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. [...]
What Tax Records Can You Throw Away?
October 15 was the deadline for individual taxpayers who extended their 2019 tax returns. (The original April 15 filing deadline was extended this year to July 15 due to the [...]
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 [...]
Tax Implications of Working From Home and Collecting Unemployment
COVID-19 has changed our lives in many ways, and some of the changes have tax implications. Here is basic information about two common situations. Working from home. Many employees have [...]
Will You Have to Pay Tax on Your Social Security Benefits?
If you’re getting close to retirement, you may wonder: Are my Social Security benefits going to be taxed? And if so, how much will you have to pay? It depends [...]
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 [...]
What Happens If An Individual Can’t Pay Taxes
While you probably don’t have any problems paying your tax bills, you may wonder: What happens in the event you (or someone you know) can’t pay taxes on time? Here’s [...]
The Tax Implications of Employer-Provided Life Insurance
Does your employer provide you with group term life insurance? If so, and if the coverage is higher than $50,000, this employee benefit may create undesirable income tax consequences for [...]
Hobby or Business? How to Treat COVID-19 Sideline Activities for Taxes
Today, many people sell homemade products online or work on some unincorporated sideline venture outside of their regular day jobs. Such activities can generate extra spending money. This can be [...]
After you file your tax return: 3 issues to consider
The tax filing deadline for 2019 tax returns has been extended until July 15 this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After your 2019 tax return has been successfully filed [...]
Rx for Itemizing Medical Expenses
Medical expenses can be costly — and they're not always covered by insurance. But there may be a silver lining: You may be able to claim an itemized deduction for [...]
Last-Minute Strategies for Businesses that Deferred Filing Tax Returns
During the COVID-19 crisis, some key tax deadlines were postponed until July 15, 2020. If your business and/or personal federal income tax return is still awaiting completion, you may have [...]
Hit the Ground Running: 7 Steps for New Business Owners
Running a new business can be a daunting endeavor. As soon as you form a business, you will face many important decisions, ranging from mundane to critical. While much of [...]
A Nonworking Spouse Can Still Have An IRA
It is often difficult for married couples to save as much as they need for retirement when one spouse does not work outside the home — perhaps so that spouse [...]
Hiring Independent Contractors? Make Sure They Are Properly Classified
As a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, your business may be using independent contractors to keep costs low. But you should be careful that these workers are properly classified [...]