4 minutes read
Although the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can sound daunting and confusing for taxpayers and tax professionals alike, there are ways to navigate the murky waters of this credit to maximize its benefits. This tool can be important for low- and middle-income families and singles looking to save money where they can. Breaking down this tax credit isn’t difficult once you understand what it is and how to file for it.
2 minutes read
In a recent report by National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olsen, the IRS was only able to answer 61% of phone calls made by taxpayers to the agency. Just 10 years ago, the IRS was able to address 87% of calls. The reasons cited were the increasing complexity of tax questions unable to be answered by automated systems as a result of the overall increasing complexity of the tax code. This coupled with budget cuts to the agency resulted in nearly 4 out...
1 minute read
Yasmin D. Brenner has been tapped to lead R&G Brenner’s newly created Insurance division. The Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is now in effect, which means that every citizen must have health insurance which meets a minimum standard of coverage by March 31st, 2014 or be assessed a monetary penalty (this penalty can grow to over $2000 per family by 2016!).
3 minutes read
The notion of taxes can be stressful for anyone, and so can the holiday season. While reading about taxes and finances could destroy the holiday spirit for some, it is a great idea to be cognizant of the various holiday tax deductions to make the season much less stressful. Below is an overview of some common last minuet tax deductions and tax break opportunities that you can take advantage of this holiday season before you close the books on 2013
4 minutes read
The IRS put everyone one notice not long after the end of the latest government shutdown that the 2014 tax filing season would be delayed by “1 or 2 weeks”. Well not surprisingly, the IRS recently released that the first date that they will be accepting 2013 tax returns for processing will be January 31st:
9 minutes read
In a recent landmark ruling by the Obama Administration, the federal government will recognize same-sex married couples. That means for one, married same-sex couples will no longer have to file two separate single tax returns for the IRS (however, if they currently reside in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriages, they may still have to file two separate state returns). But the IRS has not released any guidance about how employee...
3 minutes read
In a follow up to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), free income tax preparation sites have made no significant gains in increasing the accuracy of the tax returns they prepare. The new report states that Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites (VITA) who prepare income tax returns for low/moderate-income, elderly, disabled and limited-English-proficient taxpayers are still filing approximately 50% of...
5 minutes read
With the upcoming tax season already delayed, and many tax proposals still being debated in a contentious congress, Chad Fisher over at gobanking.com lists the 5 biggest changes for the 2014 tax season taxpayers can expect:
1 minute read
Many taxpayers believe that their tax refunds are “found” money. But a tax refund is simply an over-collection of taxes by your employer. Watch this video to find out how to adjust your tax withholding to reduce the amount of money withheld so the IRS has less or no money to refund you in future tax seasons, and increase your weekly paychecks.