You wake up in the middle of the night. Heart racing, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily. Thankfully, it was just a nightmare when the IRS showed up at your doorstep unannounced. Recently, however, this was the reality for some taxpayers – and not just a bad dream. The IRS just publicized a significant shift … Continue reading “IRS Announces End of Unannounced Taxpayer Visits (Mostly)”
Now that we are heading into the backend of summer, it’s time for many states to host their annual sales tax holidays for returning to-school shopping. Numerous states with sales tax (remember, not all states have a sales tax) provide the reprieve to help families with the cost of annual school supplies and clothing. According … Continue reading “2023 Sales Tax Holidays for Back-to-School Shopping”
Private companies both large and small are feeling the tax pinch due to changes in the law. With rampant inflation, labor shortages, lingering supply chain issues and increased borrowing costs due to rising interest rates, tax problems are the last thing struggling companies need to face. While tax rates themselves remain largely unchanged, business’ taxable … Continue reading “Increased Tax Bills Hitting Private Companies – Big and Small”
The end of the federal emergency declaration for Covid-19 came on May 11. As a result, there are various public health policy changes. For example, vaccines and treatments will remain available, but at-home tests may no longer be covered by insurance and national CDC data reporting is subject to change. Administratively, there are also changes … Continue reading “End of Covid Emergency Declarations Put Work from Home Benefits at Risk”
So, you filed and paid all your taxes on the money you earned in 2021. Now, the company you work for finds itself in trouble, and you are forced to pay back part of your compensation. The big question is, will the IRS refund you for the taxes you already paid related to this compensation? … Continue reading “I Needed to Repay Part of My Compensation; Will I Get a Refund on My Taxes?”
Most people volunteer out of a sense of altruism, duty or purpose – not to get a tax deduction from Uncle Sam. At the same time, if your good deeds could also result in lower taxes, why not? Theoretically, this would free up more time to volunteer or let you make a charitable donation, a … Continue reading “How Volunteering Can Earn You a Big Tax Deduction”
The U.S. housing market has been extremely volatile over the past year. Year-over-year growth rates were at highs of 20.1 percent in April 2022, then declined to only 8.6 percent in November – the biggest drop in over 20 years. As a result, many homeowners who sold their homes in 2022 or plan to in … Continue reading “Sold Your Home Last Year or Plan to in 2023? If So, Here’s What You Need to Know”
Every year, typically right after the new year starts, the IRS formally announces key dates and deadlines for the current tax season. Recently, the IRS made the announcements for the current 2023 tax season. To make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible, it’s best if you are aware of this tax season’s deadlines … Continue reading “Key Deadlines and Changes for the 2023 Tax Season”
According to the IRS, not only is your ignorance no excuse, but so is that of your tax preparer. In other words, the fact that your tax preparer made a mistake is no excuse and will not absolve you from compliance penalties. Unfortunately, the penalty for making what could be deemed an innocent mistake can … Continue reading “The IRS Versus the Taxpayer”
Now is the time of year to do everything you can to minimize taxes and maximize your financial health with proper year-end planning. In this article, we’ll look at several actions to consider taking before the end of 2022. Thoughtfully Harvest Losses and Gains Before Year-End Tax loss harvesting by selling securities at a loss … Continue reading “The 2022 Tax Guide”