Insights on tax, equity, and building wealth
Guides and analysis from the Harness team and the advisors on the platform.
Tax Advisor Weekly — December 19, 2025
With just days left in the year, tax policy is shifting from debate to implementation. Federal agencies are rolling out guidance tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, lawmakers are openly rethinking how health coverage subsidies should work in 2026, and the real-world consequences of tariff policy are becoming increasingly visible—not just in the U.S., but globally.
How to Implement New Technology in Your Firm, Step by Step
There's little question that digital technology offers tax firms major advantages, from efficient workflows to improved client relationships. So much so, in fact, that technology is now a fundamental requirement for any tax firm that takes growth and profitability seriously.
Tax Advisor Weekly — December 12, 2025
As we move deeper into December, fiscal debates are intensifying on several fronts. President Trump has revived a dramatic idea: replacing federal individual income taxes with tariff revenue. Global tax negotiations are facing new fractures as China and several EU nations push back on U.S. carve-outs.
What Your Clients Aren’t Telling You About Cybersecurity
A recent Harness survey revealed that 46% of high-earning clients feel either neutral or skeptical about their tax advisor's ability to protect their data. Although clients may remain silent about these concerns, the fact that nearly half of them are unsure at best about their tax advisors' security measures should be a major cause for concern.
Tax Advisor Weekly — December 5, 2025
December has arrived, and with it a wave of year-end policy pressure. The White House is still scrambling to salvage a health care plan before enhanced ACA subsidies expire, trade officials are openly weighing an exit from USMCA, and lawmakers are bracing for the Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s signature tariffs.
How Do I Find a Tax Professional To Do My Personal Taxes?
Filing your taxes can feel straightforward when your finances are simple. But once equity compensation, multiple income streams, investment gains, or a major life change enters the picture, the process becomes more complicated—and the stakes get higher. Choosing the right tax professional can help you reduce errors and feel confident that everything was done correctly.
Tax Advisor Weekly — November 28, 2025
Today on Black Friday, consumers are focused on discounts—but policymakers are still wrestling with some very expensive decisions. Health insurance subsidies remain in limbo, the Supreme Court is signaling unease with the administration’s tariff strategy, and the IRS has released modest inflation adjustments for 2026. Meanwhile, a major shift in crypto compliance begins next year, fundamentally changing how digital asset investors must report activity.
SECURE 2.0 Retirement Account Changes 2025: 401k & IRA Updates Explained
SECURE 2.0 is reshaping retirement planning, with the most significant provisions taking effect in 2025. If you're wondering how these changes will impact your retirement strategy and what opportunities you should prepare for, read on.
How to Calculate Underpayment of Estimated Taxes
Estimated tax payments are quarterly installments required for income not subject to withholding. Self-employed individuals, investors, and those with substantial supplemental income need to proactively calculate and pay their tax obligations throughout the year, unlike employees whose taxes are automatically withheld.
Tax Advisor Weekly — November 21, 2025
As winter approaches, the tax landscape is shifting sharply once again. President Trump has reversed key tariffs on food imports like coffee and bananas amid surging grocery costs—but economic tension remains, with inflation still climbing in many sectors.
S Corp Reasonable Salary—How to Set a Fair and IRS-Compliant Pay
Electing S Corp status can be a smart tax move for small business owners, freelancers, and single-member LLCs. It allows you to take part of your income as salary and the rest as distributions, which aren’t subject to self-employment tax. But with that benefit comes one rule the IRS pays close attention to—your salary has to be “reasonable.”
The Small Business Tax Deductions Checklist: Maximize Your 2025 Savings
For small businesses, the start of a new tax year can usher in the potential for lost profits in the shape of new lax laws. With thresholds and deductions shifting on a near-continuous basis, what applied last year to your business may not necessarily apply now, and you stand to lose money if you don't stay up-to-date with any relevant changes.
Tax Advisor Weekly — November 14, 2025
With the U.S. government officially reopened after a record-breaking 43-day shutdown, tax professionals now face a post-crisis landscape filled with political volatility, delayed services, and looming policy battles. President Trump signed the stopgap funding bill late Tuesday night, restoring operations across federal agencies—but without the healthcare subsidies Democrats had demanded.
Tax Advisor Weekly — November 7, 2025
With Washington gridlocked and the courts weighing high-stakes questions, tax policy is shifting on multiple fronts. The Supreme Court has now heard arguments over the legality of Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs, which have netted over $150 billion for the federal government this year alone.
10 Common Tax Mistakes Small Businesses Make
Running a small business means juggling sales, payroll, expenses, growth plans, and somewhere in the mix—taxes. The IRS has increased its focus on small business compliance in 2025, especially around payroll taxes, digital payments, worker classification, and estimated tax payments. Most tax errors aren’t intentional. They happen because business owners are moving fast, wearing too many hats, or relying on outdated assumptions about what’s required.
The Hidden Tax Advantage of Bad Investments
Whether it's due to broader market downturns or just poor performance in a specific venture, investors face the ever-present risk of financial loss. The silver lining is an opportunity to reduce your tax burden through strategic tax loss harvesting across multiple asset classes.
Tax Advisor Weekly — October 31, 2025
As the dust settles from President Trump’s summer tax overhaul, policy impacts are showing up in unexpected places. Taxpayers are likely to see larger-than-expected refunds in 2026 due to IRS withholding delays. Meanwhile, new capital gains exemptions may change exit planning for business owners.
5 Challenges for Accounting Professionals in 2025
It's fair to say the accounting profession is currently dealing with a range of issues unlike anything it's experienced in recent history. A combination of technological disruption, increased regulatory complexity, and shifting client expectations are reshaping the industry at a rapid pace.
What You Should Know About the SALT Deduction in 2025
The tax arena is shifting quite dramatically in 2025, with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act raising the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000. This fourfold increase creates major tax-saving opportunities, especially for those in high-tax states constrained by the previous limit.
Trump’s Plan to Eliminate US Expat Taxes: What It Means for Americans Abroad
In a major, but yet-to-be-enacted legislative effort, the U.S. government is seeing movement regarding the burden of Citizenship-Based Taxation (CBT) on Americans living abroad. While a shift has been strongly advocated by Donald Trump, the core system of worldwide taxation remains in place.
Cybersecurity Best Practices 2025 Every Tax Professional Should Know
Cyber threats aren’t slowing down—and for tax professionals, the stakes in 2025 are higher than ever. From phishing scams to ransomware and data breaches, client information is a prime target. The reality is simple: protecting sensitive financial data has become just as critical as delivering accurate tax advice.
The 2026 Charitable Deduction Reset: What High-Earners Should Do Before the Rules Change
Philanthropy is undergoing a major shift in 2026 as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation is introducing new charitable deduction floors and caps, which will change the face of charitable giving, particularly for high-net-worth donors.
Section 301 Tariffs for Small Businesses in 2025: Current Rates, Exclusions, and FAQs
The near-constant shift in tariff policies, and Section 301 tariffs in particular, is creating a difficult terrain for small businesses to operate in. What makes the situation especially challenging is how these tariffs stack on each other. Original Section 301 duties combine with newer measures such as fentanyl tariffs and reciprocal tariffs on Chinese imports, putting a major strain on small business profit margins and making it difficult to plan and price products.
Tax Advisor Weekly — October 24, 2025
From the courtroom to the supply chain, U.S. economic policy sent shockwaves through tax planning again this week. A new S&P Global analysis shows Trump-era tariffs may cost businesses over $1.2 trillion in 2025—with consumers bearing most of the burden. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is now the battleground for legal fights over Trump's executive powers, from tariff authority to agency control.
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