By Greg Daugherty on Are you able to accrue and deduct annual bonuses for a 2013 calendar year performance period in 2013, so long as you pay the bonuses to your employees by March 15, 2014? If this question sounds familiar, it is because we have blogged about past efforts of the IRS to address this issue. Historically, most employers believed that the answer was they could deduct the bonuses in the year accrued rather than the year paid, but during the past few years, the IRS has chipped away at that belief. In a recent Chief Counsel Advice Memorandum, the IRS issued its most sweeping guidance to date on the issue.… Continue Reading
By Greg Daugherty on Are you able to accrue and deduct annual bonuses for a 2011 performance period in 2011, despite the fact that an employee is required to be employed through the payment date in 2012 in order to receive the bonus? A few years ago, the IRS issued guidance that strongly suggested the answer was no, the deduction could not be taken in 2011.… Continue Reading
