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What to consider before lending money to family and friends
When your best friend views your
nest egg as a source of start-up funds for his latest business venture, or your
nephew hits you up for a car loan, your first impulse may be to reach into your
bank account to help. But it's a fact that loans to family and friends often
end up straining both finances and relationships. As Shakespeare said,
"Loan oft loses both itself and friend." In other words, if you lend
money to friends, you often don't get paid back, and the friendship itself may
disintegrate.
It's best to consider a loan to
someone you love as an "arm's length" transaction. If you're
pondering such a loan, keep the following in mind:
* You can just say "no."
It's your money, after all. Do you really want to raid an emergency fund or dip
into your child's college account to finance a friend's business idea? Think
like a bank. It's reasonable to ask tough questions about the person's bank
accounts, potential sources of income, planned use of loan proceeds, and
spending habits before extending credit.
* Consider a gift. If you're
comfortable sharing your resources, you may want to provide a monetary gift
with no strings attached. In many cases, this is the best solution because
neither you nor your friend expect the money to be paid back. Unlike a loan, this
type of arrangement can forestall misunderstandings and hurt feelings later on.
Of course, you should not give money if doing so would unduly strain your own
finances.
* Formalize loans. If you decide to
lend more than a small amount to a friend or family member, it's generally best
to draft a written agreement. This can be as simple as filling out a promissory
note (available online or at office supply stores). Such forms spell out the
basic terms of the loan -- amount, interest rate, payback period -- and provide
some limited protection should you and the borrower end up in small claims
court. Another recent innovation is the use of direct lending (also called
social lending or peer-to-peer lending) websites to facilitate loans between
family and friends. For a fee, such sites can prepare loan documentation, send
payment reminders, issue regular reports, even facilitate electronic fund
transfers. If the loan involves a significant amount of money, check with your
attorney.
Remember: Many personal relationships
have been damaged when loans go awry. So proceed with caution.
Posted in general
Happy New Year! Well, with new year comes with new rules.
Hello, this is Noel Dalmacio, your ultimate CPA at lowermytaxnow.
As you begin preparing your final payroll tax returns for 2016, take into account earlier due dates for two common reporting forms.
Forms W-2 for 2016 are due January 31st. The January 31 deadline applies to forms given to employees, as well as those submitted to the Social Security Administration. IRS late penalties will range from $50 - $530. Ouch! While CA will charge $50 per return. So watch out!
Forms 1099-MISC with non-employee compensation in Box 7 are due January 31st. The January 31 due dates applies to forms given to the recipients, as well as paper and electronic copies filed with the IRS. Please note that this due date applies only to 1099s that report amounts in box 7. The due dates (end of February) remain unchanged for the other boxes. Now, if you don’t have the proper information of the recipients, make sure you provide them a copy of the W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number so they can fill it out and return it to you ASAP.
Why? Well, there is a $260 per return federal penalty for failure to file the 1099s. If filed within 30 days of the due date, the federal penalty is reduced to $50 per return. To make it worse, California conforms to these due dates. And they have their own applicable penalties. For 1099s it’s $100 for failure to file, $30 if filed within 30 days of the due date.
So watch out! Make sure you file the W-2s and 1099-Misc with non-employee compensation by January 31st to avoid incurring penalties.
If you like to learn more, click the link lowermytaxnow.com and sign-in to receive my weekly blog.
Until then, this is Noel Dalmacio, your ultimate CPA at lowermytaxnow.com.
Last Updated by Tax on 2017-01-04 11:50:18 PM