Last-Minute Tips for Your 2020 Personal Return
Goodbye, 2020. Hello, tax season. Individual taxpayers have until April 15, 2021, to pay Uncle Sam for taxes owed for 2020. (Remember, you can extend the deadline for filing your return [...]
2021 Individual Taxes: Answers to Your Questions About Limits
Many people are more concerned about their 2020 tax bills right now than they are about their 2021 tax situations. That’s understandable because your 2020 individual tax return is due [...]
The New Form 1099-NEC and the Revised 1099-MISC are Due to Recipients Soon
There’s a new IRS form for business taxpayers that pay or receive certain types of nonemployee compensation and it must be furnished to most recipients by February 1, 2021. After sending [...]
Educate Yourself About the Revised Tax Benefits for Higher Education
Attending college is one of the biggest investments that parents and students ever make. If you or your child (or grandchild) attends (or plans to attend) an institution of higher [...]
Is EEOC Enforcement Reform Coming?
Although the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) is intended to be nonpartisan, run by a five-member Commission, a president can appoint a new chairman and vice-chairman when their terms expire. Currently [...]
Energy-Related Tax Breaks Are Extended in the New Law
The massive economic stimulus and government spending law, which was signed on December 27, 2020, extends several energy-related tax breaks. Before the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) was signed, these federal income [...]
Six Key Tax Breaks that Homeowners May Be Able to Claim
The days of classic "tax shelters"— such as cattle breeding or oil drilling deals — are long gone. But at least one major tax shelter is still standing: Your home. [...]
Maximize Your 401(k) Plan to Save for Retirement
Contributing to a tax-advantaged retirement plan can help you reduce taxes and save for retirement. If your employer offers a 401(k) or Roth 401(k) plan, contributing to it is a [...]
Small Businesses: Cash In On Depreciation Tax Savers
As we approach the end of the year, it’s a good time to think about whether your business needs to buy business equipment and other depreciable property. If so, you [...]
FAQs About Tax-Free Disaster Relief Payments During the COVID-19 Crisis
Many people are struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, some individuals qualify for federal-income-tax-free disaster relief and disaster mitigation payments paid by some employers under Internal Revenue [...]
How Series EE Savings Bonds Are Taxed
Many people have Series EE savings bonds that were purchased many years ago. Perhaps they were given to your children as gifts or maybe you bought them yourself and put [...]
Can Investors Who Manage Their Own Portfolios Deduct Related Expenses?
In some cases, investors have significant related expenses, such as the cost of subscriptions to financial periodicals and clerical expenses. Are they tax deductible? Under the Tax Cut and Jobs [...]
Employers Have Questions and Concerns About Deferring Employees’ Social Security Taxes
The IRS has provided guidance to employers regarding the recent presidential action to allow employers to defer the withholding, deposit and payment of certain payroll tax obligations. The three-page guidance [...]
Back-to-School Tax Breaks on the Books
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, students are going back to school this fall, either remotely, in-person or under a hybrid schedule. In any event, parents may be eligible for certain tax [...]
Beware: Retirement Plan Loan Defaults Can Be Costly
Economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis may cause some cash-strapped individuals to default on loans they've taken out from company qualified retirement plans, including 401(k) and profit-sharing plans. Defaulting on [...]