Category Archives: Taxpayers

IRS Special Edition Tax Tip 2015-14: Surf the Net to IRS.gov this Summer

20 Thursday Aug 2015

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SURF THE NET TO IRS.GOV THIS SUMMER

Summertime or anytime, get the tax help and information you need on IRS.gov. Our many online tools and services make it easy for you to do business with the IRS. Here are the top reasons to visit IRS.gov this summer:

  • Use IRS Free File.  If you still need to file your 2014 tax return, you can use IRS Free File to e-file for free. Free File is available through Oct. 15. If you earned $60,000 or less you can prepare and e-file your taxes with free tax software. If you made more, use Free File Fillable Forms to e-file for free. This option is the electronic version of IRS paper forms.
  • Check on your refund.  The Where’s My Refund? tool is a fast and easy way to check on your tax refund. Use the IRS2Go mobile app to access it or click on the “Refunds” tab on IRS.gov.
  • Try IRS Direct Pay.  If you owe taxes, pay them with IRS Direct Pay. It’s the safe, easy and free way to pay from your checking or savings account. Just click on the “Pay Your Tax Bill” link on the IRS home page.
  • Apply to make payments.  If you are not able to pay your tax in full, you may apply for an Online Payment Agreement. Check out the direct debit payment plan. It has a lower set-up fee and you will not miss a payment. With a direct debit plan the IRS will not send you a monthly reminder to send your check.
  • Correct your tax withholding.  Did you get a big refund or owed more tax than you expected when you filed your tax return? If so, you may want to change your tax withholding. To make a change, complete and give your employer a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate. The IRS Withholding Calculator tool can help you fill out a new Form W-4.
  • Get health care tax information.   The IRS website also has information about the Affordable Care Act tax provisions at IRS.gov/aca. You can visit this site for educational material that describes how the health care law tax provisions affect individuals and businesses. There you will find information about the law and its provisions, legal guidance, the latest news, frequently asked questions and links to additional resources.
  • Check out a charity.  If you donate to a charity, the value of your gift may be deductible. Use the Select Check tool to see if your charity qualifies.
  • Get answers to tax questions.  The Interactive Tax Assistant covers many common tax topics. Type in your question or search terms and it can lead you step-by-step to the answer. The IRS Tax Map gives you a single point of access to tax law information by subject. It integrates tax topics, forms, instructions and publications into one tool.
  • Get forms and publications.  View, download and print federal tax forms and publications on IRS.gov/forms at any time.

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IRS Special Edition Tax Tip 2015-10: Prepare for a Disaster – Plan to Keep Your Tax Records Safe‏

05 Friday Jun 2015

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Prepare for a Disaster – Plan to Keep Your Tax Records Safe

To mark the start of the hurricane season, the IRS urges you to make a plan to keep your tax records safe. Plans made before a disaster strikes can help you recover from the destruction left in its wake. The following tips can help you make that plan:

  • Use Electronic Records.  You may have access to bank and other financial statements online. If so, your statements are already securely stored there. You can also keep an additional set of records electronically. One way is to scan tax records and insurance policies onto an electronic format. You may want to download important records to an external hard drive, USB flash drive or burn them onto CD or DVD. Be sure you keep duplicates of your records in a safe place. For example store them in a waterproof container away from the originals. If a disaster strikes your home, it may also affect a wide area. If that happens you may not be able to retrieve the records that are stored in that area.
  • Document Valuables.  Take photos or videos of the contents of your home or business. These visual records can help you prove the value of your lost items. They may help with insurance claims or casualty loss deductions on your tax return. You should also store these in a safe place. For example, you might store them with a friend or relative who lives out of the area.

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  • Count on the IRS for Help.  If you fall victim to a disaster, know that the IRS stands ready to help. You can call the IRS disaster hotline at 866-562-5227 for special help with disaster-related tax issues.
  • Get Copies of Prior Year Tax Records.  If you need a copy of your tax return you should file Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. The usual fee per copy is $50. However, the IRS will waive this fee if you are a victim of a federally declared disaster. If you just need information that shows most line items from your tax return, you can call 1-800-908-9946 to request a free transcript. You can also get it if you file Form 4506T-EZ, Short Form Request for Individual Tax Return Transcript, or Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.

