After years of saving for retirement, it’s time to start using those savings—even if you don’t really need to. Once you reach 70 ½ years old, you must begin taking annual distributions from your qualified retirement plan. This is called a required minimum distribution (RMD.) If you don’t take your RMD, the IRS imposes a […]
As your tax professional, we may be asking you additional questions next year that are required by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Tax preparers must collect new information from clients who qualify for any of the following tax credits: Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) Child Tax Credit (CTC) American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) Head […]
In July 2019, the IRS released a draft of form 1099-NEC, which is designed to report non-employee compensation. While this may seem like a new form to many, it’s actually a revival of a form used until the early 1980’s, which was eventually replaced by form 1099-MISC. What will be reported on the new 1099-NEC? […]
If you receive an audit notice from the IRS, do not panic. Just breathe! Read the letter in its entirety to see what they are auditing. In many cases, it’s a great idea to hire a tax representation professional to deal with the audit, especially if it’s a field audit (described below). Why You An […]
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created a new tax incentive to defer (and possibly even eliminate) capital gains taxes by investing in a Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ). What is a Qualified Opportunity Zone? A Qualified Opportunity Zone is an economically distressed community. For an area to be recognized as a Qualified Opportunity Zone, the […]
The term “marriage penalty” in taxes refers to the situation that two people with the same income would pay more tax if they married and filed a joint return (MFJ) than if they stay single and file separately as single taxpayers. In order to avoid a marriage penalty, the tax bracket income thresholds for married […]
There are many tax scams out there with the purpose of stealing your identity, stealing your money, or filing fraudulent tax returns using your private information. Tax scammers work year-round, not just during tax season, and target virtually everyone. Stay alert to the ways criminals pose as the IRS to trick you out of your […]
Undergoing the scrutiny of an IRS audit is liable to put any taxpayer on edge. While it may seem like the IRS randomly hands out audit notices like candy to unlucky victims, there are some best practices you can put in place in order to avoid inadvertently putting up any red flags. There are several […]
While many taxpayers plan for retirement by investing in retirement savings accounts, it is important for taxpayers to also plan on how to handle income during retirement as well. The timing of different retirement distributions could drastically affect the amount of taxes paid throughout retirement. To start, the various retirement accounts available have different tax […]
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your permission. While this can include credit cards, banking information, and passwords, it’s your Social Security number that’s the biggest IRS-related identity theft problem. An estimated 4 to 5 million taxpayers are currently affected by identity theft with the IRS. When their Social Security numbers […]