August 18, 2014 / by Brett Hess / Tax
If you purchased health insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace you may have received advanced credit if your income was low enough. However if your circumstances change i.e.; new job, no longer unemployed, pay raise, eligibility for other coverage, etc., you must report changes to your Marketplace to determine if your premium needs to change. […]
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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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Tax Provisions Extended?
December 11, 2014 / by Brett Hess / Small Business, Tax
According to Kiplinger (one of our primary sources for new tax information), all of the major tax provisions that lapsed in 2013 will be extended for 2014. Congress had all year to revive these tax breaks, but as usual they procrastinated and played the political game. The good news is that we believe the following […]
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Simplified Home Office Deduction
August 27, 2014 / by Brett Hess / Tax
For 2013 returns filed in 2014, the IRS is now offering a simplified home office deduction. The new optional deduction is $5 for each square foot of home office space, up to a maximum of 300 square feet. That comes to a maximum $1,500 annual home office deduction. Instead of filling out Form 8829, you’ll […]
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IRS Phone Scams Warning
August 20, 2014 / by Brett Hess / Small Business, Tax
IRS Updates Phone Scams Warning The IRS is again warning the public about phone scams that continue to claim victims all across the country. In these scams, thieves make unsolicited phone calls to their intended victims. Callers fraudulently claim to be from the IRS and demand immediate payment of taxes by a prepaid debit card […]
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Health Insurance Marketplace – Dangers
August 18, 2014 / by Brett Hess / Tax
If you purchased health insurance from the Health Insurance Marketplace you may have received advanced credit if your income was low enough. However if your circumstances change i.e.; new job, no longer unemployed, pay raise, eligibility for other coverage, etc., you must report changes to your Marketplace to determine if your premium needs to change. […]
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