Monthly Archives: August 2015

If Social Security or Railroad Retirement Benefits are your entire source of income for the tax year, you may not have to file a tax return. Even if you received any other form of income, your benefits are typically tax-free as long as your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is more than the base level […]

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Alimony and the IRS

August 25, 2015

If you pay alimony as part of a divorce or separation agreement, you need to know how it will affect your taxes. In order for payments to be considered alimony, they must meet seven requirements: You can’t file a joint return with your former partner You pay via cash, check, or money order The payment […]

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Does someone owe you money? Are you afraid you’ll never see it again, primarily because you have no way to collect the funds? You’re faced with “Bad Debt”. Don’t worry though, you are able to deduct bad debt at tax time, as long as you have previously included the amount in your income. You had […]

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Taking out loans to pay for your education is the only option to afford college for some students. This can get expensive quickly, depending on your interest rate. However, any interest you pay on certain student loans may be deductible when you file your tax return. You are able to deduct up to $2,500 in […]

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Having outstanding debt can hurt you in a variety of ways. Debt is defined as any amounts owed for property or services, whether you are personally liable or there is property securing the amount of the debt. If debt is secured by property and is canceled, whether fully or partially, as a result of foreclosure, […]

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Having some way to help pay for college expenses can make the whole process a lot easier. Scholarships, grants, and fellowships are a great way to make payment easier. Scholarships and grants are generally paid to a student for a specific school or institution. Fellowships are similar, although money can be used for study and […]

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So you chose an individual retirement arrangement (IRA) to save for your future. This choice can be beneficial at tax time, as contributions to a traditional IRA may be deductible at tax time. There are several different types of IRA plans, including a traditional and Roth IRA, and are set up through a financial institution, […]

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All retirement compensation plans are required to follow the rules enacted in 1974 by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in order to be considered “qualified” by the IRS at tax time. Generally, most 401(k) plans meet these requirements and is considered a qualifying plan as far as your taxes are concerned. Your employer […]

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Sometimes, our job may require us to relocate to a new location. That can get costly, especially if you are paying for it yourself. You may qualify to deduct a significant portion of your relocation expenses if you’ve moved as a result of a change in your job. While you can’t deduct meals, other expenses […]

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Even casual gambling can impact you at tax time. Don’t take the risk and forget to report any winnings from gaming on your tax return. Money you win is completely taxable and needs to be included at tax time. Lotteries, raffles, casino revenue, and money from horse races are all considered gambling winnings, as well […]

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