Resources - US Legal Services

Tax Breaks for Truck Drivers

November 30, 2023

Independent contractor truck drivers are constantly reaching for their wallet to pay for a considerable number of expenses. The good news is there are special tax deductions for truck drivers that can help you reclaim some of that cash. U.S. Legal Services offers members outstanding tax help through our partner network of CPAs and Enrolled Agents (EAs). Here are some things our tax experts recommend you think about as you prepare your next federal or state tax return: Expenses while on the clock. Drivers should keep a detailed log of their travels so you can deduct the expenses associated with driving for business. These include 80% of meals, lodging, business use of cell phones, gas, maintenance, and vehicle service. There are apps that can be downloaded to easily track miles driven for work. Getting one will make your life easier. When you’re not on the road. Like other taxpayers, truck drivers can also deduct home office expenses, computers/electronics needed for work, excise taxes, licenses, continuing education, dispatch fees, insurance premiums, interest and dues. A few extra deductions. You may be eligible to take a tax deduction for medical expenses related to conditions that may impact the driver’s ability to drive.

5 Ways to Help Employees Handle Holiday Stress

November 28, 2023

The holidays are a time to reconnect with family and celebrate the new year. But for many Americans, they also introduce a surprising amount of financial stress. In a survey from the American Psychiatric Association (APA), 31% of adults said they expected to feel more stressed during the upcoming holiday compared to previous years. Increased holiday stress can leave employees feeling distracted, irritable and unengaged in their work. You may notice an increase in absenteeism and missed deadlines leading up to the holiday season. Luckily, there are ways for you, as an employer, to prepare your workforce to face the under-reported challenges of the holiday season — and keep your team running smoothly into the new year. 1. Acknowledge the Financial Reality of the Holidays. It’s no secret that most Americans spend more money during the holidays. This time of year often sets people back on their financial journeys, especially due to new expenses that creep in. In fact, according to Bank of America’s annual Workplace Benefits Report, financial wellness among employees is at an all-time low, with two-thirds of employees saying they believe the cost of living is outpacing growth in their salary. This often leads to neglecting retirement

We All Play a Role in Work Zone Safety.

April 17, 2023

Spring weather means another season is also in full swing: construction season. Nationwide, drivers will see more orange signs on our roadways this time of year as highway workers help repair, maintain, and upgrade our critical infrastructure. As we share the roadways this spring – drivers and workers – the trucking industry is helping to remind motorists that we all play a role in work zone safety. Motor vehicle crashes in work zones are the leading cause of work-related deaths in America. According to the most recent data available from workzonesafety.org, there were 857 deaths, which included 117 workers, as a result of 774 fatal work zone crashes in 2020. National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 17-21, is an annual campaign to raise awareness of and encourage safe driving while motorists travel though roadway construction sites. Construction zones and the resulting delays in traffic and added time onto travel can be frustrating for drivers, but routine road work is critical for our communities; it ensures our infrastructure is safe for individuals and families who are traveling our local roadways, and for America’s truck drivers who are delivering the goods our communities rely on. For those drivers who come across a

Tax Implications: New Administration and COVID Relief

March 18, 2021

Each time that a new president is voted into the White House, it’s natural to wonder how the tax laws will change and what impact this will have on your family’s finances, including your income tax. This can especially be true when the new leader comes from a different political party than the previous one. Plus, COVID relief measures may trigger questions about the impact on income tax owed. This post will provide an overview of the tax implications for individual taxpayers, as well as how U.S. Legal Services can help through financial planning services included in our plans. Potential Tax Reforms In 2017, former president Donald J. Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) into law. Changes recommended by the current president, Joe Biden, would reverse some of the elements of the Act with proposed changes focusing on “an upper tier of high-net-worth earners.” Here’s one of the biggest potential changes. For people earning more than $400,000, there could be a 2.6 percent tax increase, which would return the tax rate to what existed pre-TCJA: 39.6 percent. Also in 2017, the TCJA boosted the estate tax exemption in 2020 up to $11.58 million. In addition, this allowed

Selecting (Or Upgrading) Your Employees’ Group Legal Benefit Plan

December 10, 2020

According to BenefitsPro.com, “talent attraction and retention continue to be a top priority for employers” in 2020 and beyond. They add that “In today’s increasingly competitive labor market, benefits are a key driver for employee satisfaction and recruitment”—and this includes voluntary benefits. Employers who recognize the value of voluntary benefits are incrementally adding more choices to their menu of options. For example, in 2019, about a third of employers that were offering benefits provided at least six product choices for employees, in contrast to only three just two years before. Besides helping employees, prepaid legal insurance plans can also benefit employers. That’s because, when employees are worried about legal issues, this can lead to: Wasted work time Poor job performance Increased healthcare costs Absenteeism/presenteeism When employees have help with their legal issues, they can have peace of mind. Employers, meanwhile, can benefit from a more focused workforce. Not all group legal plans are alike—and, if you’re ready to choose one to offer your employees (we’ll talk about upgrading later), here are helpful tips about what to look for in yours. Range of Covered Legal Services Not all employees will have the same legal needs during a given year, and people typically

Is a Group Legal Plan Worth It?

September 24, 2020

If your company is thinking about offering legal benefits to your employees, it’s natural to wonder if group legal plans are worthwhile. The short answer is that, if an employee has coverage and needs legal representation, then he or she will almost certainly answer with a resounding “yes.” And, if an employee has coverage but hasn’t needed representation yet, it is still providing him or her with peace of mind, and it’s hard to put a price on that. Group legal services are so valuable that they are expected to be part of a benefits package in Europe. In the United States, they were first offered in the late 1970s and have been considered mainstream options since the 1990s. And now, because of COVID, many of the benefits provided by a group legal plan are more valuable than ever before. That, at least, is the short answer. Now, here is a more in-depth response to the question, from the perspectives of both employees and employers. Benefits of Group Legal Services for Employees One of the main reasons people don’t use attorneys is the expense. And yet, a percentage of your company’s employees will almost surely face legal challenges over the

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