A deduction is an expenditure that will reduce your taxable income. There are two kinds of deductions: adjustments to income and itemized deductions. The adjustments to income are the better of the two, as they reduce adjusted gross income, or “AGI.” Itemized deductions reduce your taxable income. First, we will look at some adjustments to… Read More

The IRS continues to warn the public to be alert for telephone scams and offers five tell-tale warning signs to tip you off if you get such a call. These callers claim to be with the IRS. The scammers often demand money to pay taxes. Some may try to con you by saying that you’re… Read More

Here is a link that allows you to make a payment on an IRS tax bill or estimated tax payments against a future liability that does not require you to register or pay a fee.  This is a great step for the IRS who had previously used a third party provider that cost the taxpayer… Read More

Millions of people enjoy hobbies that are also a source of income. Some examples include stamp and coin collecting, craft making, and horsemanship. You must report on your tax return the income you earn from a hobby. The rules for how you report the income and expenses depend on whether the activity is a hobby… Read More

If you rent a home to others, you usually must report the rental income on your tax return. But you may not have to report the income if the rental period is short and you also use the property as your home. In most cases, you can deduct the costs of renting your property. However,… Read More

Many people change their job in the summer. If you look for a new job in the same line of work, you may be able to deduct some of your job hunting costs. Here are some key tax facts you should know about if you search for a new job: Same Occupation.  Your expenses must… Read More

The form of business you operate determines what taxes you must pay and how you pay them. The following are the four general types of business taxes. Income Tax Estimated Taxes Self-Employment Tax Employment Taxes Excise Tax Income Tax All businesses except partnerships must file an annual income tax return.  Partnerships file an information return. … Read More

If you start a business, one key to success is to know about your federal tax obligations. You may need to know not only about income taxes but also about payroll taxes. Here are five basic tax tips that can help get your business off to a good start. Business Structure.  As you start out,… Read More

When it comes to filing a federal tax return, many people discover that they either get a larger refund or owe more tax than they expected. But this type of tax surprise doesn’t have to happen to you. One way to prevent it is to change the amount of tax withheld from your wages. You… Read More

Do you plan to donate your services to charity this summer? Will you travel as part of the service? If so, some travel expenses may help lower your taxes when you file your tax return next year. Here are five tax tips you should know if you travel while giving your services to charity. You… Read More