A new law, the “Don’t Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act,” was signed on May 22, 2015, to clarify the tax treatment of federal and state benefits for public safety officers killed or injured in the line of duty. Under the law, such benefits will not be subject to federal income tax.
accounting
Business survey identifies taxes as biggest burden
In a survey of small businesses conducted by the National Small Business Association, 59% of respondents said taxes were more of an administrative burden than a financial one. Most businesses put payroll taxes at the top of the list of taxes with the greatest administrative burden. Payroll taxes also outranked other taxes, such as income, […]
Check the “support” test to maintain dependent deductions
Keep your college student qualified as your dependent by meeting the “support” test. Generally, your child cannot provide over one-half of his or her own support during the year. Add up funds your child will have received from work, student loans, and other sources of income. Do you need to increase your level of support […]
Summertime tax tip
If you itemize your deductions, you can deduct the mortgage interest and property taxes paid for your vacation home. A boat or RV can qualify as a vacation home if it has sleeping quarters, cooking facilities, and a bathroom. If a retreat also serves as rental property, you can control your tax deductions by changing […]
If you made gifts in 2014, check this tax filing requirement
Here’s another filing deadline that might apply to you: April 15 is the due date for filing 2014 gift tax returns. If you made gifts last year in excess of the $14,000 annual limit to any one individual, you may need to report the transaction to the IRS. If you and your spouse agree to […]
Check qualification for health insurance exemption
If you didn’t have health insurance in 2014 or the insurance you had did not meet minimum requirements, you may have to pay a penalty on your 2014 Federal Income Tax Return – unless you qualify for an exemption. Exemptions include unaffordable coverage when premiums would have exceeded 8% of your household income, a […]