جمع نموذج ⁦W-9⁩ من كل متعاقد.
  • نموذج ⁦1099-K⁩: تُبلّغ تطبيقات الدفع فقط إذا تجاوزت مقبوضاتك 20,000 دولار و200 معاملة. ويظل كل دخل خاضعًا للضريبة حتى دون نموذج.

نظرة إلى 2027 (أُعلنت في 5 نوفمبر 2026)

  • الخصم القياسي: 16,600 دولار للأعزب، و33,200 للإقرار المشترك، و24,925 لرب الأسرة.
  • الإعفاء الضريبي عن الأطفال: حتى 2,300 دولار لكل طفل.
  • حد الهبة السنوي: 20,000 دولار لكل شخص. إعفاء التركات: 15.48 مليون دولار.

كاليفورنيا

  • سينشر مجلس ضرائب كاليفورنيا (FTB) أرقام 2026 المعدّلة حسب التضخم في أواخر ديسمبر، وسنغطيها في التحديث القادم.
ماذا تفعل قبل 31 ديسمبر: زد مساهماتك في التقاعد، وقدّم تبرعاتك المخطط لها، واحتفظ بسجلات الإكراميات والعمل الإضافي، واحجز إقرارك قبل 31 يناير للحصول على سعر الحجز المبكر.

المصادر: IRS IR-2026-133 · تعديلات IRS لعام 2026 · الخصومات الجديدة من IRS · FTB كاليفورنيا

Tax-saving strategies

Ideas worth discussing with your CPA

These are common, legitimate ways people and businesses lower their taxes. Whether one fits you depends on your numbers, so let's talk before you act.

Solo 401(k) for the self-employed

If you own a business with no employees other than a spouse, a Solo 401(k) lets you contribute as both the employee and the employer, often far more than an IRA or SEP allows. Deadlines to open the plan matter, so plan before year-end.

Consider an S-corp election

For profitable LLCs, paying yourself a reasonable salary plus distributions can reduce self-employment tax. It adds payroll and filing work, so the numbers have to make sense.

Track every business expense

Home office, vehicle mileage, phone, software and education costs add up. Good records turn them into deductions and protect you in an audit.

Use a Health Savings Account

With a high-deductible health plan, HSA money goes in tax-free, grows tax-free and comes out tax-free for medical costs.

Time income and deductions

Shifting a bonus, invoice or large purchase across December 31, or grouping charitable gifts into one year, can lower your total tax over two years.

Cost segregation for real estate

A cost segregation study splits a building into parts, such as fixtures, flooring and land improvements, that depreciate in 5 to 15 years instead of 27.5 or 39. That can create large deductions in the early years. It usually pays off for larger properties, and the extra depreciation can be taxed again when you sell.

Pay estimated taxes on time

Quarterly payments avoid IRS and California underpayment penalties, a simple saving many self-employed people miss.

Claim the new deductions

Tips, overtime, car loan interest and the extra senior deduction are new. They require records and have income limits, so keep your pay stubs and loan statements.

For high-income individuals and business owners

Backdoor Roth IRA

Earn too much to contribute to a Roth IRA directly? A nondeductible IRA contribution followed by a Roth conversion can still get money into tax-free growth. Existing pre-tax IRA balances affect the result.

Cash balance pension plan

For owners with steady high profits, a cash balance plan can be added on top of a 401(k), allowing much larger deductible contributions, especially for owners in their 50s and 60s.

California pass-through entity tax

Owners of S corporations, partnerships and LLCs may be able to have the business pay California tax and deduct it federally, working around the federal cap on state tax deductions. The election has strict deadlines.

Give appreciated assets

Donating stock or other investments you have held over a year, directly or through a donor-advised fund, can give you a deduction and avoid capital gains tax on the growth.

1031 exchange

Selling investment real estate? Reinvesting the proceeds in another investment property through a qualified intermediary can defer the capital gains tax. The 45- and 180-day deadlines are strict.

Tax-loss harvesting

Selling investments that are down to offset gains elsewhere, then staying invested in something similar, can reduce this year's tax. Watch the 30-day wash-sale rule.

Qualified small business stock

Founders and early investors in qualifying C corporations may exclude a large part of the gain when they sell stock held long enough. Structure and records from day one matter.

Real estate professional status

If you or your spouse work mainly in real estate and meet the hour tests, rental losses may offset other income such as wages or business profit. The IRS checks the time logs closely.

This page is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation. Tax rules change and depend on your facts. Contact Guardians CPA before acting on any strategy.

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