For an estimated 153 million Americans, January means the beginning of tax season. The official kickoff is Monday, January 23. If reminders about tax time make you want to hit the snooze button until spring, lend your ears. Putting off your taxes can make you a mess come April 18, which is this year’s filing deadline. The IRS encourages early … Read More
Tax Moves to Make Before New Year
As the end of the year gets closer, unfortunately it’s time to think about taxes and make some moves. The tax season may seem far off, but this is the time of year to get the ball rolling. Let’s look at some easy steps to take that could help you in the springtime: Deduct Contributing to charity is a great … Read More
New IRS Tool to View Tax Balance
The IRS has announced the launch of a new online tool to help taxpayers. This new IRS.gov tool allows taxpayers to view their tax account balance online. The balance includes any amount owed for tax, as well as penalties and interest for each tax year. Once you look at your balance, you can take advantage of online payment options. These include direct pay, … Read More
An Intro to Trump’s Tax Plan
What do you know about president-elect Donald Trump’s tax plan? For starters, he has proposed the largest tax cuts since Ronald Reagan. If Trump were to get everything he has proposed from a Republican-controlled Congress, a taxpayer who makes between $48,000 to $83,000 a year would save about $1,000 under his plan, said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the … Read More
Being a Parent Lowers Your Taxes
If you are a parent, you can lower your tax burden significantly. Eight different tax credits and deductions are out there that can help lower your tax burden: Dependents In most cases, a child can be claimed as a dependent in the year they were born. Be sure as a parent to state if your family size has increased … Read More
A New Tax Notice Scam
The Internal Revenue Service is letting tax professionals and taxpayers know about a new scam involving fake CP2000 notices that are being sent to unsuspecting taxpayers, billing them for unpaid taxes related to the Affordable Care Act. The IRS is issuing the alert in conjunction with its partners in the Security Summit initiative, in which the IRS has been teaming … Read More
Tax Records: What to Throw, What to Keep
Now is a great time to clean out that growing mountain of financial papers and tax documents that clutter your home and office. Here’s what you need to keep and what you can throw out. Let’s start with your “safety zone,” the IRS statute of limitations. This limits the number of years during which the IRS can audit your tax … Read More
Deducting Your Car As a Business Expense
Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, if you use a car for business, you get the benefit of tax deductions. There are two choices for claiming deductions: Deduct the actual business-related costs of gas, oil, lubrication, repairs, tires, supplies, parking, tolls, drivers’ salaries, and depreciation. Use the standard mileage deduction in 2016 and simply multiply 54 cents by the number … Read More
Tax Status for Newlyweds
Getting married changes your tax status. Being aware of a few key things can help you avoid trouble come tax time. If you and your partner were married anytime in 2016, the IRS considers you to be married for the full year, so you both should adjust your tax withholding with your employers. A two-earner couple may end up in a … Read More
The Holy Grail of Tax Deductions
Here are three deductions which could be considered “the holy grail” of deductions. That is, they can greatly reduce your adjusted gross income. 1. Contributing to a traditional IRA One of the best ways to reward yourself now — and later — is by contributing to a traditional IRA. A traditional IRA has a maximum annual contribution limit in 2016 … Read More