Archive for Taxes

Eldercare Can Be a Medical Deduction

With people living longer, many individuals find themselves becoming the care provider for elderly parents, spouses and others who can no longer live independently. When this happens, questions always come up regarding the tax ramifications associated with the cost of nursing homes or in-home care. Generally, the entire cost of nursing homes, homes for the […]

Will Capital Gains Be Changed?

Currently, capital gains rates for the sale of assets held over one year are taxed at 15% (0% to the extent a taxpayer is in the 15% or lower regular tax bracket), compared with a top tax of 35% for ordinary income. Without Congressional action, these rates will increase to 20% (18% for assets held […]

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-MISC after the end of the year to avoid facing the loss of the deduction for their labor and expenses. The 1099s for 2012 must be […]

Are We Really Headed for a Fiscal Cliff?

For several years now, Congress has left the taxpaying public hanging to the last minute with tax changes and extensions. And each year, the political gridlock seems to get worse, leaving taxpayers pondering how to plan their finances and businesses undecided about capital investments and hiring new employees, not knowing what the tax laws will […]

Reverse Mortgages: A Salvation For Seniors?

In recent months, we have seen a growing number of celebrities on TV promoting reverse mortgages. In today’s economy, many retirees are faced with mounting debt and inadequate incomes. For many, their home is their most valuable, and perhaps only, asset, but it is also their home and they really don’t want to sell it. […]

Do You Have a Financial Interest in or Signature Authority over a Foreign Financial Account?

Every U.S. person who has a financial interest in or signature or other authority over any foreign financial accounts (including bank, securities and other types of financial accounts in a foreign country), if the aggregate value of these financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year, must report those relationships to the […]

Tax Tidbits

From time to time issues related to taxes arise that are interesting, informative or humorous that is not directly related to the preparation of a tax return but are related issues associated with federal taxation. Passports Could Be Revoked for Delinquent Taxpayers – The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a provision added to a highway […]

Individual Estimated Tax Payments for 2012 Start Soon

Our tax system is a “pay-as-you-go” system, and if your pre-paid amount is not enough, you become liable for non-deductible interest penalties. To facilitate that concept, the government has provided several means of assisting taxpayers in meeting the “pay-as-you-go” requirement. The primary among these include: Payroll withholding for employees; Pension withholding for retirees; and Estimated […]

Penalty Relief for Financially Distressed Taxpayers

The IRS has new penalty relief for the unemployed and certain self-employed individuals on failure-to-pay penalties, which are one of the biggest factors a financially distressed taxpayer faces on a tax bill. To assist those most in need, a six-month grace period on failure-to-pay penalties will be made available to certain wage earners and self-employed […]

Can’t Pay Your Taxes by the April Due Date?

The vast majority of Americans get a tax refund from the IRS each spring, but what if you are one of those who end up owing? The IRS encourages you to pay the full amount of your tax liability on time by imposing significant penalties and interest on late payments if you don’t. So if […]