Are you a sole proprietor who uses a personal car for business activities? You may be wondering which is a better deduction at tax time: the standard mileage rate, or actual expenses. I'm a big fan of the standard mileage rate. Here's why. Tip 1 - It's Easier: To figure the standard mileage rate deduction, you just need to know the number of business miles driven during the tax year. To figure the deduction for actual expenses, you need to know the total of those expenses, then somehow determine the business portion of them. Usually, this is done by determining a ratio between the number of personal miles vs. the number of business miles. So in order to accurately determine the expense,[..]

You can deduct donations made to qualified charitable organizations only in the year you actually make them.  Usually, you make a donation at the time of its unconditional delivery according to IRS. 1. Donations by checks – If your mail a check to a charitable organization, the date when you mail the check is considered to be the date of donation. 2. Donations by credit cards – The date on which the contributions are charged to your credit card account is the date of donation. 3. Donations by using Pay by phone account – If you use A Pay by phone account to make donations, the date on which the financial institution pays the amount is the date of your donation.  You should use[..]

How To Make Tax Deductible Donations To Haiti

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Cell Phone Donations If you cannot afford to make a sizeable donation to the relief efforts then you can make a small and easy donation from your cell phone. You can text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross, or text HAITI to 25383 for a $5 donation to the International Rescue Committee. You will see the charge on your next phone bill, so be sure to keep it stored with your other tax documents. Larger Donations to the Red Cross If you want to donate more then $10 to the Red Cross, and do not have time to send a dozen text messages, then you can use a credit card to donate either over the phone (1-800-REDCROSS) or by visiting their website. If you would like to mail a[..]

Do You Qualify For A Home Improvement Tax Deduction?

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nt a bigger better home every time but the expenses are just mounting, hey wait, the government plans to give you some relief in the form of home improvement. Never cross the line between home improvement and repair. Both are different. So, what is home improvement? This would include adding a fence, driveway, new room, swimming pool, garage, porch or deck, insulation, new heating/cooling systems, a new roof or landscaping. A capital expense, wherein you would be spending it once in a lifetime. Now let's consider home repair. Home repair is decidedly different from home improvement. It is something you do to arrest the decay of your property. You are spending to keep a check on the[..]

TAX DEDUCTION ON HRA — ASHISH GUPTA

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irs audit statistics

Employees generally receive a house rent allowance (HRA) from their employers. This is a part of the salary package. HRA is given to meet the cost of a rented house taken by the employee for his or her stay. The Income Tax Act allows for deduction in respect of the HRA paid to employees. It is to be noted that the entire HRA is not deductible. HRA is an allowance and is subject to income tax. An employee can claim exemption on his HRA under the Income Tax Act if he stays in a rented house. In order to claim the deduction, the rented premises must not be owned by the employee. In case one stays in an own house, the entire amount of HRA received is subject to tax. According to the Income[..]

How could you possibly make money on vacation. Well, by saving tax dollars means putting more money in your pocket. The IRS is actually pretty lenient when it comes to deducting travel expenses, you just have to have some sort of business purpose while having fun at the same time. Fun Trips Can Save You Taxes How would you like to deduct every cent you spend on vacation this year? A client has and for the rest of this article, we will refer to him as Bob. Want to know how? Bob wanted to take a two-week trip around the United States. He learned that every thing is much cheaper when you can legitimately deduct it. Schedule all business appointments before leaving Some people believe that[..]

The Income Tax Code allows a taxpayer to receive a benefit from a loss on capital investment. Taxpayers can reduce their taxable income by the amount of their loss or $3000, whichever is smaller. Married couples filing separately can claim up to $1500 each. For example, let's say that our investor has $40,000 in income and $10,000 in realized gains from the sale of successful investments. He also has $5,000 in losses, but chooses not to sell these assets. Therefore, his taxable income is $50,000. Now, if our investor chose to sell his losing assets and claim the deduction, he could claim up to $3000 and reduce his taxable income to $47,000. Furthermore, he could "bank" his remaining[..]

