Five Helpful Tax Credits

February 28, 2015

There aren’t many things that can make you happy when it comes to paying taxes. But tax credits can help brighten your day lower your tax liability, it is a good idea to be informed which credits you qualify for and how you can go about claiming them. By using tax credits you lower the amount of taxes you owe for the tax year and some credit are even refundable to you. You can still receive a refund even if you don’t have to pay taxes if you qualify for a refundable credit. These five tax credit can help make tax time a little less financially stressful. (more…)

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Estimated Taxes Explained

February 27, 2015

Under certain circumstances, such as not having taxes withheld from your wages or paying too little each paycheck towards your taxes, you may be required to make estimated tax payments. At the same time, self-employed individuals generally pay taxes through estimated payments. (more…)

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Deducting Medical Expenses

February 26, 2015

If you wish to deduct the payment for any type of medical expense this year, you need to be aware of some new rules that apply to these types of deductions, as they can affect your return. If you are seeking medical or dental expenses deductions you should familiarize yourself with the following guidelines. (more…)

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Moderate income families understand that health insurance premiums can be expensive, but there are helpful tax credits that can offset some of the costs associated with them. In order for these credits to be claimed at tax time there are three requirements.

You must receive your coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Plans can be chosen during the open enrollment period between November 15, 2014 and February 15, 2015.

Total household income needs to fall between a thresholds of one to four times the federally set poverty line. This base incomes is considered to be $23,850 to $94,400 annually for a four person family for the 2014 tax year.

Qualifying for a plan through other avenues such as Medicaid, Medicare, employer-sponsored coverage among other coverages will render to unable to receive the credit. (more…)

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Are you aware of the Alternative Minimum Tax? It’s important to know whether or not it applies to you, and what exactly it means at tax time. Taxpayers who have an annual income above a specified set amount may meet the guidelines required by the Alternative Minimum Tax. This tax strives to keep a minimum standard tax payment for individuals who claim certain credits. This tax season, you’ll want to keep the following information regarding the AMT in mind when filing your return. (more…)

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This tax year, many taxpayers will notice a new penalty if they chose to opt out of having health care coverage. This is due to new rules under the Affordable Care Act that state that all Americans must have health insurance. The penalties can be quite large. For example, a wealthy family of five can max out the penalty at $12,000 for this tax year. In 2015, the penalty will rise even more, and continue steadily rising even into 2016.

This is the first year the changes made by the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, will go into effect. All health care covered is required to be approved, and Americans must enroll in an approved plan. Those who don’t will have to pay the penalty stated in the Individual Shared Responsibility Provision when they file their taxes. (more…)

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If you financially support your parents, the federal government wants to help. At tax time, there are a few different options for tax assistance that is available to those who provide parental support. The 2014 tax season brings a new dependency tax care credit, as well as the ability to claim a parent as a dependent. In doing so, you may have the option to write off any medical expenses that your parents incurred and you paid. There are certain requirements that you have to meet in order to claim your parent as a dependent, though, so check to make sure you understand the rules before filing your taxes.

Requirements For Dependent Claim

The IRS has a standard clause regarding the definition of a dependent. By the rule, you have to be responsible for over 50% of your parent’s yearly income if you want to classify your parent as a dependent. Mom or dad can reduce your taxable income by $3,950 if eligible to be a dependent. (more…)

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Looking to make tax time a little brighter? Consider itemizing your taxes, which will allow you to claim interest you paid on your first and second mortgages. This deduction, worth up to $1.1 million in savings, includes mortgage loans (up to $1 million) and home-equity loans (up to $100,000). Even better, you don’t have to use the loans to improve the home’s condition.

These deductions can be substantial for homeowners with high mortgages. In neighborhoods with high home values, homeowners can use the tax benefit to their advantage if they have a mortgage greater than $625,000 ($417,000 in standard markets). What this means is that a couple in the 33% tax bracket, with an income less than $309,900, can reap a tax benefit of up to $9,900 on $30,000 of mortgage interest paid. (more…)

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Are you wondering if you should take the standard deduction? If you’re single, you’re looking at $6,200. Married couples at twice that amount. Maybe you’re considering itemizing your deductions to get a bigger tax return. If you are, remember that you’ll need to have your receipts for all medical, tax, charitable contributions and other expenses. You’ll also need mortgage records and banking information, and you’ll need to adhere to percentage rules and exceptions.

Itemizing can be rough. It requires organization, excellent record keeping, and a whole lot of patience. And after all that, it may be unnecessary. You may make out better by using the standard deduction, as well as tax breaks that are allowed in conjunction with it. Lines 23 through 35 of the Form 1040, as well as the detailed instructions in the 1040 booklet, will explain how to take breaks in addition to the standard deductions. The following explain a little more about these types of deductions. (more…)

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As the real estate market begins to trend to the positive side, it’s a good time to review the tax requirements for selling a home, as well as any associated tax breaks. If you sell your primary residence (the one you lived in full time), there’s a chance the sale may be tax-free. However, any profit on the sale of a second or third home is taxed.

Tax Break for Primary Residence

Married couples who file together are able to receive tax-free up to $500,000 ($250,000 for single filers) of profits they make for selling their first home. Profits great than the threshold are taxed at long-term capital gains rates, which are 20% to 23.8% currently.

The tax break only applies to people selling their primary home, and doesn’t include home costs or improvements. It’s specifically applied to profits incurred from the sale. A married couple who purchased a $200,000 home and spent $50,000 on improvements would be able to sell for as much as $750,000 before they’d owe federal taxes, thanks to the $500,000 tax break. (more…)

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