Visit IRS.gov for more information about disaster assistance.  Click on the “Disaster Relief” link in the lower left section of the home page. You can also type “disaster” in the
search box. Get IRS tax forms and publications on IRS.gov/forms at any time.

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IRS Announce That All Legal Same-Sex Marriages Will Be Recognized For Federal Tax Purposes

22 Sunday Sep 2013

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August 29, 2013

Ruling Provides Certainty, Benefits and Protections Under Federal Tax Law for Same-Sex Married Couples

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, will be treated as married for federal tax purposes. The ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage or a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriage.

The ruling implements federal tax aspects of the June 26 Supreme Court decision invalidating a key provision of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

Under the ruling, same-sex couples will be treated as married for all federal tax purposes, including income and gift and estate taxes. The ruling applies to all federal tax provisions where marriage is a factor, including filing status, claiming personal and dependency exemptions, taking the standard deduction, employee benefits, contributing to an IRA and claiming the earned income tax credit or child tax credit.

Any same-sex marriage legally entered into in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory or a foreign country will be covered by the ruling. However, the ruling does not apply to registered domestic partnerships, civil unions or similar formal relationships recognized under state law.

Legally-married same-sex couples generally must file their 2013 federal income tax return using either the married filing jointly or married filing separately filing status.

Individuals who were in same-sex marriages may, but are not required to, file original or amended returns choosing to be treated as married for federal tax purposes for one or more prior tax years still open under the statute of limitations.

Generally, the statute of limitations for filing a refund claim is three years from the date the return was filed or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. As a result, refund claims can still be filed for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Some taxpayers may have special circumstances, such as signing an agreement with the IRS to keep the statute of limitations open, that permit them to file refund claims for tax years 2009 and earlier.

Additionally, employees who purchased same-sex spouse health insurance coverage from their employers on an after-tax basis may treat the amounts paid for that coverage as pre-tax and excludable from income.

How to File a Claim for Refund

Taxpayers who wish to file a refund claim for income taxes should use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Taxpayers who wish to file a refund claim for gift or estate taxes should file Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement. For information on filing an amended return, see Tax Topic 308, Amended Returns, available on IRS.gov, or the Instructions to Forms 1040X and 843. Information on where to file your amended returns is available in the instructions to the form.

Future Guidance

Treasury and the IRS intend to issue streamlined procedures for employers who wish to file refund claims for payroll taxes paid on previously-taxed health insurance and fringe benefits provided to same-sex spouses. Treasury and IRS also intend to issue further guidance on cafeteria plans and on how qualified retirement plans and other tax-favored arrangements should treat same-sex spouses for periods before the effective date of this Revenue Ruling.

Other agencies may provide guidance on other federal programs that they administer that are affected by the Code.

Revenue Ruling 2013-17, along with updated Frequently Asked Questions for same-sex couples and updated FAQs for registered domestic partners and individuals in civil unions, are available today on IRS.gov. See also Publication 555, Community Property.

Treasury and the IRS will begin applying the terms of Revenue Ruling 2013-17 on Sept. 16, 2013, but taxpayers who wish to rely on the terms of the Revenue Ruling for earlier periods may choose to do so, as long as the statute of limitations for the earlier period has not expired.

IRS Special Edition Tax Tip: Don’t Fall for Phony IRS Websites

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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The Internal Revenue Service is issuing a warning about a new tax scam that uses a website that mimics the IRS e-Services online registration page.

The actual IRS e-Services page offers web-based products for tax preparers, not the general public. The phony web page looks almost identical to the real one.

The IRS gets many reports of fake websites like this. Criminals use these sites to lure people into providing personal and financial information that may be used to steal the victim’s money or identity.

The address of the official IRS website is www.irs.gov. Don’t be misled by sites claiming to be the IRS but ending in .com, .net, .org or other designations instead of .gov.

If you find a suspicious website that claims to be the IRS, send the site’s URL by email to phishing@irs.gov. Use the subject line, ‘Suspicious website’.

Be aware that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.

If you get an unsolicited email that appears to be from the IRS, report it by sending it to phishing@irs.gov.

