A federal tax credit for the purchase and installation costs of a residential solar system has been extended through 2023. The solar tax credit for 2021 and 2022 is 26% of the cost of the solar installation but drops to 22% for 2023, the final year of the credit (unless extended again by Congress).
Read More >>
Unemployment Fraud May Create a Tax Nightmare for Unsuspecting Taxpayers
Fraudsters spent the earliest months of the pandemic filing unemployment claims using stolen personal data. What this means is that millions of unsuspecting Americans are about to receive federal forms reporting unemployment benefits that they never received. Not only does this leave them potentially vulnerable to identify theft issues, but in the short term it also means that the federal government may be expecting them to pay income taxes for money somebody else received.
Read More >>
Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing
Most taxpayers think they have to itemize their deductions to claim them on their tax return. However, that is not entirely true! There are certain deductions that can be claimed while still using the standard deduction.
Read More >>
IRS Extends Tax Deadline for Individuals to May 17, 2021
The Internal Revenue Service announced on March 17 that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. Illinois has similarly announced that the 2020 individual income tax deadline was extended from April 15, 2021 to May 17, 2021.
Read More >>
The Tax Rules for Renting Your Home or Vacation Home for Short Periods
Many taxpayers rent out their first or second homes without considering tax consequences. Even if you rent out your property using rental agents or online rental services that match property owners with prospective renters (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway), it is still your responsibility to properly report the rental income and expenses on your tax return. You should be aware of some special tax rules for renting your home that probably apply to you.
Read More >>
Is My Inheritance Taxable?
Are you asking yourself: is my inheritance taxable? This is a frequently misunderstood taxation issue, and the answer can be complicated. When someone passes away, all of their assets (their estate) will be subject to estate taxation, and whatever is left after paying the estate tax passes to the decedent’s beneficiaries.
Read More >>
How to Obtain an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) in 2021
The IP PIN serves as the key to an individual’s tax account. Electronically filed returns that do not contain the correct IP PIN will be rejected, and paper returns will go through additional scrutiny for fraud. Effective now, anyone can request an IP PIN, it is no longer limited to victims of identity theft. Given the uptick in unemployment tax fraud, where thousands of social security numbers were compromised, now is the time to consider obtaining the IP PIN.
Read More >>
Why You Should Hire a Tax Professional During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic will have lasting tax implications that many people may have not considered. For some, it can mean simply reporting income or expenses differently. For others, it may mean having to pay additional income taxes that had not been planned for. Regardless of your specific situation, this might be the year that you should hire a tax professional to help address tax complications due to COVID-19.
Read More >>
The Meals and Entertainment Deductions for Tax Years 2020 and Beyond
The original regulations regarding the Meals and Entertainment deductions were part of the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Companies and self-employed individuals have been subject to these rules since then; however, there was ambiguity regarding the rules over the past few years. Fortunately, the IRS recently published the final regulations regarding the changes to the Meals and Entertainment deductions under the TCJA.
Read More >>
What Can We Expect from President-Elect Biden’s Tax Plan?
AUDIO BLOG: Following the results of the Georgia runoff elections, we know that the Democrats hold the majority in Congress. As a result, there is a lot of speculation about President-Elect Biden’s tax plan and what changes we can potentially expect in the future. In this audio blog, CK Principal Karen Snodgrass addresses the speculation and how you can prepare.
Read More >>