Tax return benefits for the family Are you entitled to personal and dependency exemptions on your tax return? It might be the last year you can claim the exemption for someone—say, a child graduating from college—or exemptions may be eliminated altogether by tax reforms that could be coming in conjunction with proposed rate cuts. At [...]
Generally, amounts left over in a flexible spending account (FSA) for health care or dependent care expenses are forfeited at the end of the year. But some companies allow a 2½-month “grace period.” The grace period for FSAs in 2016 ends on March 15, 2017. If possible, empty out your FSAs by then. [...]
The IRS, the nation’s tax collection agency, has identified a select group of four private contractors that will begin collecting federal tax debts during the 2016 tax return filing season. Background: Under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, a highway spending measure, the IRS can assign private companies to collect taxes on [...]
Do you operate a business out of your home? It could be your main line of work, and your only source of business income, or just a sideline activity. Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to a generous tax deduction for this “home office” on your 2016 tax return. However, the rules [...]
Unexpected tax liability for retirees Of course, taxes are a major concern when you work full time for a living. Unfortunately, you may also have to pay federal income tax on a portion of the Social Security benefits you receive during the year—even though you’ve paid Social Security tax all the years you have [...]
Early last year we discussed the ABLE Accounts as a potential option for Alabama families. By December, the state of Alabama instituted the program, per State Treasurer Young Boozer, with a contract with the state of Nebraska. The Alabama plan will be known as Enable Savings Plan Alabama, and more information can be found at www.enableAL.com. [...]
The IRS pays close attention to deductions claimed for business travel expenses. Both employers and employees must meet strict recordkeeping requirements or face the consequences. Fortunately, you can obtain some relief by using IRS-approved per diem allowances in lieu of accounting for every expense. Now the IRS has updated its per diem rates for [...]
Moving Truck Are you planning a move in the near future? Be aware of special tax rules for deducting moving expenses on your personal tax return. In some cases, moving expenses are fully or partially deductible, while other times they are not. Background: You may deduct moving expenses only if you switch [...]
The penalty for failing to complete an IRA or a plan rollover in time can be severe. Unless you obtain a waiver from the IRS, the transfer is treated as a taxable distribution even if the failure is inadvertent. However, a new ruling provides some taxpayers with relief. Background: If you take a withdrawal from [...]
The Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015 changed the due date for filing FinCEN Form 114 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts; commonly known as FBARs) to April 15 of the following calendar year, with a six-month extension to October 15 allowed. (Previously, the due date was June 30 [...]