The IRS has information at www.irs.gov that can help you protect yourself from tax scams of all kinds. Search the site using the term “phishing.”

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IRS Tax Tip: Ten Tax Tips for Individuals Selling Their Home

22 Monday Oct 2012

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Picture of the "Gingerbread House" i...

The Internal Revenue Service has some important information for those who have sold or are about to sell their home. If you have a gain from the sale of your main home, you may be able to exclude all or part of that gain from your income.

Here are 10 tips from the IRS to keep in mind when selling your home.

1. In general, you are eligible to exclude the gain from income if you have owned and used your home as your main home for two years out of the five years prior to the date of its sale.

2. If you have a gain from the sale of your main home, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain from your income ($500,000 on a joint return in most cases).

3. You are not eligible for the full exclusion if you excluded the gain from the sale of another home during the two-year period prior to the sale of your home.

4. If you can exclude all of the gain, you do not need to report the sale of your home on your tax return.

5. If you have a gain that cannot be excluded, it is taxable. You must report it on Form 1040, Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses.

6. You cannot deduct a loss from the sale of your main home.

7. Worksheets are included in Publication 523, Selling Your Home, to help you figure the adjusted basis of the home you sold, the gain (or loss) on the sale, and the gain that you can exclude. Most tax software can also help with
this calculation.

8. If you have more than one home, you can exclude a gain only from the sale of your main home. You must pay tax on the gain from selling any other home. If you have two homes and live in both of them, your main home is ordinarily the one you live in most of the time.

9. Special rules may apply when you sell a home for which you received the first-time homebuyer credit. See Publication 523, Selling Your Home, for details.

10. When you move, be sure to update your address with the IRS and the U.S. Postal Service to ensure you receive mail from the IRS. Use Form 8822, Change of Address, to notify the IRS of your address change.

For more information about selling your home, see IRS Publication 523, Selling Your Home. This publication is available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM
(800-829-3676).

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IRS Tax Tip: Moving This Summer? Here are 10 Helpful Tax Tips

13 Monday Aug 2012

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School’s out for the summer, and summer is a popular time for people to move – especially families with children.  If you are moving to start a new job or even the same job at a new job location, the IRS offers 10 tax tips on expenses you may be able to deduct on your tax return.

1. Expenses must be close to the time you start work  Generally, you can consider moving expenses that you incurred within one year of the date you first report to work at a new job location.

2. Distance Test  Your move meets the distance test if your new main job location is at least 50 miles farther from your former home than your previous main job location was from your former home.  For example, if your old main job location was three miles from your former home, your new main job location must be at least 53 miles from that former home.

3. Time Test  Upon arriving in the general area of your new job location, you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first year at your new job location. Self-employed individuals must meet this test, and they must also work full time for a total of at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months upon arriving in the general area of their new job location. If your income tax return is due before you have satisfied this requirement, you can still deduct your allowable moving expenses if you expect to meet the time test. There are some special rules and exceptions to these general rules, so see Publication 521, Moving Expenses for more information.

4. Travel  You can deduct lodging expenses (but not meals) for yourself and household members while moving from your former home to your new home. You can also deduct transportation expenses, including airfare, vehicle mileage, parking fees and tolls you pay, but you can only deduct one trip per person.

5. Household goods  You can deduct the cost of packing, crating and transporting your household goods and personal property, including the cost of shipping household pets. You may be able to include the cost of storing and insuring these items while in transit.

6. Utilities  You can deduct the costs of connecting or disconnecting utilities.

7. Nondeductible expenses  You cannot deduct as moving expenses: any part of the purchase price of your new home, car tags, a drivers license renewal, costs of buying or selling a home, expenses of entering into or breaking a lease, or security deposits and storage charges, except those incurred in transit and for foreign moves.

8. Form  You can deduct only those expenses that are reasonable for the circumstances of your move. To figure the amount of your deduction for moving expenses, use Form 3903, Moving Expenses.

9. Reimbursed expenses  If your employer reimburses you for the costs of a move for which you took a deduction, the reimbursement may have to be included as income on your tax return.

