West Virginia Tax And Business Climate

Known for its mountainous landscape and rolling hills, this month we travel north to West Virginia. The state has a rich history and is embedded in the Appalachian Mountains.

West Virginia is known for a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, such as skiing, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and hunting. The state offers many golf courses as well.

It is also one of the most densely Karstic areas in the world, making it a choice area for recreational caving and scientific research. Karstic topography is a landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. These underground hydrology systems contribute to much of the state’s cool trout waters.

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Missing From Tax Plans - A "Normal" Personal Income Tax

We can gather some general ideas about tax changes in looking at various websites and documents of presidential candidates. This includes the Democratic Party platform for 2020, Republican Party platform for 2016 (it was not updated for 2020, so actually includes pre-TCJA tax ideas), and candidate websites. I recently reviewed these plans for an upcoming webinar. One observation I’ll make about both plans (best I can tell since most details are missing):

Why not fix an outstanding problem with the individual income tax that has worsened with recent law changes and ways people generate additional income and cash flow today? This problem is that expenses of producing taxable income are not allowed unless the activity is a business (other than the business of being an employee). This started with the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and worsened with the TCJA.

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Taxpayers who are not required to file a tax return may want to do so. They might be eligible for a tax refund and don’t even know it. Some taxpayers might qualify for a tax credit that can result in money in their pocket. Taxpayers need to file a 2017 tax return to claim these credits.

Here is information about four tax credits that can mean a refund for eligible taxpayers:

  • Earned Income Tax Credit. A taxpayer who worked and earned less than $53,930 last year could receive the EITC as a tax refund. They must qualify for the credit and may do so with or without a qualifying child. They may be eligible for up to $6,318. Taxpayers can use the 2017 EITC Assistant tool to find out if they qualify.

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Taxpayers who are not required to file a tax return may want to do so. They might be eligible for a tax refund and don’t even know it. Some taxpayers might qualify for a tax credit that can result in money in their pocket. Taxpayers need to file a 2017 tax return to claim these credits.

Here is information about four tax credits that can mean a refund for eligible taxpayers:

  • Earned Income Tax Credit. A taxpayer who worked and earned less than $53,930 last year could receive the EITC as a tax refund. They must qualify for the credit, and may do so with or without a qualifying child. They may be eligible for up to $6,318. Taxpayers can use the 2017 EITC Assistant tool to find out if they qualify.

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William Byrnes, Tax Advisor

A congressional staffer was charged with filing a false security clearance form, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

He was previously sentenced to prison for willfully failing to file an individual income tax return.

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John Stancil

The IRS has extended the due date for ACA related statements 1095-B and 1095-C to be given to individuals. IRS Notice 2016-70 extends the due date for these forms from January 31, 2017 to March 2, 2017. Note that the due date to provide these forms to the IRS has not changed, that date remains February 28, 2017.

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Larry Stolberg

As you may be aware of there is a federal tax withholding requirement on the sale of U.S. real estate by non-U.S. persons. This does not exempt the vendor from filing a U.S. tax return to report the sale and paying any tax payable or requesting a refund for excess federal tax withholding.

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John Dundon

If you travel for work surely you are in tune with per diem rates for lodging meals and incidental expenses. Did you know that your per diem changes based on where you hang your hat for the day or night? This list below will help you dial in your claims.

The US GSA has the rates detailed by tax year back to 2003 along with interesting break outs. The most important message to be shared is to make sure to substantiate your specific business purpose for each business related travel expense claimed.

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Annette Nellen

A PTIN is a Preparer Tax Identification Number. Paid preparers of most federal returns must have one and include it on the return along with their signature in order to avoid penalties. The IRS can use the PTIN to track returns prepared by particular individuals (years ago they had to use the preparer’s SSN). PTINs are part of a system rolled out in 2010 where the IRS planned to regulate all preparers of individual returns and a few others. The system was found contrary to Section 330 of Title 31.

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Annette Nellen

Transparency as a principle of good tax policy means taxpayers should understand taxes and how they apply to them. Despite lots of data on a filer’s Form 1040, the one number people focus on is the amount due or refund. Clearly the better number is total federal income tax liability. And better yet, people should also Read More