You’d be surprised to learn what unexpected tax deductions could be legitimate. If you’re itemizing for tax year 2021, you’re probably trying to claim as many acceptable deductions as you can. Why would you not? Some of them are pretty conventional. Mortgage interest. Medical expenses. Home office. Charitable contributions. It may be, though, that you’re […]
How to Protect Yourself from Tax Identity Theft
It can happen online or offline. Are you taking steps to protect your identity? As you work on your 2021 income tax returns, the IRS is still catching up from the 2020 tax year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the problems it caused for all kinds of businesses and government agencies, there are reports […]
Starting a Side Gig in 2022? Your New Tax Obligations
It’s not just self-employed individuals who must pay estimated taxes. Here’s what you need to know. W-2 income tax withholding isn’t perfect. You’ve probably had years when you owed more than you expected to on April 15. Or you were pleasantly surprised to receive a sizable refund. The idea, of course, is to try to […]
17 Things You Should See On Your 2021 Tax Return
Some of them are new and others are extensions of previous changes. Here’s a look at what to expect. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 threw a lot of taxpayers for a loop with its myriad changes to tax law. Then the emergence of COVID-19 triggered a flurry of legislative action designed to […]
Don’t Wait Until December: Year-End Tax Actions You Should Take Now
Unless you’ve been planning for 2021 taxes all year, it’s time to take actions that can reduce your IRS obligation. We’ve talked before about the importance of planning for taxes year-round. If you haven’t been able to do that because 2021 has been another complicated year, it’s not too late. There are things you can […]
How To Deal With a Past-Due Tax Return
“Better late than never” applies when it comes to filing income tax returns. Here’s what you should know. Maybe you didn‘t get your 1040 done in time in a previous year and you figured you couldn’t still file your income taxes. Or maybe you thought you’d owe money that you didn’t have. Or perhaps you […]
Are You Tracking Absolutely All of Your Tax-Related Business Expenses?
If you’re self-employed, understanding what’s deductible and recording all of your business expenses should be priorities. When you work for yourself, accurate accounting is critical. The IRS pays special attention to tax returns prepared by sole proprietors. Not only does the agency try to determine whether all taxable income has been recorded, but they also […]
Hiring An Independent Contractor? Your Tax Obligations
First time hiring an independent contractor? Here’s what you need to know about taxes. Two months ago in this column, we explained the differences between employees and independent contractors. The IRS has strict rules that you must follow when you make this distinction because there are very different tax rules for each type of worker. […]
Do You Need To File An Amended Tax Return? Here’s How
If you made an error on a tax return over the last three years, you can amend it by filing an IRS Form 1040-X. It happens more often than you might think. Millions of individuals have to make one or more changes on a tax return they’ve already filed every year. The IRS has a […]
Why You Need Year-Round Tax Planning…
…and tips on how to do it. The IRS may have granted us a reprieve for filing our income taxes this year, but we hope you’re well into your preparation for 2020 income taxes – or finished with them. Tax planning shouldn’t be a task on your to-do list every April. It should start January […]