Archive for the ‘Tax Ideas’ Category

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Haiti Relief Workers Qualify for Combat Zone Extension; Military Personnel and Designated Civilians Have at Least 180 Days to File and Pay

by P. Lewis Robinson
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May
4

WASHINGTON — Members of the military and certain civilians providing earthquake relief in Haiti have additional time to file their 2009 returns and pay any taxes due, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

Deadlines for taking care of a variety of federal tax matters are automatically extended for persons serving in a combat zone or a contingency operation. Operation Unified Response is a contingency operation, thus giving designated persons providing earthquake relief in Haiti the same extensions that are available to military and support personnel serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zone localities. (more…)

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Ten Facts about Amended Returns

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
29

You can make a change or an adjustment to a tax return you’ve already filed by filing an amended return. Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants you to know about amending your federal tax return.

  1. If you need to amend your tax return, use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. (more…)
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Five Ways to Offset Education Costs

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
28

College can be very expensive. To help students and their parents, the IRS offers the following five ways to offset education costs.

1.     The American Opportunity Credit This credit can help parents and students pay part of the cost of the first four years of college. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act modifies the existing Hope Credit for tax years 2009 and 2010, making it available to a broader range of taxpayers. Eligible taxpayers may qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student. Generally, 40 percent of the credit is refundable, which means that you may be able to receive up to $1,000, even if you owe no taxes. (more…)

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Five Tips About the First-Time Homebuyer Credit Documentation Requirements

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
28

Claiming the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit on your 2009 tax return might mean a larger refund but it can seem complex. Are you confused about the documentation requirements? The IRS recognizes that the settlement documents can vary from location to location, so here are five tips to clarify the documentation requirements. (more…)

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Tax-Free Employer-Provided Health Coverage Now Available for Children under Age 27

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
27

WASHINGTON — As a result of changes made by the recently enacted Affordable Care Act, health coverage provided for an employee’s children under 27 years of age is now generally tax-free to the employee, effective March 30, 2010.

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that these changes immediately allow employers with cafeteria plans –– plans that allow employees to choose from a menu of tax-free benefit options and cash or taxable benefits –– to permit employees to begin making pre-tax contributions to pay for this expanded benefit. (more…)

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Five Tips for Great Record-Keeping

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
27

There are many records you have that may help document items on your tax return. You’ll need this documentation should the IRS select your return for examination. Here are five tips from the IRS about keeping good records.

  1. Normally, tax records should be kept for three years. (more…)
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IRS Continues to Increase Oversight of Tax Return Preparers to Improve Compliance, Taxpayer Service

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
22

WASHINGTON — As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, the Internal Revenue Service today announced initial results from its stepped-up effort involving enforcement and education to combat unscrupulous tax return preparers and protect the nation’s taxpayers.

The IRS said it has conducted more than 5,000 field visits to tax return preparers this fiscal year. In addition, the IRS has worked with the Department of Justice to pursue questionable return preparers, an effort that has led to 56 indictments, 25 convictions and 21 civil injunctions since Jan. 1, 2010. (more…)

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Special Payroll Tax Exemption Form Now Available

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
20

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today released a new form that will help employers claim the special payroll tax exemption that applies to many newly-hired workers during 2010, created by the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act signed by President Obama on March 18.

New Form W-11, Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act Employee Affidavit, is now posted on IRS.gov, along with answers to frequently-asked questions about the payroll tax exemption and the related new hire retention credit. The new law requires that employers get a statement from each eligible new hire, certifying under penalties of perjury, that he or she was unemployed during the 60 days before beginning work or, alternatively, worked fewer than a total of 40 hours for anyone during the 60-day period. Employers can use Form W-11 to meet this requirement. (more…)

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Three Ways to Pay Your Federal Income Tax

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
15

People who owe taxes but can’t pay the full amount owed by the April deadline should still file their return on time and pay as much as they can to avoid penalties and interest. If you can’t pay the full amount, you should contact the IRS to ask about alternative payment options.  Here are some of the alternative payment options you may want to consider:

  1. Additional Time to Pay Based on your circumstances, you may be granted a short additional time to pay your tax in full. A brief additional amount of time to pay can be requested through the Online Payment Agreement application at IRS.gov or by calling 800-829-1040. Taxpayers who request and are granted an additional 30 to 120 days to pay the tax in full generally will pay less in penalties and interest than if the debt were repaid through an installment agreement over a greater period of time. (more…)
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Six Important Facts about Tax-Exempt Organizations Revised

by P. Lewis Robinson
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Apr
13

Every year, millions of taxpayers donate money to charitable organizations. The IRS has put together the following list of six things you should know about the tax treatment of tax-exempt organizations.

  1. Annual returns are made available to the public. Exempt organizations generally must make their annual returns available for public inspection. This also includes the organization’s application for exemption. In addition, an organization exempt under 501(c)(3) must make available any Form 990-T, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return. These documents must be made available to any individual who requests them, and must be made available immediately when the request is made in person. If the request is made in writing, an organization has 30 days to provide a copy of the information, unless it makes the information widely available. (more…)
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