As part of the CARES Act, Congress provided temporary relief for homeowners with federally backed mortgages who were financially impacted by COVID-19. For those unable to keep up with their home mortgage payments, the relief provides mortgage forbearance and a moratorium against foreclosures through August 31, 2020. As related to mortgages, the term “forbearance” means […]
Tired of having all those old tax records taking up drawer or closet space and collecting dust. Want to dump as much as you can? People often ask how long records must be kept and the amount of time IRS has to audit a return after it is filed. How long to keep the records […]
The global coronavirus pandemic has changed every single facet of our world – from the way we work to how we live our day-to-day lives – and we have been forced to quickly adjust to a new normal. Unfortunately, there are those out there who seek to take advantage of this turbulent time. The Internal […]
If you volunteered your time for a charity or governmental entity during the COVID-19 pandemic, you probably qualify for some tax breaks. These rules actually apply to all charity volunteers not just COVID-19 volunteers. Although no tax deduction is allowed for the value of services performed for a qualified charity or federal, state or local […]
Individuals who meet the 2-out-of-5-year use and ownership tests can exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 if both filer and spouse qualify) of gain from the sale of their home, and generally don’t need to keep a record of improvements made to the home. However, in many instances the gain from the home’s sale can be […]
It has been more than ten years since the United States’ economy has gone through a recession, and when the National Bureau of Economic Research announced in June that we have officially entered another, it hit many Americans like a body blow. The dark financial times we experienced between December of 2007 and June of […]
With jobs at a premium during the COVID-19 pandemic, you might consider hiring your children to help out in your business. Financially, it makes more sense to keep the family employed rather than hiring strangers, provided, of course, that the family member is suitable for the job. Note, however, that wages paid to children and […]
The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2019 extended the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) allowing employers who are willing to help disadvantaged individuals to benefit from a substantial federal tax credit. The WOTC is typically worth up to $2,400 for each eligible employee, but it can be worth up to $9,600 for […]
The outcome of the November elections could have a significant impact on taxes for the wealthy. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy, as the government’s tax revenues have declined while government spending has soared. Although the President has not revealed his tax policies for the future, Joe Biden, his presumptive opponent in […]