Practical approaches for individuals At this point, it is still uncertain whether any significant tax reform will be enacted this year (and even if it will be applicable to this tax year or next). Keeping that in mind, individual taxpayers may stick with “tried-and-true” methods to reduce taxes owed at year-end. Here are seven [...]
If you want to move funds from one IRA to another—say, for investment purposes—you can use a rollover, but only once a year. Under the Tax Court’s interpretation of a recent case, this applies to all your IRAs, not just one specific, separate IRA. However, the once-a-year limit does not apply to trustee-to-trustee transfers [...]
If your child is going back to college this fall, you may be in line for either one of two higher-education credits: American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC): The maximum $2,500 AOTC may be claimed for each student in the family. It is available for up to four years of study. Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC): [...]
Being self-employed has its advantages and disadvantages. As the person in charge of your business affairs, you can set your own schedule and generally have more flexibility than someone in a 9-to-5 job. On the other hand, you are fully responsible for the bottom line, often with little or no backup to rely on. [...]
If your young children are going back to school soon (or already returned this month), you may need to pay someone for after-school care, especially if both you and your spouse work. Silver tax lining: You may qualify for the dependent care credit. This credit is available for childcare costs for children under 13 [...]
By: Rachel Aaron, CPA Supervisor & IRS Specialist JMF is always ready and willing to assist you when correspondence from the IRS comes your way. We have highly trained staff that deal with these issues on a regular basis. As tax practitioners representing our clients, we often have the ability to communicate with the [...]
While the climate for tax reform remains uncertain, individual taxpayers and small-business owners are advised to act based on the current laws of the land, unless there is a definite change. Keeping that in mind, here are seven ideas to consider as we head into summer. 1. Harvest capital gains or losses. The maximum tax rate [...]
A 401(k) plan can be a win-win situation for employees and employers. Just take a quick look at the payoff. *For employees: You can defer up to $18,000 of salary to your account in 2017 ($24,000 if you are age 50 or older), before any employer-matched contributions. Contributions may grow without any tax erosion until [...]
Tax Window, You See What I Did There? Perhaps you own a vacation home that you and your family use personally. Key tax break: There is a unique tax window of opportunity for short-term rentals. If the rental for the year lasts 14 days or less (this is the key amount of time), [...]
Do you travel in your vehicle on behalf of a charity? In lieu of keeping track of actual expenses, you can use the standard mileage rate of 14 cents per mile, plus related tolls and parking fees, to figure out the deduction. Unlike the standard mileage rates for business, moving or medical expense travel, this [...]