Tax news and guidance for individual taxpayers — filing tips, deductions, refunds, and everything else that hits your personal return.
This week, I’ve asked readers to chime in on the Bush tax cuts. This guest post is courtesy of Belinda Roberts (for more on the topic, see the original post): For a long time I’ve considered myself a Democrat. During law school, I competed with other liberal students for the title of most progressive. I…
This week, I’ve asked readers to chime in on the Bush tax cuts. This guest post is courtesy of Renee Taylor, CPA (for more on the topic, see the original post): In the movie “Pay It Forward,” recipients of good deeds are supposed to perform a good deed for someone else rather than repay the…
This week, I’ve asked readers to chime in on the Bush tax cuts. This guest post is courtesy of Michael J. Craig, EA (for more on the topic, see the original post): The Bush Tax Cuts are about to expire and does anyone want to do anything about it? The American political system is designed…
This week, I’m letting my readers take over and tell you what they think about the expiring Bush tax cuts. As always, I think background and context are important. So here’s a quick primer on what’s happening and why… The so-called Bush tax cuts are a series of tax breaks which were enacted in 2001…
I’ve received an amazing number of emails, phone calls and Twitter DMs about the infamous “blog tax” story making the rounds in Philadelphia… I am aware of it and I’m working on a story. Earlier today, I spoke with some folks at the Philly Department of Revenue. I’ll have their comments – and mine –…
Today’s Fix the Tax Code Friday question is inspired by a comment on yesterday’s post from TexasEd: What if there was no such thing as filing status? No single, no married filing separate, no married filing jointly, no head of household, no qualifying widow with dependent child. Just one taxpayer per return. What do you…
Taxpayer asks: Dear taxgirl, I need some help. I am being audited by the IRS and I don’t know what to do. I am self-employed (web design) and I do not have many records to back up my tax returns. I didn’t lie on my taxes but I can’t prove it. I don’t know what…
Taxpayer asks: Hi tax girl! Greetings and thank you in advance for your time: I too live in Philadelphia, and looking to rent another house… My credit rating is 798 and I have over $X in an investment account. I have started a new company and had practically no income last year… I am an…
Last week, I committed a terrible tax blogging sin: I used jargon. I try not to use jargon on my blog. I find it annoying, for one, because who wants to actually sound like a tax attorney (no offense to my esteemed colleagues). But more importantly, what’s the point of reading a blog that you…
How can you tell it’s an election year? By the sheer number of scare tactics and outright lies being shuffled about. An email is making the rounds – again – suggesting that health care benefits will appear on forms W-2 and will be taxed. I was alerted to this fact on yesterday via reader email…