Taxpayer asks: I’m confused by part of the notice I got from the IRS about my 2010 taxes. The first part was clear – I apparently never got a tax form for some interest so didn’t declare it, and I have no quarrels about paying the tax plus penalty on that. However, the second part…
T is for Tuition and Fees Deduction. College can be expensive. Crazy expensive. I say this as a former student now repaying tons of student loans – and eying my three kids and thinking about how in the world I’m going to pay for them, too. Fortunately, there are some tax breaks available for paying…
S is for Standard Deduction. Most taxpayers have the option of claiming the standard deduction or the itemized deduction. I say “most” because, as with almost everything tax-related, there are some exceptions. You cannot use the standard deduction if you file as married filing a separate return and your spouse itemizes deductions; you are a…
G is for Gift Expenses. The word gift can have a different meaning, depending on who is doing the giving and who is doing the getting. If you don’t believe me, check out an episode or two of Judge Judy (yes, I’m a fan). When it comes to business, however, the IRS has a very…
Taxpayer asks: I’m getting mixed responses about being able to write off my parking expenses for work. I am a hair stylist and technically work as an “employee” at a salon (commission-based). I drive to work and park in a paid lot. I have receipts totaling over $900 from 2011 parking. Can I write off…
The IRS has issued the 2012 optional standard mileage rates used for deducting the costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. They are: 55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable…
I need a full time assistant just to manage the kids these days (don’t worry, Mom, I don’t actually have one). School started last week which means that this week, extracurricular activities have started in earnest. In addition to escorting my kids back and forth to dance, gymnastics and soccer, respectively, I have to spend…
Remember that small biz can expense some business costs in 08 rather than depreciate. Immediate savings! #TwitterTaxTip (For more on twitter tax tips, see my prior explanatory post.)