R&A CPAs blog

Tax Harvesting Strategies: How to Make Gains and Losses Work in Your Favor

Learn tax-gain and tax-loss harvesting strategies for 2025. Maximize investments, reduce tax liability, and plan year-end tax positions with proven tactics.

December 2025 Newsletter

Arizona Tax Credits for Individuals – 2025

Discover Arizona tax credits for 2025: charitable donations, foster care, school tuition, and military family relief. Learn limits and filing deadlines for maximum savings.

Can I Claim a Tax Deduction for that Donation?

Clarify which donations are tax-deductible. Understand 501(c)(3), churches, schools, and other exempt organizations. Know what qualifies for your tax deduction.

Taxpayer Right to Representation in IRS Matters

Understand your right to IRS representation. Learn how CPAs and authorized representatives help with audits, negotiations, and IRS compliance to protect your interests.

No More Paper Tax Refund Checks

Paper tax refund checks ended September 30, 2025. Learn about direct deposit, digital payment options, and how to ensure faster refunds with electronic filing.

November 2025 Newsletter

Meet Brenda Hays – Senior Human Resources Coordinator and Payroll Specialist

Brenda Hays is R&A’s Senior Human Resources Coordinator and our payroll specialist. She has been a member of the R&A team since 2012. Her role has expanded over the years…

What Home Improvement Tax Breaks Are Set to Expire and Which Remain in Effect?

If you’re thinking about making upgrades to your home, you may have an opportunity to claim valuable tax breaks. While not every improvement qualifies, there are a few exceptions, such…

Time to Renew Transaction Privilege Tax License

You have likely received notices from Arizona Department of Revenue and the City of Tucson that it is time to renew your TPT license. License renewals apply and are valid…

Checking Your Federal Tax Withholding – Why, When, and How

September 24, 2026

If you are an employee, you know that various taxes are withheld from your paychecks. While you generally can’t change the amount of social security and Medicare taxes withheld, you can change the withholding amounts of federal and state income tax. In fact, the IRS encourages taxpayers to review their income tax withholding at least…

R&A Named a 2026 Top 500 US Accounting Firm

September 24, 2026

R&A is very pleased to share that we have been recognized as a Top 500 Firm in the US for 2026 by INSIDE Public Accounting based on US net revenue. INSIDE Public Accounting is a leader in practice management and CPA firm resources for the public accounting profession. Of this recognition, Phillip C. Dalrymple, CPA, CFE, and R&A Managing Partner said, “We are proud…

Trusts Can be Powerful Estate Planning Tools

September 24, 2026

You’ve probably had a check-up with your doctor or dentist in the last year as part of your routine practice of self-care. Preventive visits like this can detect and address potential health issues in their earliest and most treatable stages. We think of estate planning as preventive care for your life and loved ones. No…

Promises of Tax Settlements for “Pennies on the Dollar” are Often Too Good to be True

September 24, 2026

At R&A CPAs, we often find ourselves counselling individuals or businesses that are overwhelmed by large tax liabilities or mired in IRS bureaucracy. Like you, we see ads promising amazing “pennies on the dollar” settlement deals with the IRS touted by “professionals,” backed up by dramatic testimonials of success. These settlements refer to the IRS’s…

August 2026 Newsletter

August 26, 2026

Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance

August 26, 2026

Meet Jorge Fuentes Quihui, Associate – Assurance

The IRS’ ‘Dirty Dozen’

August 26, 2026

The IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list exposes the top 12 tax scams, fraud schemes, and aggressive avoidance tactics threatening taxpayers. Ranging from phishing scams and identity theft to abusive tax shelters and misleading social media advice, the list alerts both individuals and businesses to emerging threats, helping them safeguard their financial assets and maintain tax compliance.

IRS Announces New Automatic Exemption from Penalty Program

August 26, 2026

The IRS’s Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP) program simplifies tax relief by automatically waiving failure-to-file, failure-to-pay, and failure-to-deposit penalties for compliant taxpayers. Replacing the manual First Time Abate process, the automated system evaluates eligibility during return processing—waiving penalties for individuals and businesses with three years of clean compliance history—without requiring formal requests or phone calls.

Estate Planning is Changing: What Families Should Revisit Now

August 26, 2026

Shifting tax exemption thresholds, evolving retirement account rules, and changing family dynamics make static estate plans a risk. Families should revisit their plans now to update beneficiary designations, review trusts, refresh health care and financial powers of attorney, and adjust wealth transfer strategies to ensure their assets remain protected and align with their current intentions.