Both the House and Senate have passed versions of a tax reform bill. If a combined bill is passed and signed into law, it creates a unique window of possible tax savings during the last few weeks of 2017. But only if you prepare to...
If you use an installment sale to help sell real estate, you can benefit from tax deferral and possibly lower your overall tax bill. But you need to watch out for certain tax traps if you do. Installment sale defined Generally, you create an installment sale when...
While each retirement plan has similar early withdrawal penalty exemptions, they are not all alike. Knowing these subtle differences within 401(k) plans can help you avoid a 10 percent tax penalty if you take money out of the plan prior to reaching age 59 1/2....
The IRS recently announced key figures for 2018, using figures based on the Consumer Price Index published by the Department of Labor. Use these early figures to start developing your tax strategies for next year. Tax Brackets: There are currently seven tax brackets ranging from 0 percent...
The Social Security Administration announced this week a 2 percent boost to monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for 2018. The increase is the largest since 2012, and is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index over the past 12...
Suppose you retire to a new state with warm weather and lower taxes. If you keep a part-time home in your original state or you later decide to return, you could have a tax problem. State tax authorities may argue you never really left, and...
There is now a ton of media chatter about the recently introduced federal tax reform package being passed around in Washington, D.C. While it's still early in the process, here are some of the key elements of the current proposal. For individuals Individual tax rate brackets trimmed...
While most of us are never audited, when it happens we can feel like a lamb thrown in a room with a lion. The IRS auditor does these audits every day. They know what to look for, and may ask leading questions that are easy...
Though the markets have been up strongly this year, your investment portfolio could have a few lemons in it. Using the tax strategy of tax-loss harvesting, you may be able to turn those lemons into lemonade. Here are five tips: Tip #1: Separate short-term and long-term Your...
Now that college students are settling into their first weeks of school, it's important for parents and students to recall that the $4,000 tuition and fees deduction they may have relied on in past years is no longer available in 2017. The good news is...
