Reporting Stock Transactions Becomes More Complicated
Beginning with the 2011 tax return, reporting stock transactions has become significantly more complicated because of the new requirement for brokerage firms to track the purchase price of stocks acquired in 2011 and subsequent years and to include that information on the information-reporting document 1099-B. For several years now, the IRS has required brokerage firms […]
The Latest Scam—Don’t be a Victim!
Last month, we cautioned you about Internet scams aimed at tricking you into divulging information that will compromise your identity. That article described how Internet crooks disguise themselves as the IRS in an attempt to steal your identity. The IRS is not the only disguise these scammers use. They pretend to be attorneys representing estates, […]
Recently Enacted Tax Breaks for Small Businesses
Keeping track of tax changes these days is quite a task. Congress is constantly tweaking the tax laws in an effort to stimulate the economy and deal with the budget deficit. The following is a compilation of recent changes to keep you up date. Cell Phones No Longer Listed Property – This means that cell […]
QuickBooks Income Tax Reports And Filtering Options: Target The Right Output
April 15 is getting uncomfortably close. QuickBooks, of course, can’t do your taxes for you. But it helps you lay some of the groundwork. Following up on last month’s column on customizing reports, we’ll look at the program’s tax-related reports and its powerful report-filtering options. But first, you’ll need to make sure that this output […]
It’s Not Too Late
It’s not too late to make an IRA and/or SEP contribution or undo a Roth IRA conversion for 2011. Generally, after the close of the year you can no longer take steps to alter the outcome of your tax return. However, both IRA contributions and SEP contributions can be made for a year after it […]
Are You Liable for a Gift Tax Return?
Frequently, taxpayers think that gifts of cash, securities, or other assets they give to other individuals are tax-deductible and, in turn, the gift recipient sometimes thinks income tax must be paid on the gift received. Nothing is further from the truth. To fully understand the ramifications of gifting, one needs to realize that gift tax […]
New Credits for Hiring Veterans
Congress recently passed legislation that extends and expands the Work Opportunity Credit (WOTC) for hiring unemployed veterans. This effectively gave a one-year lease on life to the WOTC, but only with respect to qualified veterans who begin work for the employer before January 1, 2013. For all other classifications, the credit ended at the close […]
It’s Tax Time! Are You Ready?
If you’re like most taxpayers, you find yourself with an ominous stack of “homework” around TAX TIME! Unfortunately, the job of pulling together the records for your tax appointment is never easy, but the effort usually pays off when it comes to the extra tax money you save! When you arrive at your appointment fully […]
2012 Standard Mileage Rates Announced
The Internal Revenue Service has issued the 2012 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes. Beginning on January 1, 2012, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, or panel trucks) will be: 55.5 cents per […]
Are You Required to File 1099s?
If you use independent contractors to perform services for your business and you pay them $600 or more for the year, you are required to issue them a Form 1099 after the end of the year to avoid facing the loss of the deduction for their labor and expenses and to avoid a monetary penalty. […]
