Taxes
Shortly after publishing my post about your odds of being audited by the IRS, a reader sent me a message with a link to a CBS News article suggesting that your chances of being audited were actually much higher than previously thought. That is what the bold type headline screams, at least. In reality, if [...]
As tax season approaches, America’s thoughts turn to the required filing of income taxes. Theoretically, America’s tax system is a voluntary reporting system, however, that voluntary part is backed up by a pretty big stick, IRS audits. Odds of Being Audited According to IRS statistics, the chances of being audited by the IRS is about [...]
When you sell certain assets or investments that have appreciated in value, you may owe taxes on the increased value. The difference between what you paid for the investment and the amount you sold the investment is a capital gain and it is subject to capital gains taxes. However, if you lose money on an [...]
Every year a plethora of financial articles come out telling people how to save money on their taxes at the end of the year. It’s a fine idea, and frankly, no stone should go unturned. However, the best tax planning takes happens year round. That being said, there are numerous last-minute ways to cut income [...]
The standard tax deduction allowed for Americans is set each year in late October. The standard deduction is indexed for inflation, so it can increase or decrease in a given year depending upon how the cost of living index changes over time. Standard Deduction 2012 The 2012 standard deduction is the amount that taxpayers will [...]
Reporting most investment income is pretty straightforward. Calculate the gain or loss and enter it on Schedule D. The only trick is whether to report as a long-term or short-term capital gains or capital losses. With short sales, however, there are a couple of tax tricks to know about how they get reported. Long-Term or [...]
Continue reading about Reporting Short Sales for Income Taxes
Generally, the IRS sets the mileage rate for taxes once per year in December. Gas prices go up and and down through the year, but the mileage deduction rate is not adjusted monthly or quarterly. 2011 Mileage Rate Update However, the IRS increased the optional standard mileage rates for the last six months of 2011 [...]