September 23, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
Why you should contribute more to your 401(k) in 2015 Contributing to a traditional employer-sponsored defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plan, offers many benefits: Contributions are pretax, reducing your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which can also help you reduce or avoid exposure to the 3.8% net investment income tax. […]
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Should you “bunch” medical expenses into 2015?
October 7, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
Should you “bunch” medical expenses into 2015? Medical expenses that aren’t reimbursable by insurance or paid through a tax-advantaged account (such as a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account) may be deductible — but generally only to the extent that they exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income. Taxpayers age 65 and older can […]
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Selling rather than trading in business vehicles can save tax
September 30, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Small Business, Tax
Selling rather than trading in business vehicles can save tax Although a vehicle’s value typically drops fairly rapidly, the tax rules limit the amount of annual depreciation that can be claimed on most cars and light trucks. Thus, when it’s time to replace a vehicle used in business, it’s not unusual for its tax basis […]
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Why you should contribute more to your 401(k) in 2015
September 23, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
Why you should contribute more to your 401(k) in 2015 Contributing to a traditional employer-sponsored defined contribution plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plan, offers many benefits: Contributions are pretax, reducing your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which can also help you reduce or avoid exposure to the 3.8% net investment income tax. […]
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When will Congress pass “extenders” for 2015?
September 9, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
When will Congress pass “extenders” legislation to revive expired tax breaks for 2015? With Congress returning from its August recess, this is the question on tax-savvy Americans’ minds. Many valuable tax breaks aren’t permanent, so Congress has to pass legislation extending them to keep them in effect. Unfortunately, Congress often waits until the last minute […]
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Donating Collectibles
September 2, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
What you need to know before donating collectibles If you’re a collector, donating from your collection instead of your bank account or investment portfolio can be tax-smart. When you donate appreciated property rather than selling it, you avoid the capital gains tax you would have incurred on a sale. And long-term gains on collectibles are […]
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Moving Expense Deduction
August 18, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
Ever wonder what you could or couldn’t deduct on your taxes for moving, and under what circumstances you could deduct moving expenses. The link below spells out most of what you need to know about the moving expense deduction. Most important: you must be moving for work to deduct moving expenses. http://www.irs.gov/uac/Moving-Expense-Deduction
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Teens in your family with summer jobs? Set up IRAs for them!
August 12, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
Teenagers’ retirement may seem too far off to warrant saving now, but IRAs can be perfect for teens precisely because they’ll likely have many years to let their accounts grow tax-deferred or tax-free. The 2015 contribution limit is the lesser of $5,500 or 100% of earned income. A teen’s traditional IRA contributions typically are deductible, […]
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Dont just pay that notice from IRS
March 14, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
I met with a client today who had received a notice from IRS and the state of Maryland that he owed more taxes for 2012 due to unreported income. The notice referenced some unreported investment income. The taxpayer recognized that he did not report that income and assumed the tax agencies were correct and paid […]
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Problems with TurboTax
February 9, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
We have been made aware of numerous reports regarding issues with TurboTax and other DIY software packages and filing issues. The article below illustrates one such example. http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2015/02/06/minnesota-stops-accepting-returns-filed-with-turbotax-cites-fraud-concerns/ We have also been made aware that the FREE version of many of the tax programs is no longer free when you have to start filing out […]
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Obamacare and your Tax Return
February 5, 2015 / by Brett Hess / Tax
The new health care law often referred to as Obamacare or the ACA could have a dramatic effect on your tax return. As an example the link at the bottom of this article illustrates the many different impacts your health insurance situation could have on filing your return. Not only could these new laws affect […]
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