Lets face it, taxes are complicated. Have you ever noticed how many different kinds of tax professionals there are? To name a few you've got tax preparers, CPAs, tax attorneys, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, and many more. Individuals have been struggling with taxes every year and each year that goes by they get more and more complex. One great thing that the IRS allows taxpayers to do is allow them to have a tax expert act on their behalf in various tax matters through IRS power of attorney. Once a tax pro gets authorized they can generally perform all the things you can regarding your taxes, but use their expert knowledge of the tax code. You will not need this for an ordinary[..]

Taxes And The IRS - Are You Paying Too Much?

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filing taxes

Taxes are a fact of life, something that you can not get around. Or, can you? With the right education and a bit of financial know how there are many things that you can do to pay less in taxes and to have more money to live your life. Best of all, these are all things that you can do legally and without having to worry about having an IRS audit in the process! Tip 1: Hiring A Professional Team Before you go any further, the first thing to consider that is utterly important is having a professional team working for you. When it comes to filing taxes, you may believe that you can do this work yourself, and you may be able to do so. But, you should consider a team of professionals to[..]

Federal taxes refer to the contributions to be paid by individuals as enforced by the government; these contributions are from those who are employed. The payment of federal taxes takes place every year. The amount to be paid by an individual is determined through his or her income and each person is required to accomplish a federal tax form for the determination of the amount, primarily. The revenues collected are the funds used by the government to sustain and initiate national activities and projects like those under the military defense and some other government agencies and institutions. There are current legal tax codes which governs how the tax payers could determine if they[..]

tax preparer

The answer to this question depends on the situation and requires a discussion with your spouse or business partner. Please note that this topic can get intense at times so be sure to discuss all of the benefits and drawbacks of each option. Also, make sure the focus is not completely on which option is cheaper or what you did last year. The financial conditions of individuals and businesses change each year so the option you select to file your taxes should also be re-evaluated. So, what are your options? TurboTax, H&R Block At Home, TaxAct, CompleteTax & More The online tax software business has been booming in recent years as the convenience & cost factors are playing a[..]

Reduce Your Income Taxes by Owning a Home Business

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The taxes you have to pay each year have nothing to do with how much you earn. How much you income taxes you pay is directly impacted by how much you know about legal and acceptable income tax deductions. Doing your income taxes yourself or handing all your income statements and receipts to the tax preparer at the mall each spring is a sure-fire way to pay way more income taxes than you should. The tax system is complicated but with the help of a tax specialist or a qualified accountant you should be able to recover a large amount of the income taxes that are taken from your pay check each week. There are many legal way to reduce or completely eliminate the amount of taxes you have to[..]

When running a business it is important to know how much your tax burden is likely to be and how you can save on taxes. It is important to know what is deductible and how you can reduce taxes. The World Wide Web has in depth articles as well as tips on taxation and how one can save on taxes payable. The way to go about reducing taxes is to plan ahead. Begin at the start of the tax year and note down what you can due to reduce your business tax burden. Rules do change so you must read through the IRS site for the current year to find out what applies and what does not. 1. Work out a filing system and collect systematically receipts for all business related activities. Remember even small[..]

Most taxpayers interact with the Internal Revenue Service without having knowledge of their taxpayer rights or how to exercise them. They do not know of "The Taxpayer Bill of Rights". Primarily the Taxpayer Bill of Rights details what the IRS can do, how you will be effected and how and what you can do to protect your rights and tax help available. Some of your taxpayer rights are: You must be dealt with in a respectful, courteous and professional manner by IRS employees and tax information and the tax help you need to comply with tax laws must be made available to you. The IRS is not allowed to disclose to anyone the information you give them, except as authorized by law. All[..]

Why eFile Income Tax Returns Online?eFiling allows you to file your income tax returns fast and receive a quick, accurate and maximum refund. It's the fast and easy solution to filing your taxes on time. Purchasing your tax applications from a brick and mortar store are now a thing of the past. Using online based tax filing software allows you to have all the tools you need for filing your taxes at the tip of your fingers. If you start using an e-file programs basic edition and find out you need a more advanced option then you can upgrade to the more advanced e-file versions in minutes without leaving your home. Don't waste time waiting for your tax filing questions to be answered. The[..]

income tax returns

Introduction The IRS provides numerous examples on a variety of topics, usually focused on what the taxpayer cannot do. This article covers some of the planning opportunities, focusing on what you can do to legitimately deduct your home office expenses and to maximize your home office expense deductions. The home office deduction is one of the least understood deductions. Many taxpayers avoid the deduction, frequently on the advice of their tax accountant or attorney, for fear of an IRS audit. This is nonsense! The IRS provides detailed instructions on Business Use of Your Home in its Publication 587. This publication is updated every year and is provided to the public, for free, by[..]

