Roth IRA – Is It For You?
The Roth IRA Advantage Traditional IRAs are familiar to most taxpayers, providing a relatively simple method of saving for retirement AND deferring taxes in the process. But one drawback of the Traditional IRA is that once withdrawals from them begin, distributed earnings and contributions that were tax-deductible get taxed. In contrast, a Roth IRA allows […]
Take Advantage of the Education Tax Credits
Article Highlights: American Opportunity Tax Credit Lifetime Learning Credit Who Gets the Credit? Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses Eligible Educational Institutions Form 1098-T Scholarships Tax Fraud As with everything taxes, the devil is in the details, and that includes the education tax credits, which come in two types with some different rules for each. Many […]
Hardship Exemption Rules for Not Having Health Insurance Eased
Article Highlights: Shared Responsibility Payment Executive Order Hardship Exemption Exemption Certification Number The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) included a “shared responsibility payment,” which in reality is a penalty for not having health insurance. Along with this penalty came a whole slew of exemptions from the penalty, including some that were designated as “hardship” exemptions. However, […]
Tax Planning to Lower Your Taxes
Tax Planning Helps You Save $$$ All planning involves looking ahead to reach a specific goal. People are inclined to make careful plans when they consider making a home purchase, accepting a new job, taking a dream vacation, or investing for retirement. But when it comes to taxes, they often leave matters to chance, perhaps […]
Twists and Turns of the Education Tax Credits
Article Highlights: American Opportunity Tax Credit Lifetime Learning Credit Refundable Credit Which Credit to Take Post-secondary Education 3-month Rule Maximizing the Credit Qualified Expenses Who Claims the Credit Qualified Educational Institutions Gift Tax Issues If you have a child or children in college, or perhaps you or your spouse is a student, it can be […]
Making Two IRA Rollovers in One Year Can Be Costly
Article Highlights: One Rollover per Year Rule Exceptions Tax Consequences Disqualified Rollover Early Withdrawal Penalty Tax law permits you to take a distribution from your IRA account, and as long as you return the distribution to your IRA within 60 days, there are no tax ramifications. However, many taxpayers overlook that you are only allowed […]
Twists and Turns of the Education Tax Credits
Article Highlights: Benefits of College Savings Plans Contributions Plan Modifications by Recent Tax Acts Prudence in Using the Funds Gift Tax Twist The Qualified State Tuition Plan, often referred to as the Sec 529 Plan, is a tax-beneficial incentive for parents, grandparents, and others to save money for an individual’s future college tuition and fees. […]
Will You Get a Refund or Owe for 2018?
Article Highlights: Tax Reform Form W-4 Withholding Refund or Tax Due As a result of tax reform, most taxpayers will be paying less tax for 2018 than they did in 2017. But that may not translate into a larger refund. Your refund is the amount that your pre-payments (withheld income tax, estimated tax payments, and […]
Tax Reform Dealt Teachers a Raw Deal
Article Highlights: $250 Above-the-Line Teachers’ Deduction Eligibility for the $250 Deduction Tax Benefit Deduction Option Charitable Option It is quite common for teachers to spend their own money on classroom supplies – so common, in fact, that a few years back, Congress created a special deduction that allowed teachers to deduct up to $250 above-the-line […]
Tax Breaks for Higher Education
Over the years, Congress has continued to enhance tax breaks for students and their parents. These tax benefits provide taxpayers with a large number of options for tax-favored financing of their education and the education of their family members. This brochure highlights the various education benefits included within the U.S. income tax system. Coverdell Education […]