Maximize Your Charitable Deductions

As the end of the year approaches, there are still things you can do to increase and properly document your charitable contributions for 2011. Here is a brief rundown: Non-cash contributions – If you have used clothing or household goods that are in good or better condition that you don’t use any longer, contribute them to a charity thrift shop before the end of the year. Don’t forget: a receipt from the charity is required to document the gift. If the gift’s fair market value (FMV) is more than $500, you will also need an itemized list of the...

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Unmarried Couples and Home Mortgage Interest

It is becoming increasingly common for couples to live together and remain unmarried, which can lead to potential tax problems when they share the expenses of a home but only one of the couple is liable for the debt on that home. Home mortgage interest can generally be deducted only by a person who is legally obligated to pay the mortgage (in other words, a person who is named as an obligor on the mortgage document). However, there is an exception to the preceding general rule for interest paid on a real estate mortgage when a person is a legal...

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Misclassifying Workers Can Be Costly!

Hiring independent contractors instead of employees can save a lot of money in employment taxes and employee benefits. And it can be a mine field of tax problems if workers are misclassified as independent contractors when they should have been treated as employees. The three primary characteristics the IRS uses to determine the relationship between businesses and workers are behavioral control, financial control, and the type of relationship. Behavioral Control - Covers facts that show whether the business has a right to direct or control how...

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Report Those Foreign Financial Connections!

FinCEN is the acronym for the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. FinCEN is a government-wide, multisource, financial intelligence and analysis network tasked with detecting money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion, and other financial crimes. To do its job, FinCEN must collect financial data from a multitude of sources, including each U.S. person with connections to foreign financial transactions. This has resulted in a number of reporting requirements imposed upon taxpayers; many taxpayers are unaware that...

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Year-end Capital Gains Strategies

2011 has produced some significant gyrations in the financial markets that have had an impact on everyone’s portfolios. But for tax purposes, gains and losses are not measured by the increased or decreased value of your portfolio, but by gains and losses recognized from the sale of capital assets during the year. So you still have until the end of the year to structure your gains and losses to suit your particular tax situation. Conventional wisdom has always been to minimize gains by selling “losers” to offset gains from “winners,” and, where...

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Business Benefits Abound This Year

There are an abundant number of provisions that provide tax relief to small businesses this year. Just so that you don’t overlook any of these benefits, or in case your business would like to position itself to take advantage of some before the close of the year, here is a brief rundown on many of the business benefits that are available for 2011. Some of these provisions are currently set to expire after December 31, 2011. Research Tax Credit - A tax credit of up to 20% of qualified expenditures for businesses that develop, design, or improve...

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Year-End Tax-Planning Moves for Businesses & Business Owners

Expensing Allowance (Sec 179 Deduction) – Businesses should consider making expenditures that qualify for the business property expensing option. For tax years beginning in 2011, the expensing limit is $500,000, and the investment ceiling limit is $2,000,000. Without Congressional intervention, these limits are scheduled for a significant drop in 2012. That means that businesses that make timely purchases will be able to currently deduct most, if not all, of the outlays for machinery and equipment. Additionally, for 2011, the expensing deduction...

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Year-End Tax Planning Moves for Individuals

Employer Flexible Spending Accounts – If you contributed too little to cover expenses this year, you may wish to increase the amount you set aside for next year. Keep in mind, however, that you can no longer set aside amounts to get tax-free reimbursements for over-the-counter drugs. Capital Gains and Losses – We can employ a number of strategies to suit your specific tax circumstances. For example, some taxpayers may be in the zero percent capital gains bracket and should be looking for gains that benefit from no tax. Others may be affected...

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It's Time for Year-End Tax Planning

We have compiled a checklist of actions based on current tax rules that may help you save tax dollars if you act before year-end. Regardless of what Congress does late this year or early next, solid tax savings can be realized by taking advantage of tax breaks that are on the books for 2011. For individuals, these include: • the option to deduct state and local sales and use taxes instead of state and local income taxes; • the above-the-line deduction for qualified higher education expenses; and • tax-free distributions by those age 70-1/2...

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Without a Fix, the AMT will Snare Millions of Taxpayers -Are You in the Crosshairs?

A recently released Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report entitled “The Alternative Minimum Tax for Individuals” examines the effects of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) without yet another Congressional fix. The AMT is another way of computing an individual’s income tax with limited deductions and the elimination of certain tax preferences. Taxpayers pay the higher of the regular computed tax and the AMT. When calculating the AMT, taxpayers are allowed to deduct a specified amount that is not taxable; this is called the AMT exemption....

