Category: Taxation-Individuals

Debtors typically experience a feeling of relief when a creditor agrees to provide debt forgiveness. But that feeling often is replaced by shock and confusion when they learn they owe taxes on so-called “cancellation of debt” (COD) income. Read on to learn the tax rules for COD income and how they might affect your tax situation. General Rule of Debt Forgiveness Taxes The IRS considers your debt canceled if it’s forgiven or discharged for less than the full amount you owe…. Read more ›

To help you make sure you don’t miss any important 2023 deadlines, we’ve provided this summary of when various tax-related forms, payments and other actions are due. Please review the 2023 tax calendar and let us know if you have any questions about the deadlines or would like assistance in meeting them. Date Deadline for  January 10 Individuals: Reporting December 2022 tip income of $20 or more to employers (Form 4070). January 17 Individuals: Paying the fourth installment of 2022 estimated taxes, if… Read more ›

The IRS has announced the 2023 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating a vehicle for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Background: If you use a vehicle for business driving, you can generally deduct the actual expenses attributable to your business use. This includes expenses such as gas, oil, tires, insurance, repairs, licenses and vehicle registration fees. In addition, you may claim a depreciation allowance for the vehicle, based on the percentage of business… Read more ›

Medical expenses can be costly — and they’re not always covered by insurance. But there may be a silver lining: You may be able to claim an itemized deduction for the amounts you pay for medical, dental and vision care, if you incur enough costs to exceed the applicable threshold for the tax year. Here are the details about this deduction. Raising the Bar on Medical Expense Deductions You can claim an itemized deduction for medical, dental, and vision care… Read more ›

The IRS recently issued its 2023 cost-of-living adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions. With inflation up significantly this year, many amounts increased considerably over 2022 amounts. As you implement 2022 year-end tax planning strategies, be sure to take these 2023 adjustments into account. Also, keep in mind that, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), annual inflation adjustments are calculated using the chained consumer price index (also known as C-CPI-U). This increases tax-bracket thresholds, the standard deduction, certain… Read more ›

As Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell recently reported, the Inflation Reduction Act has created deductions for energy-efficient construction especially concerning the Section 179D deduction for commercial buildings and the Section 45L credit for residential homes. The Inflation Reduction Act has created additional adjustments in 2023 taxpayers should be aware of including to the standard deduction and other provisions. More recently on Friday, October 21, the IRS also announced a generous increase in the 2023 annual contributions to a 401K account. Read… Read more ›

Mitigating the adverse effects of climate change is one of the primary targets of the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). To that end, the legislation is packed with tax incentives, including the significant expansion and extension of two tax deductions for energy-efficient construction. The changes to the Section 179D deduction for commercial buildings and the Section 45L credit for residential homes increase their potential value and make them available to more taxpayers than ever before. Sect. 179D Deduction The… Read more ›

Young adults who start their careers weighed down by college debt have a tough time buying a home or maxing out a retirement plan. That’s why, in 1996, Congress added Section 529 to the Internal Revenue Code. It created a new tax-advantaged college saving vehicle. More than two decades later, “529 plans” now collectively hold around $320 billion in assets.A lesser-known alternative, with its own set of pros and cons, is the custodial Roth IRA. Even if you’ve already started… Read more ›

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a popular way to help finance the ever-increasing costs of medical care. They essentially work like this: Individuals and businesses buy less expensive health insurance policies with high deductibles. To qualify in 2022, participants must be enrolled in plans that require them to pay at least the first $1,400 of medical expenses, $2,800 for a family before the insurance begins to pick up the tab (unchanged from 2021). The high deductible health plan is then… Read more ›

Get the most from Social Security. Younger retirees face a harsh penalty for working part-time. For every $2 earned over $19,560 in 2022 (up from $18,960 in 2021), you lose $1 in Social Security benefits. In the year you reach full retirement age, a higher earnings threshold applies. Your benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $3 of earnings only when earnings exceed $51,960 in 2022 if you reach full retirement age (up from $50,520 for 2021). After you… Read more ›