18 Sep 2022
0

Is Your Income Tax Withholding Adequate?

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Is Your Income Tax Withholding Adequate?

When you filed your federal tax return this year, were you surprised to find you owed money? You might want to change your withholding so that this doesn’t happen again next year. You might even want to adjust your withholding if you got a big refund. Receiving a tax refund essentially means you’re giving the government an interest-free loan. Adjust if necessary Taxpayers should periodically review their tax situations and adjust withholding, if appropriate. The IRS has a withholding calculator to assist you in conducting a paycheck checkup. The calculator reflects tax law changes in areas such as available itemized deductions, the child credit, the dependent credit and the repeal of dependent exemptions. You can access the IRS calculator here: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator Life changes There are some situations when you should...

28 Aug 2022
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IRS Provides Simplified Method for Extending Portability Election

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
IRS Provides Simplified Method for Extending Portability Election

The IRS has released a procedure (Rev Proc 2022-32) that provides a new, simplified method for obtaining an extension of time to make a "portability" election. A portability election allows a surviving spouse to apply a deceased spouse's unused exclusion (DSUE) amount to their own transfers during life or at death. New simplified method The new procedure allows certain estates to use to obtain an extension of time to elect portability of a DSUE amount. The procedure applies to estates that are not normally required to file an estate tax return because the value of the gross estate and adjusted taxable gifts is under the filing threshold and the decedent has a surviving spouse.  Under the new procedure, an extension request must be made on or before the...

28 Aug 2022
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How to Avoid the Early Withdrawal Tax Penalty on IRA Distributions

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
How to Avoid the Early Withdrawal Tax Penalty on IRA Distributions

When you take withdrawals from your traditional IRA, you probably know that they’re taxable. But there may be a penalty tax on early withdrawals depending on how old you are when you take them and what you do with the money. Important: Once you reach a certain age, you must start taking required minimum distributions from your traditional IRAs to avoid a different tax penalty. Previously, the required beginning date (RBD) was April 1 of the year after the year in which you turn 70½. However, a 2019 law changed the RBD to 72 for individuals who reach age 70½ after 2019. But what if you want to take an “early” withdrawal, defined as one taken before age 59½? You’ll be hit with a 10% penalty tax unless...

23 Aug 2022
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IRS/Energy Dept Issue Guidance, List of Cars Eligible for Revised EV Credit

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Automotive, Individual Tax Briefs, Small Business Tax Briefs
IRS/Energy Dept Issue Guidance, List of Cars Eligible for Revised EV Credit

On its website, the IRS has issued guidance  on accessing the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022's tax credits for electric vehicles ("Plug-in Electric Drive Vehicle Credit at a Glance"), while the Energy Department listed credit-eligible cars, trucks, and SUVs ("List of Vehicles with Final Assembly in North America") on 8/16/22, just hours after President  Biden signed the law. Credit Amounts The Act introduces a $4,000 tax credit for the purchase of used electric vehicles (EVs), and updates the $7,500 credit for new EVs . . . Vehicle Price Caps A major change however is the introduction of caps on the price of new vehicles, based on the buyer's income, that qualify for that credit. The caps imposed are: $55,000 for electric cars, and $80,000 for SUVs and pickup trucks. Final Assembly...

23 Aug 2022
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Does the Kiddie Tax Affect Your Family?

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Does the Kiddie Tax Affect Your Family?

Many people wonder how they can save taxes by transferring assets into their children’s names. This tax strategy is called income shifting. It seeks to take income out of your higher tax bracket and place it in the lower tax brackets of your children. While some tax savings are available through this approach, the “kiddie tax” rules impose substantial limitations if: The child hasn’t reached age 18 before the close of the tax year, or The child’s earned income doesn’t exceed half of his or her support and the child is age 18 or is a full-time student age 19 to 23.   The kiddie tax rules apply to your children who are under the cutoff age(s) described above, and who have more than a certain amount of...

17 Aug 2022
0

President Biden Signs the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Current Events, Individual Tax Briefs, Small Business Tax Briefs
President Biden Signs the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

On 8/16/22, President Biden signed into law the so-called Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376).  In a statement earlier, the White House said, "President Biden and Congressional Democrats have worked together to deliver a historic legislative achievement that defeats special interests, delivers for American families, and grows the economy from the bottom up and middle out". The White House is also planning an event on 9/6/22 to celebrate the enactment of the bill. The $740 billion Act is projected to raise revenue via a new 15% minimum tax on large, profitable corporations and a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks, to achieve the Democrats goal of using the budget reconciliation measure to reduce the U.S. annual deficit (i.e. not the National Debt) by approximately $300...

17 Jul 2022
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How Disability Income Benefits are Taxed

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
How Disability Income Benefits are Taxed

If you’ve recently begun receiving disability income, you may wonder how it’s taxed. The answer is: It depends. The key issue is: Who paid for the benefit? If the income is paid directly to you by your employer, it’s taxable to you just as your ordinary salary would be. (Taxable benefits are also subject to federal income tax withholding. However, depending on the employer’s disability plan, in some cases they aren’t subject to Social Security tax.) Frequently, the payments aren’t made by an employer but by an insurance company under a policy providing disability coverage. In other cases, they’re made under an arrangement having the effect of accident or health insurance. In these cases, the tax treatment depends on who paid for the insurance coverage. If your...

17 Jul 2022
0

Can Individual Taxpayers Deduct Vehicle Expenses?

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Can Individual Taxpayers Deduct Vehicle Expenses?

It’s not just businesses that can deduct vehicle-related expenses on their tax returns. Individuals also can deduct them in certain circumstances. Unfortunately, under current law, you may not be able to deduct as much as you could years ago. For years prior to 2018, miles driven for business, moving, medical and charitable purposes were potentially deductible. For 2018 through 2025, business and moving miles are deductible only in much more limited circumstances. The changes were a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which could also affect your tax benefit from medical and charitable miles. Fortunately, if you’re eligible to deduct driving costs, the IRS just increased the standard amounts for the second half of 2022 due to the high price of gas. Current vs. past...

16 Jul 2022
0

Five Tax Implications of Divorce

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Five Tax Implications of Divorce

Are you in the early stages of divorce? In addition to the tough personal issues that you’re dealing with, several tax concerns need to be addressed to ensure that taxes are kept to a minimum and that important tax-related decisions are properly made. Here are five issues to consider if you’re in the process of getting a divorce. Alimony or support payments. For alimony under divorce or separation agreements that are executed after 2018, there’s no deduction for alimony and separation support payments for the spouse making them. And the alimony payments aren’t included in the gross income of the spouse receiving them. (The rules are different for divorce or separation agreements executed before 2019.) Child support. No matter when the divorce or separation instrument is executed,...

16 Jul 2022
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Your Estate Plan: Don’t Forget About Income Tax Planning

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Your Estate Plan: Don't Forget About Income Tax Planning

As a result of the current estate tax exemption amount ($12.06 million in 2022), many people no longer need to be concerned with federal estate tax. Before 2011, a much smaller amount resulted in estate plans attempting to avoid it. Now, because many estates won’t be subject to estate tax, more planning can be devoted to saving income taxes for your heirs. Note: The federal estate tax exclusion amount is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2025. Beginning on January 1, 2026, the amount is due to be reduced to $5 million, adjusted for inflation. Of course, Congress could act to extend the higher amount or institute a new amount. Here are some strategies to consider in light of the current large exemption amount. Gifts that use...

ROGER ROSSMEISL, CPA

Kho & Patel CPAs
160 E. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773

(714) 325-0442
roger@khopatel.com

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