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Last-Chance Opportunity to Deduct General Sales and Use Taxes?

For 2011, taxpayers have the option of deducting the amount of state and local income tax that they paid during the year or, if they so elect, of deducting their state and local general sales and use taxes as an itemized deduction on their federal income tax return. This choice is currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2011. If a taxpayer elects to deduct the sales and use tax, then the taxpayer may opt to deduct the actual sales and use taxes paid or use the amount indicated in the tables published by the IRS, alongside certain big ticket...

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Don't Miss Out on the Domestic Production Deduction

Originally enacted to help offset the repeal of a tax break for U.S. exporters, this provision of the tax code provides a deduction for many U.S. businesses that’s allowed for both regular tax and alternative minimum tax (AMT) purposes. And, despite the deduction’s history, it’s fully available to taxpayers who don’t export. For 2010 and later years, the deduction equals 9% of the net income from eligible activities but cannot exceed 50% of the wages paid to employees whose work relates to the production of the income eligible for the deduction....

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Save for Retirement Week Promotes Lifelong Security

When it comes to saving for retirement, there is never a better time than today to assess your prospects toward meeting your goals. And with our nation's leaders declaring Oct. 16 through Oct. 22 as National Save for Retirement Week, you have a great opportunity. National Save for Retirement Week is the first congressionally endorsed, national event formally calling on all employees to take full advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans. Experts predict that retirees will need from 80 percent to 100 percent of their pre-retirement income...

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Tax Tips for Job Seekers

If you are unfortunate enough to be out work, you may be spending time attending career fairs and traveling around looking and interviewing for employment. Some of the expenses you incur attempting to secure employment may be deductible on your tax return. Here are several things you should know about deducting costs related to your job search: To qualify for a deduction, the expenses must be spent on a job search in your current occupation. You may not deduct expenses you incur while looking for a job in a new occupation. You can deduct employment...

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Job Opening at Wm. F. Horne & Co., PLLC

Wm. F. Horne & Co., PLLC, a growing accounting firm in South Mississippi, is looking for an experienced marketing and administrative coordinator.  Responsibilities include firm wide marketing efforts, social media management, advertising, firm development, and additional administrative duties. Bachelor's in marketing or a related degree required. Competitive pay and benefits offered. Interested parties to submit their resume to info@wfhorne-co.com or mail to Office Manager, PO Box 768, Laurel, MS 39441...

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How Long are You on the Hook for a Tax Assessment?

A frequent question from taxpayers is "how long does the IRS have to question and assess additional tax on my tax returns?" For most taxpayers who reported all their income, the IRS has three years from the date of filing the returns to examine them. This period is termed the statute of limitations. But wait – as in all things taxes, it is not that clean cut. Here are some complications: You file before the April due date – If you file before the April due date, the three-year statute of limitations still begins on the April due date. So filing...

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Is It a Business or a Hobby?

The distinction between a business activity and a hobby is not a black-and-white issue but instead comes in various shades of gray, which makes it a frequent topic in tax court. What is at stake? - At issue with the business or hobby determination is the treatment of the activity’s expenses. A for-profit business is able to deduct all of its business expenses even if the net result is a loss, whereas a not-for-profit activity (hobby) can only deduct the expenses related to that activity to the extent there is income from that activity. In other...

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Do You Owe the IRS Money?

While the majority of Americans get a tax refund each year, there are many who owe tax and some who can’t pay what they owe all at once. If you find yourself in the position of owing taxes, there are a number of ways to deal with the issue: 1. Get a Loan to Pay the Balance – If you owe the IRS and don’t pay on time, they will assess interest and penalties. If you work out an installment payment agreement with the IRS, they will also charge you a user fee for setting up the agreement. The least expensive way to deal with the liability may be to...

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Don't Overlook the Small Employer Health Insurance Credit

If you are an eligible small employer or a tax-exempt eligible small employer, you may qualify for the small employer health insurance premium credit. This credit is one of the first health care reform provision to take effect as a result of the Health Care Act that was enacted in 2010. The credit reduces a small employer’s tax liability and is claimed on the employer’s income tax return; for eligible tax-exempt employers, the credit reduces the organization’s payroll taxes. Eligible small employers – Eligible small employers may receive the credit...