Check Yout Tax Withholding Now Before It Is Too Late Here

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Article Source: MiNeeds.com, where consumers get competitive bids from CPA’s. Read reviews, compare offers & save. It’s free! Article Link: Tags: irs tax help , irs forms , irs tax withholding , tax calculator , payroll withholding , payroll taxes , payroll processing , payroll The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, introduced several changes that affect this Withholding Calculator: (1) The new Making Work Pay Credit: The new withholding tables that employers should have implemented by April 1 have been incorporated into the calculator. You should use this calculator to ensure that the reduced withholding will not result in having too little income tax withheld[..]

tax forms

Do you work from home, full or even part-time? Did you know you may be able to use part of your utilities, rent, insurance, home mortgage interest, and more to save money on your income tax return? Today over 50% of small businesses are home-based, and may qualify for a significant tax advantage. Just because you work from home doesn't automatically mean you're entitled to claim a home office deduction. Even if you qualify, there's a right way and a wrong way to claim the Home Office Deduction. Many taxpayers over-use and abuse it, risking an IRS audit. Many others under-use or even overlook the deduction, and pay too much tax as a consequence. When April 15th comes around, it definitely[..]

Effects of a Tax Lien on a Tax Payer

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A Tax lien will create adverse effects for the tax payer. If the person fails to pay tax at the right time then the IRS has got the power to attach a lien to the property of the person because of the unpaid tax. This lien will remain in place until the IRS has collected the taxes by forceful collection methods or from the tax payer voluntarily paying. Once the lien is attached to the properties the IRS will have all the rights over those assets. The taxpayer can restore his rights only after the removal of tax lien. So, the person cannot sell his land as a result of which it becomes very difficult to obtain desired credits. Tax liens are filed on tax payers that are uncooperative with[..]

If you’ve come to the conclusion that you need a tax law attorney to help with your current tax problems or for tax advice, then you’ll want to know what kind of tax law attorney you need. The fact is that tax attorneys come in different shapes and sizes, and they also come with a range of skills and expertise. Choosing the right kind of tax law attorney to handle your case is important so you can not only save time and money but you can also have the peace of mind of knowing that you have chosen the best tax law attorney to represent you. In order to know the different types of tax law attorneys, you have to know the different types of taxation laws and tax problems and then find[..]

Tax Debt Issues

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5 stars of 5, 226 votes

There are so many difficult situations one goes through in there lifetime. From mortgage payments to car payments there are so many things to pay for in life. One thing that people tend to forget about are taxes. Thousands of Americans today have back taxes. The IRS has many solutions to your issues because they want the best for you. Our website offers some help for those who fall behind on there taxes. There are solutions for your issues. Don't go into debt when you can get help! Here are some solutions. Problem's with Back Taxes Cant pay back taxes? Having a large amount of unpaid taxes will have the IRS at your door to start the collection process. You can prevent this by taking[..]

tax forms

In the words of Dave Barry, "It's income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta." Filing taxes = huge pain. We all know it. We all go through it once a year. And while there's no way around tax season, there is a way to make the process less stressful. P.R.E.P.A.R.A.T.I.O.N. (I'm hearing a collective sigh from all the procrastinators out there!) A little bit of preparation can make a huge difference in your tax filing experience. Here are 5 steps to a help you file your taxes, on-time and un-frazzled... (Think T-A-X-E-S!) (1) Tally: Decide how many hours you'll need for tax prep. First,[..]

tax preparer

Too often, you begin discussing about business tax planning, which is actually intended to end the process of complying with tax obligations. Compliance with tax obligations is the process of reporting their income to the Internal Revenue Service and, hopefully, accurately so that your tax preparer takes advantage of all deductions and credits they are entitled. Often by this time, however, is really too late to make a real tax planning. Having said that, accurate and timely processing of your tax returns obviously a crucial step in realizing the effect of this, or tax planning (or lack thereof), and there are still things you can do, even at this late stage, to help reduce its current[..]

