All taxpayers who have ever filed tax returns or had tax forms filed in their name (such as W-2s, 1099s, etc.) have a record of these filings with the IRS in the form of a transcript. As the IRS processes tax forms, the information reported is stored in their computer systems and organized based on …
The Social Security Administration announced a 2021 increase to the amount of wages subject to the old age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) tax. The wage limit was $137,700 for 2020 but will rise to $142,800 starting in 2021. This amount changes each year with the national average wage index. The current Social Security (OASDI) …
Giving to charity can be very rewarding. It not only helps the community but can also provide a benefit on your tax return. Charitable contributions are reported on Schedule A as itemized deductions on your individual tax return. The following might help clarify any information needed in order to claim noncash contributions. When asked to …
With the rise of COVID-19, many families have had to switch to online or home school learning for the safety and wellbeing of their children. Kudos to all of the parents out there right now – I cannot begin to imagine the hardships and challenges this year must have brought. One choice that many parents …
We all know the saying about “death and taxes”, but sometimes it seems like scams should be added to that list. Every year, and probably even more frequently than that, scammers are coming up with clever new ways to trick taxpayers out of their personal information, money or both. In a year like 2020, the …
If you become a potential or actual victim of identity theft outside the tax system or believe you may be at risk due to a lost or stolen purse or wallet, questionable credit card activity or questionable activity on your credit report, etc., the IRS encourages you to contact them at the Identity Protection Specialized …
Doing an Arizona tax credit donation is a great way to receive a dollar for dollar reduction on your Arizona state tax while also giving to charitable organizations you feel strongly about. Generally, any donation claimed as an Arizona tax credit is not deductible on the federal return. However, there is an exception if your …
Good news! The Social Security Administration just announced a 1.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for 2021. More than 64 million people collecting Social Security payments will see the increase in January 2021, with increased SSI payments to more than 8 million beginning December 31, 2020. For …
If there has been an error on your tax return that has already been filed, there’s a way to fix that! An amended return (Form 1040-X) can be used to correct several errors such as incorrect income, missed credits or incorrect deductions on your personal tax return. Small clerical errors are normally caught by the …
I think most tax professionals would agree, one of the last phrases you want to hear in regards to a tax return is “I think we have basis issues.” Definitely no bueno. But what exactly is basis anyway, and why is it so important? Basis is essentially the amount of money that a taxpayer has …