Archive for Taxes

Increased Business Meal Deductions for 2021 and 2022

If you recall, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), effective beginning in 2018, eliminated the business-related deduction for entertainment, amusement or recreation expenses. However, it did retain a deduction for business meals when the expense is ordinary and necessary for carrying on the trade or business and is not lavish or extravagant, along with […]

Didn’t Get Your Economic Impact Payment? You Can Claim It on Your 2020 Return.

One of the more tax-troubling issues this year has been the distribution of what Congress referred to as the recovery rebates. You may know these payments as the Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) or stimulus payments, names that the IRS took the liberty of creating. These payments were meant to provide financial assistance to individuals and families struggling during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sold or Thinking of Selling Your Home?

In spite of (or in some cases, because of) the COVID-19 pandemic, and with near-record-low home mortgage interest rates, the housing market has been booming. September 2020 existing home sales were up 9.4% from August 2020 and 20.9% from 2019, according to the National Association of Realtors. If you sold your home this year or are thinking about selling it, there are many tax-related issues that could apply to that sale. To help you prepare for reporting the sale you may have already made or make you aware of what issues you may face if you are in the “thinking about” stage, this article covers the tax basics and some special situations related to home sales and the home-sale gain exclusion.

Is That Inheritance Taxable?

Are inheritances taxable? This is a frequently misunderstood taxation issue, and the answer can be complicated. When someone passes away, all of their assets (their estate) will be subject to estate taxation, and whatever is left after paying the estate tax passes to the decedent’s beneficiaries.

Will Your 2018 Withholding Be Right?

Article Highlights: Tax Cuts & Jobs Act Wage Withholding Tables W-4 Be Cautious with Adjusted Withholding Note: The is one of a series of articles explaining how the various tax changes made by the GOP’s Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (referred to as the “Act” in the article), passed late in December 2017, might effect […]

New Tax Law Cracks Down on Home Mortgage Interest

Article Highlights: Acquisition Debt Interest Equity Debt Interest Consumer Interest New Tax Law Changes Note: The is one of a series of articles explaining how the various tax changes made by the GOP’s Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (referred to as the “Act” in the article), passed late in December 2017, might affect you and […]

2018 Standard Mileage Rates Announced

Article Highlights: Standard Mileage Rates for 2018 Business, Charitable and Medical Rates Important Considerations for 2018 Switching Between the Actual Expense and Standard Mileage Rate Methods Employer Reimbursements Employee Deductions Suspended Special Allowances for SUVs As it does every year, the Internal Revenue Service recently announced the inflation- adjusted 2018 optional standard mileage rates used […]

Medical Deductions & The New Tax Law

Article Highlights: Medical Deductions Retained by the Tax Reform Law Adjusted Gross Income Floor Dropped to 7.5% The Standard Deduction Bunching Medical Deductions Unusual Medical Deductions Medical Dependents Divorced Parents Note: The is one of a series of articles explaining how the various tax changes in the GOP’s Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (referred to […]

Take Advantage of the IRA-to-Charity Provision

Individuals age 70.5 or over—who must withdraw annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their IRAs—will be pleased to learn that the temporary provision allowing taxpayers to transfer up to $100,000 annually from their IRAs to qualified charities has been made permanent. If you are age 70.5 or over and have an IRA, taking advantage of […]

Proving Noncash Charitable Contributions

One of the most common tax-deductible charitable contributions encountered is that of household goods and used clothing. The major complication of this type of contribution is establishing the dollar value of the contribution. According to the tax code, this is the fair market value (FMV), which is defined as the value that a willing buyer […]