Why You Should Keep Life Insurance Out of Your Estate
If you have a life insurance policy, you probably want to make sure that the life insurance benefits your family will receive after your death won’t be included in your [...]
IRS Issues New Regs on Deducting Meal and Entertainment Expenses
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanently eliminated deductions for most business-related entertainment expenses paid or incurred after 2017. For example, you can no longer deduct 50% of the cost [...]
Individuals Get Coronavirus (COVID-19) Tax and Other Relief
Taxpayers now have more time to file their tax returns and pay any tax owed because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Treasury Department and IRS announced that the federal [...]
Has the TCJA Lowered Your Taxes?
We now have two years of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changes under our belts: 2018 and 2019. Are your taxes lower than before the law went into [...]
The 2019 Gift Tax Return Deadline is Coming Up
If you made large gifts to your children, grandchildren or other heirs last year, it’s important to determine whether you’re required to file a 2019 gift tax return. And in [...]
Home Is Where the Tax Breaks Might Be
If you own a home, the interest you pay on your home mortgage may provide a tax break. However, many people believe that any interest paid on their home mortgage [...]
Should You Extend Your 2019 Tax Return?
Roughly 15 million individual taxpayers filed for an automatic six-month extension for the 2018 tax year, according to the IRS, compared with about 10 million people in previous years. Why did [...]
Do You Run Your Business From Home? You Might Be Eligible for Home Office Deductions
If you’re self-employed and work out of an office in your home, you may be entitled to home office deductions. However, you must satisfy strict rules. If you qualify, you [...]
Three Ways to Get Tax Breaks for Home Improvements
Are you planning to make substantial renovations to your home? You may be adding a deck or patio, finishing a basement or attic or installing a pool. Despite some changes [...]
Ideas to Lower Your Taxes for 2019
Tax season is well under way. Have you filed (or extended) your individual federal tax return for 2019 yet? You may still have time to make some moves between now and [...]
Reasons Why Married Couples Might Want to File Separate Tax Returns
Married couples often wonder whether they should file joint or separate tax returns. The answer depends on your individual tax situation. It generally depends on which filing status results in [...]
The Tax Aspects of Selling Mutual Fund Shares
Perhaps you’re an investor in mutual funds or you’re interested in putting some money into them. You’re not alone. The Investment Company Institute estimates that 56.2 million households owned mutual [...]
Taxpayers Should Know the Difference Between Standard and Itemized Deductions
Information from irs.gov Should you file using the standard deduction, or should you itemize your deductions? Deductions reduce the amount of taxable income when filing a federal income tax return. [...]
Numerous Tax Limits Affecting Businesses Have Increased for 2020
An array of tax-related limits that affect businesses are annually indexed for inflation, and many have increased for 2020. Here are some that may be important to you and your [...]