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Sales Tax on Home Sales Rumor

A rumor has been circulating for some time that home sales will be subject to a 3.8% federal sales tax beginning in 2013. Like most rumors, it has been initiated by someone who doesn’t have all the facts – in this case, someone who does not understand taxes. Unfortunately, the misinformation has been perpetuated through our modern means of communication. It is true that some part of an individual’s home sale gain might be subject to an additional tax of 3.8%. But it is not a sales tax on the gross proceeds of the sale. It is actually a new surtax...

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Back to School Tips for College Students and Parents

Whether you’re a recent high school graduate going to college for the first time or a returning college student, it will soon be time to get to campus—and payment deadlines for tuition and other fees are not far behind. Students or parents paying such expenses should keep receipts and be aware of some tax benefits that can help offset college costs. Typically, these benefits apply to you, your spouse, or a dependent you claim as an exemption on your tax return. American Opportunity Credit - This credit has been extended for an additional two years:...

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Your Broker’s 1099 Statement Will Be Different for 2011

For years, the IRS has had the ability to identify the gross sales of taxpayers from broker transactions, including security (reported on a 1099-B) and property sales (reported on 1099-S forms). However, these identified only the sales price, quantity sold (for securities), and dates of the transactions. To determine the profit or loss, you must also know the tax basis of the property that was sold. Without confirmation of the basis, which up to now has been obtainable only from the taxpayer via an audit, the IRS has no way to verify the reported...

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Complete our Survey and Enter to Win an Amazon Kindle

We want to continue to be responsive to your needs while delivering a product of the highest quality. Go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/WFHCO to complete our Client Satisfaction Survey and you could win an Amazon Kindle!  The survey will only take 2-3 minutes to complete. At the completion of the survey, you will have the option of entering for a chance to win. The deadline to submit the survey is October 15, 2011. If you have any...

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Things to Know about Farm Income and Deductions

If you have a farming business, several tax issues can impact your tax situation. The following list includes some of those issues. Crop Insurance Proceeds — You must include in income any crop insurance proceeds you received as the result of crop damage. You generally include them in the year they were received. Sales Caused by Weather — If you are a cash-method farmer and sell more livestock, including poultry, than you normally would in a year because of drought, flood, or other weather-related conditions, you may be able to postpone reporting...

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Tax Breaks for Charity Volunteers

If you volunteer your time for a charity, you may qualify for some tax breaks. Although no tax deduction is allowed for the value of services performed for a charity, there are deductions permitted for out-of-pocket costs incurred while performing the services. The normal deduction limits and substantiation rules also apply. The following are some examples: away-from-home travel expenses while performing services for a charity, including out-of-pocket round-trip travel cost, taxi fares, and other costs of transportation between the airport or station...

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Getting Older With No Retirement Savings in Sight?

One of the earliest lessons in life is that actions have consequences, and approaching retirement age without a substantial nest egg is one of those consequences. But if you are in this situation, you are not alone, as millions of other Americans are faced with the same need to save enough to retire comfortably. Our priorities shift throughout our lives. Early in the life cycle, home ownership is a priority; that is usually followed by raising and educating children. However, as retirement approaches, the focus needs to shift toward retirement...

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Don't be a Victim of a Scam or ID Theft

The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers to guard against being misled by unscrupulous individuals trying to persuade them to file false claims for tax credits or rebates. The IRS has noted an increase in tax return-related scams, frequently involving unsuspecting taxpayers who normally do not have a filing requirement in the first place. These taxpayers are led to believe they should file a return with the IRS for tax credits, refunds or rebates to which they are not really entitled. Most paid tax return preparers provide honest...

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Next Year's Tax Refund May Be Lower

Taxpayers accustomed to receiving a tax refund every year should be aware of the fact that there are two tax changes for 2011 that could impact their tax liability, possibly making the refunds anticipated next spring lower or even resulting in tax due for taxpayers who normally have small refunds. For 2011, Congress did away with the Making Work Pay tax credit, which was a refundable credit worth up to $400 ($800 for a joint return). Although the payroll withholding tables have been adjusted to compensate for the loss of this credit for employees...

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Manage the Tax on Your Social Security Benefits

Social Security (SS) income is not taxable until a taxpayer’s AGI (without Social Security income), 50% of their Social Security income, tax-exempt interest income, and certain other infrequently encountered additions total and exceed a specific threshold. The threshold is $32,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, zero for married taxpayers filing separately and $25,000 for all others. Once the threshold is exceeded, the Social Security income subject to tax varies from 50% to 85%. Few taxpayers understand this threshold for SS taxation and...

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