10. Update your address  When you move, be sure to update your address with the IRS and the U.S. Postal Service to ensure you receive mail from the IRS. Use Form 8822, Change of Address, to notify the IRS.

More details are available in IRS Publication 521 and Form 3903. IRS publications and forms are available on IRS.gov or by calling 800-829-3676.
Links:

  • Publication 521, Moving Expenses (PDF)
  • Form 3903, Moving Expenses (PDF)
  • Form 8822, Change of Address (PDF)
  • Tax Topic 455 – Moving Expenses

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IRS Tax Tip: Don’t Overlook the Benefits of Miscellaneous Deductions

13 Monday Aug 2012

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If you are able to itemize your deductions on your tax return instead of claiming the standard deduction, you may be able to claim certain miscellaneous deductions. A tax deduction reduces the amount of your taxable income and generally reduces the amount of taxes you may have to pay.

Here are some things you should know about miscellaneous tax deductions:

Deductions Subject to the 2 Percent Limit. You can deduct the amount of certain miscellaneous expenses that exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income. Deductions subject to the 2 percent limit include:

  • Unreimbursed employee expenses such as searching for a new job in the same profession, certain work clothes and uniforms, work tools, union dues, and work-related travel and transportation.
  • Tax preparation fees.
  • Other expenses that you pay to:

– Produce or collect taxable income,
– Manage, conserve, or maintain property held to produce taxable income, or
– Determine, contest, pay, or claim a refund of any tax.

Examples of other expenses include certain investment fees and expenses, some legal fees, hobby expenses that are not more than your hobby income and rental fees for a safe deposit box if it is not used to store jewelry and other personal effects.

Deductions Not Subject to the 2 Percent Limit.  The list of deductions not subject to the 2 percent limit of adjusted gross income includes:

  • Casualty and theft losses from income-producing property such as damage or theft of stocks, bonds, gold, silver, vacant lots, and works of art.
  • Gambling losses up to the amount of gambling winnings.
  • Impairment-related work expenses of persons with disabilities.
  • Losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes.

Qualified miscellaneous deductions are reported on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. Keep records of your miscellaneous deductions to make it easier for you to prepare your tax return when the filing season arrives.

There are also many expenses that you cannot deduct such as personal living or family expenses. You can find more information and examples in IRS Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions, which is available on IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Links:

  • Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions (PDF)
  • Tax Topic 508 – Miscellaneous Expenses
  • Schedule A Itemized Deductions (PDF)
  • Instructions for Schedule A (PDF)

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IRS Tax Tip: Expanded Adoption Tax Credit Still Available for Extension Filers

29 Sunday Jul 2012

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If you adopted a child last year and requested an extension of time to file your 2011 taxes, you may be able to claim the expanded adoption credit on your federal tax return. The Affordable Care Act temporarily increased the amount of the credit and made it refundable, which means it can increase the amount of your refund.

Here are eight things to know about this valuable tax credit:

1. The adoption credit for tax year 2011 can be as much as $13,360 for each effort to adopt an eligible child. You may qualify for the credit if you adopted or attempted to adopt a child in 2010 or 2011 and paid qualified expenses relating to the adoption.

2. You may be able to claim the credit even if the adoption does not become final. If you adopt a special needs child, you may qualify for the full amount of the adoption credit even if you paid few or no adoption-related expenses.

3. The credit for qualified adoption expenses is subject to income limitations, and may be reduced or eliminated depending on your income.

4. Qualified adoption expenses are reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the legal adoption of the child who is under 18 years old, or physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself. These expenses may include adoption fees, court costs, attorney fees and travel expenses.

5. To claim the credit, you must file a paper tax return and Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses, and attach all supporting documents to your return. Documents may include a final adoption decree, placement agreement from an authorized agency, court documents and the state’s determination for special needs children. You can use IRS Free File to prepare your return, but it must be printed and mailed to the IRS. Failure to include required documents will delay your refund.

6. If you filed your tax returns for 2010 or 2011 and did not claim an allowable adoption credit, you can file an amended return to get a refund. Use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, along with Form 8839 and the required documents to claim the credit. You generally must file Form 1040X to claim a refund within three years from the date you filed your original return or within two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.

