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During the pendency of a divorce, a taxpayer was ordered by a family court to transfer funds to an individual retirement account (IRA) in his spouse's name. Where the taxpayer received a distribution of funds from his IRAs and then wrote checks to the spouse, the exclusion from taxation available under Sec. 408(d)(6) was inapplicable, …
Continue reading IRA distribution to pay spousal support is taxable
As tax practitioners prepare to counsel clients about the loss of dependency exemptions on 2018 tax returns, there is good news to offer in the form of the enhanced child tax credit. The legislation known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), P.L. 115-97, doubled the credit amount, increased the refundable portion, and expanded …
Continue reading Child tax credit now higher, more widely available
The IRS provided information to taxpayers about changes in the use of standard mileage rates and increased depreciation limits for passenger automobiles as a result of P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which made amendments to Secs. 67 and 217. In Notice 2018-42, the IRS modified Notice 2018-03, which provided the …
Continue reading Standard mileage rates, depreciation amounts updated
The IRS announced that it plans to issue regulations in response to state legislation intended to help taxpayers avoid the $10,000 limitation on the deduction for state and local taxes under Sec. 164 as amended by P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Notice 2018-54). That limitation applies to individual taxpayers for …
Continue reading IRS to clarify rules on payments in lieu of state and local taxes
Running a business can be expensive. Everything comes at a cost, from keeping the lights on to buying inventory. Luckily, you may be able to deduct some of these business expenses to reduce your taxes. Even super small businesses with no or few employees can benefit from these deductions. Note: If you plan to claim …
Continue reading 11 Business Deductions That Even the Smallest Businesses Can Claim
The IRS on Thursday issued a warning to employers and small businesses to beware of growing attempts by cybercriminals to target businesses to obtain the business’s and employees’ information. These criminals then use the stolen information to open credit card accounts and file fraudulent tax returns for “bogus refunds.” In the past two years, the …
Continue reading Small businesses should guard against tax-return identity theft
The IRS issued the calendar year 2019 inflation-adjusted figures for the annual contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) and the minimum deductible amounts and maximum out-of-pocket expense amounts for high-deductible health plans (Rev. Proc. 2018-30). Under Sec. 223, individuals who participate in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) are permitted a deduction for contributions to …
Continue reading IRS issues HSA contribution limits for 2019
The answer to this question essentially boils down to whether someone who does work for you is self-employed or an employee. Here’s the difference: Self-employed independent contractors are paid in full for their services and are responsible for settling up with federal and state governments at tax time. The payor reports payments on IRS Form …
Continue reading What’s the difference between a 1099 and W-2?
Freelancers and independent contractors will see changes to tax rates and deductions next year, with some mandates still in effect now. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law by President Trump in December, bringing significant changes to U.S. tax law. However, these changes will be rolled out at different times: While some, …
Continue reading 3 Ways the New Tax Law Will Impact Your Taxes … and When They Take Effect
In Rev. Proc. 2018-18, the IRS announced the new lower tax brackets for 2018 and a number of other new items affected by P.L. 115-97, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It also issued inflation-adjusted amounts for many provisions that were unchanged by the Act, other than that the inflation adjustments now must …
Continue reading IRS issues new tax rate tables, inflation adjustments for 2018
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