The IRS warns taxpayers of a new twist on an old scam. Criminals are depositing fraudulent tax refunds into individuals’ actual bank accounts, then attempting to reclaim the refund from the taxpayers.
Here are the basic steps criminals follow to carry out this scam. The thief:
• Hacks tax preparers’ computers to steal taxpayer data.
• Uses the stolen information to file tax returns as the taxpayers.
• Has refunds deposited into taxpayers’ bank accounts. Read More
Form W-2
You should receive a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from each of your employers for use in preparing your federal tax return. Employers must furnish this record of 2017 earnings and withheld taxes no later than January 31, 2018 (allow several days for delivery if mailed).
If you do not receive your Form W-2, contact your employer to find out if and when the W-2 was mailed. If it was mailed, it may have been returned to your employer because of an incorrect address. After contacting your employer, allow a reasonable amount of time for your employer to resend or to issue the W-2. Read More
Some tax rules affect everyone who files a federal income tax return. With that in mind, here are seven facts about dependents and exemptions that taxpayers should know about.
1. Exemptions lower your income. There are two types of exemptions: personal exemptions and exemptions for dependents. You can usually deduct $4,050 for each exemption you claim on your tax return.
2. Personal exemptions. You can usually claim an exemption for yourself. If you’re married and file a joint return you can also claim one for your spouse. If you file a separate return, you can claim an exemption for your spouse only if your spouse had no gross income, is not filing a return, and was not the dependent of another taxpayer.
Small businesses that have failed to timely file certain required retirement plan returns have until Tuesday, June 2 to take advantage of a special IRS penalty relief program.
Launched June 2, 2014, the one-year temporary pilot program is designed to help small businesses with retirement plans that may have been unaware of the reporting requirements that apply to these plans. Normally, plan administrators and sponsors of these plans who fail to file required annual returns, usually Form 5500-EZ, can face stiff penalties–up to $15,000 per return.
By filing late returns by June 2, eligible filers can avoid these penalties. So far, about 6,000 delinquent returns have been filed under this program. Read More
If you gave money or property to someone as a gift, you may wonder about the federal gift tax. Many gifts are not subject to the gift tax.
Here are seven tax tips about gifts and the gift tax.
1. Nontaxable Gifts. The general rule is that any gift is a taxable gift. However, there are exceptions to this rule. The following are not taxable gifts:
• Gifts that do not exceed the annual exclusion for the calendar year,
• Tuition or medical expenses you paid directly to a medical or educational institution for someone, Read More
April 15 is the annual deadline for most people to file their federal income tax return and pay any taxes they owe. If, for whatever reason, you missed the deadline you may be assessed penalties for both failing to file a tax return and for failing to pay taxes they owe by the deadline. Here are eight important facts every taxpayer should know about penalties for filing or paying late:
1. Two penalties may apply. A failure-to-file penalty may apply if you did not file by the tax filing deadline. A failure-to-pay penalty may apply if you did not pay all of the taxes you owe by the tax filing deadline.
2. File even if you can’t pay. The failure-to-file penalty is generally more than the failure- Read More
The IRS sends millions of letters and notices to taxpayers for a variety of reasons. Many of these letters and notices can be easily dealt with without having to call or visit an IRS office. Here are eight things you should know about if you receive a notice or letter from the IRS.
1. Don’t panic. There are a number of reasons why the IRS might send you a notice. Notices may request payment, notify you of account changes, or request additional information. A notice normally covers a very specific issue about your account or tax return. Most of the time, you can take care of a notice simply by responding to it.
2. Each letter and notice offer specific instructions on what action you need to take. Read More
Are you approaching retirement age and wondering where you can retire to make your retirement nest egg last longer? Retiring abroad may be the answer. But first, it’s important to look at the tax implications because not all retirement country destinations are created equal. Here’s what you need to know.
Leaving the United States does not exempt U.S. citizens from their U.S. tax obligations. While some retirees may not owe any U.S. income tax while living abroad, they must still file a return annually with the IRS. This would be the case even if all of their assets were moved to a foreign country. The bottom line is that you may still be taxed on income Read More
Can you point your company in the direction of financial success, step on the gas, and then sit back and wait to arrive at your destination?
Not quite. You can’t let your business run on autopilot and expect good results. Any business owner knows you need to make numerous adjustments along the way – decisions about pricing, hiring, investments, and so on.
So, how do you handle the array of questions facing you? One way is through cost accounting.
Cost accounting reports determines the various costs associated with running Read More
In late December Congress finally took action, passing the tax extender bill, officially known as the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771), which was signed into law by President Obama.
The good news is that these tax provisions are retroactive to January 1, 2014. The bad news is that they expired on December 31, 2014. Even so, you might be able to take advantage of them when you file your 2014 tax return. Let’s take a look at some of the tax provisions most likely to affect taxpayers when filing their 2014 tax returns.
Primary and secondary school teachers buying school supplies out-of-pocket may be Read More
It’s been a few months, but “Welcome 2015!” As the new year rolls around, it’s always a sure bet that there will be changes to current tax law and 2015 is no different. From health savings accounts to retirement contributions and standard deductions, here’s a checklist of tax changes to help you plan the year ahead.
For 2015, more than 40 tax provisions are affected by inflation adjustments, including personal exemptions, AMT exemption amounts, and foreign earned income exclusion, as well as most retirement contribution limits.
For 2015, the tax rate structure, which ranges from 10 to 39.6 percent, remains the Read More
If you have a bank account anyplace outside of the USA, it doe not matter why even if it is an account with money to obtain your spouse or retirement visa, you need to report it. The law says, “total aggregate of all accounts exceeding $10,000” but I am not sure I trust the IRS to abide by those regulations, I recommend to file for any significant amount. And do so for the last SIX (6) years, 2013 and back 5 more years, as required by law.
PLEASE understand the penalties for non-compliance are draconian that start at $500 and go up from there and can even include criminal prosecution if your failure to file was Read More
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