Tax Due Dates
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July 2019 Individual Due Dates

July 1 - Time for a Mid-Year Tax Check Up Time to review your 2019 year-to-date income and expenses to ensure estimated tax payments and withholding are adequate to avoid underpayment penalties. July 10 - Report Tips to Employer If you are…
Woman looking a bill
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What if you want to file your taxes but can't afford to pay them?

It’s a common conundrum: You want to file your taxes on time, but you anticipate or already know that you will owe money you can’t afford to pay right now. As a result, you put off filing your tax return under the assumption that the IRS can…
Pic of household help
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Household Help: Employee or Contractor?

Taxpayers often will hire an individual or firm to provide services at the taxpayer’s home. Because the IRS requires employers to withhold taxes for employees and issue them W-2s at the end of the year, the big question is whether or not…
School Children

School’s Out - Who Is Going to Take Care of the Kids?

Summer has just arrived, and there is a tax break that working parents should know about. Many working parents must arrange for care of their children under 13 years of age (or any age if disabled) during the school vacation period. A popular…
Girl in Electric Car
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Electric Vehicle Credit on the Decline

Back in 2009 Congress created a tax credit for the purchase of electric vehicles as a stimulus for car companies to manufacture “green” vehicles and as an incentive for consumers to purchase electric vehicles. Although there is no specific…
Money Tree
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Gift Tax Treatment of Tuition Plans

Qualified tuition plans (QTPs) provide a means for family members and others to save for the future educational needs of children. Investment earnings within a QTP account are tax deferred and not taxable when withdrawn if used to pay qualified…
Home Ownership & Taxes

Tax Reform Has Substantially Altered the Tax Benefits of Home Ownership

As part of the recent tax reform, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the deduction for home mortgage interest and property taxes has undergone substantial alterations. These changes will impact most homeowners who itemize their deductions each…
Retired Couple
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It’s Not Too Late to Make a 2018 Retirement-Plan Contribution

Have you been ignoring your future retirement needs? This tends to happen when people are young; because retirement is far in the future, they believe that they have plenty of time to save for it. Some people even ignore the issue until late…
Income Tax
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Wonder What a Tax Deduction Is Worth?

Individuals are always looking for tax deductions that can reduce their tax liability. But what is the actual tax benefit derived from a tax deduction? There is no straightforward answer because some deductions are above the line, others must…