Are you going to use income tax software to file your taxes this year? Or are you willing to risk overpaying? The General Accounting Office of the federal government estimates that most taxpayers overpay by at least several hundred dollars. This is the government themselves admitting the over-payments. But you probably won't get a nice note from the IRS saying, oops you paid too much, here is a refund. So there are basically four ways to complete your taxes. Have your Uncle Joe do them for you: -Don't worry, he really knows what he is doing. Hire a professional: -Even though this costs more than a $100 on average. Do them yourself: -Doesn't that sound like fun. Trying to decode and[..]

Filing Federal Income Tax Online - Great Benefits

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federal tax return

The latest trend is to file the tax returns online. This holds true even for Federal Income Tax. Many individuals find this mode of filing their returns to be very convenient and fast. Yet others are skeptical of this method as they feel the returns may not reach the government authority on time or that they may fall prey to identity theft. This is a genuine worry, because personal information is being sent over the Internet and security of the information is a matter of concern. However, it is quite safe to file federal income tax returns online. You may decide to file the tax returns online yourself, or use the services of an online tax preparation company. It is essential to verify[..]

Quick and Efficient Tax Planning

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5 stars of 5, 20 votes
tax software

There's a way to do your taxes easier and more accurately. You use income tax software to do your job. But because a lot of software is available out there, you need to find the right kind to fit all your needs. At present there are five income tax programs that are widely considered as the best software in the industry today. Among the top five are TurboTax, TaxCut, and CompleteTax interfaces. The TurboTax receives the highest recommendation from users. The Turbo Tax interface appears to be much simpler, user friendly and powerful than its competitors. The latest update of the program changed the user interface making navigation even easier. The program also incorporates the 401k[..]

There are several electronic income tax filing software programs now available for you. Different programs offer a number of features that allow you to make your tax preparation and filing more efficient and convenient. Here are some of the basic electronic income tax filing software features that you might encounter as you check out the different software programs available for you out there. 1. Interview Mode- this feature found in most electronic income tax filing software programs provides a step by step guided interview that asks you all the pertinent questions as the program automatically fills out your tax return depending on your answers. With this feature, it is like having an[..]

income tax refund

Some 2009 income tax refunds are being delayed because many people who worked in 2009 and received an Economic Recovery Act payment are not properly including the payment when claiming the Make Work Pay Tax Credit. The $250 Economic Recovery Payments issued by the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, the Railroad Retirement Board must be claimed when filing 2009 income tax returns. Be aware of the following, if you want to avoid any refund delays related to the Economic Recovery Act payment. If you worked in 2009, you are probably eligible to claim the Make Work Pay Tax Credit issued by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This credit can total[..]

If you want to get the best tax refund then you need to make sure you include all available deductions on your income tax return. Deductions are the key to reducing your taxable income and getting a tax refund. However, millions of taxpayers are not up to date with current deductions and often miss valuable opportunities to save money. Below are 7 commonly overlooked deductions that you may want to include on your own tax return. 1. Medical Expenses If your medical expenses for a single year total 7.5% or more of your adjusted gross income then you can deduct the expenses from your taxable income. Although the total percentage required may seem high, if you plan elective surgeries or[..]

There's a welcome change in store for taxpayers who use the Free eFile program run by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS said the vendors that provide the Free IRS File service have agreed to stop pitching refund-anticipation loans and other products, such as insurance and mortgages. Those sales pitches were strongly criticized by consumer groups, which said such high-price financial products should not be aimed at low- and moderate-income families. This is the fifth year of the service, in which the IRS teams with income tax preparation online companies to allow individuals to file their returns electronically free. People must go to the IRS Web site ( to use the service, which is[..]

There are two things guaranteed:  death and taxes. If you are divorced or separated, you have additional deductions or you have tax consequences. Child Support is not Tax Deductible Many newly divorced or separated people don't know that child support is NOT tax deductible.  The Internal Revenue Service's thinking behind this is that you would have the cost associated with child support any way and supporting your family wouldn't normally be deductible; except, any allowable deductions that would be under any other normal IRS code.  What about a guy who is unfairly forced by the courts to pay child support for a child that is not his responsibility?  Yes, this happens. After the[..]