7. The IRS is committed to processing adoption credit claims quickly, but must also safeguard against improper claims by ensuring the standards for receiving the credit are met. If your return is selected for review, please keep in mind that it is necessary for the IRS to verify that the legal criteria are met before the credit can be paid. If you are owed a refund beyond the adoption credit, you will still receive that part of your refund while the review is being conducted.

8. The expanded adoption credit provisions available in 2010 and 2011 do not apply in later years. In 2012 the maximum credit decreases to $12,650 per child and the credit is no longer refundable. A nonrefundable credit can reduce your tax, but any excess is not refunded to you.

For more information see the ‘Adoption Benefits FAQs’ page available at IRS.gov or the Form 8839 instructions. The forms and instructions can be downloaded from the website or ordered by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Links:

  • Adoption Benefits FAQs
  • Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses (PDF)
  • Instructions for Form 8839 (PDF)
  • Publication 4903, Affordable Care Act Expands Adoption Tax Credit Flyer (PDF)
  • Form 1040X, Amended Federal Income Tax Return (PDF)
  • Instructions for Form 1040X (PDF)

IRS Tax Tip: Renting Your Vacation Home

29 Sunday Jul 2012

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Income that you receive for the rental of your vacation home must generally be reported on your federal income tax return.

 

However, if you rent the property for only a short time each year, you may not be required to report the rental income.

 

The IRS offers these tips on reporting rental income from a vacation home such as a house, apartment, condominium, mobile home or boat:

 

•Rental Income and Expenses  Rental income, as well as certain rental expenses that can be deducted, are normally reported on Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss.

 

•Limitation on Vacation Home Rentals  When you use a vacation home as your residence and also rent it to others, you must divide the expenses between rental use and personal use, and you may not deduct the rental portion of the expenses in excess of the rental income.

You are considered to use the property as a residence if your personal use is more than 14 days, or more than 10% of the total days it is rented to others if that figure is greater. For example, if you live in your vacation home for 17 days and rent it 160 days during the year, the property is considered used as a residence and your deductible rental expenses would be limited to the amount of rental income.

 

•Special Rule for Limited Rental Use  If you use a vacation home as a residence and rent it for fewer than 15 days per year, you do not have to report any of the rental income. Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, may be used to report regularly deductible personal expenses, such as qualified mortgage interest, property taxes, and casualty losses.

 

IRS Publication 527, Residential Rental Property (Including Rental of Vacation Homes), is available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). The booklet offers more information about rental property, including special rules about personal use and how to report rental income and expenses.

 

IRS Tax Tip: Six Social Media Tools to Help You Get Free Tax Information

27 Friday Jul 2012

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The IRS uses a variety of technologies to help you get the tax information you need. Here are six ways the IRS uses social media to share information on tax changes, initiatives, products and services:

1. IRS2Go 2.0  IRS’s smartphone application allows you to check your refund status, get tax updates and follow the IRS via Twitter. IRS2Go 2.0 is available in the Apple App store for iPhone or iPod touch devices and in the GooglePlay store for Android devices.

2. YouTube IRSvideos  YouTube Channel offers short, informative clips on various tax-related topics. The videos are available in English, American Sign Language and Spanish.

3. Twitter  IRS tweets include tax-related announcements, news for tax professionals and updates for job seekers. Follow us @IRSnews.

4. Facebook  IRS has Facebook pages that post tax information for individuals, tax professionals, and for those needing help resolving long-standing tax issues with the IRS.

5. Audio files for Podcasts  These short audio recordings provide information on tax-related topics — one per podcast. The audio files (along with transcripts) are available on iTunes or through the Multimedia Center on IRS.gov.

6. Widgets  These tools, which can be placed on websites, blogs or social media networks, direct people to visit IRS.gov for information. The widgets feature the latest tax initiatives and programs and can be found on Marketing Express, the marketing site that allows IRS partners and tax preparers to customize their IRS communications products.

As a reminder, the IRS uses these tools to share information with you. Do not post any personal information on social media sites, especially your Social Security number or other confidential information. The IRS will not be able to answer personal tax or account questions on any of these platforms.

For more about IRS’s social media tools, visit IRS.gov and click on “Social Media.”

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