Do you travel in your vehicle on behalf of a qualified charitable organization? In lieu of keeping track of your actual expenses, you may use a standard mileage rate of 14 cents per mile, plus related tolls and parking fees, to arrive at the deduction. Unlike the IRS-approved standard mileage rates for business reasons, job-related [...]
Did you know about all of the electronic offerings associated with your tax return filing? Bank account direct deposit for refunds and direct draft for payments What is it? The quickest and safest way to receive your refund or make your tax payment associated with most federal and state tax returns How do I [...]
It is no longer unusual to have a spouse, children and grandchildren from a second or third marriage encompass a “blended family.” But these additions to the clan can complicate estate planning. Keeping that in mind, the following techniques may be beneficial for blended families: Will: Your will is the centerpiece of your estate plan [...]
Should you add to your charitable donations before the end of the year? From a tax perspective, it generally depends on whether you expect to itemize deductions this year or if you will be claiming the standard deduction. All other things being equal, it makes sense to “bunch” donations in the tax year it [...]
Tax breaks seem to come and go, but one of the biggest and best “tax shelters” around is still standing. Thanks to Section 121 of the tax code, a taxpayer can exclude from federal income tax up to $250,000 of gain from the sale of a home—$500,000 if you are married and file a joint [...]
Tax season is right around the corner, so we want you to be prepared. As we typically do, we have created this year-end tax planning letter to assist you with certain tips that you should consider before December 31st. This is the time to reassess your overall tax picture for 2021 so you can [...]
Under current tax law, individual taxpayers are not permitted to deduct casualty losses from catastrophic events like Hurricane Ida, wildfires and floods…right? Wrong. Although recent legislation has tightened the rules, you may still claim deductions, within certain limits, for losses incurred in a federally designated disaster area. Following are the answers to some frequently [...]
A SERP may sound like a creature from a science fiction movie, but it is actually a popular retirement savings vehicle for the top brass. Typically, the SERP—an acronym for Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan—is used to complement a 401(k) or other qualified plan. It offers generous benefits to a chosen few and enables an employer [...]
Do you pay someone to watch your young kids while you (and your spouse, if you are married) work during the day? You may be entitled to a dependent care credit that can offset your personal tax bill on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Even better: Thanks to the new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the [...]
Housing prices have been skyrocketing in many parts of the country. If you buy a home, at least you may qualify for generous mortgage interest deductions, as can many existing homeowners. Despite revised rules imposed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) for 2018 through 2025, you can generally continue to write off most, [...]