Can't itemize? There are still tax breaks for you. A common misconception in tax filing has been that if you use the standard deduction versus itemizing your deductions you have few additional benefits available to reduce your tax bill. This is often not the case. Standard or Itemize? Every taxpayer can take the standard deduction to
When it comes to the perception of IRS audits, conjecture reigns supreme. The combination of the complex tax code and a government agency with the full authority to enforce it leads to some pretty wild ideas. Here are five audit myths that, if believed, can cost you during an audit:Myth 1: Audits only happen shortly
You’ve loved dogs all your life so you decide to start a dog training business. Turning your hobby into a business can provide tax benefits if you do it right. But it can also create a big tax headache if you do it wrong. One of the main benefits of turning your hobby into a
You may be considering booking stock losses due to recent market drops. Selling losers can be a great strategy when these losses can offset other gains and up to $3,000 of your ordinary income. However, there is a little-known rule called the wash sale rule that could surprise the unwary taxpayer. Wash sales explained
Mention the word IRS and everyone's blood pressure tends to go up a bit. Unfortunately, thieves know this too and often use the IRS as a threat to get you to fall for their latest scam. Every year the IRS mentions their dirty dozen tax scams and repeatedly tries to keep us all on
The kids are out of school, which means now is a great time to review the rules to deduct eligible summer activities on your tax return. Tax deductible related daycare expenses through the use of the Child and Dependent Care Credit can be a great opportunity to reduce your child care expenses this summer.
Taxpayers who owe taxes might get a call from a private collection agency working on behalf of the IRS. This article explains how to know when it's a legitimate IRS authorized private collection agency calling and not a scammer. Private collection of tax debts. Under Code Sec. 6306 , the IRS must hire private
For most taxpayers, you have until April 15th of the following year to contribute up to $7,000 ($8,000 if age 50 or over) into a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. Is an IRA an option worth considering for you? If so, which is better? Traditional IRA A Traditional IRA is an individual savings
The tax code is about 75,000 pages long, so it’s not surprising there are many overlooked money-saving deductions hidden within it. And with the much higher standard deduction amounts, those who do not itemize think there are no longer ways to reduce your taxes. Since mid-year is a good time to review great tax
Unless Congress takes action, a number of temporary tax laws are going to expire at the end of 2025. This means you have this year and next to take advantage of the current rules. That doesn’t mean Congress won't extend the current laws, but why take the chance? Here are some of the larger