Monday, December 30, 2013

2014 Tax Season Delayed

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone's holiday season is happy and filled with joy.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the 2014 tax season has been delayed.  The delay is caused by the government shutdown that occurred a couple months ago.

The IRS will begin accepting individual tax returns on January 31st.

As a reminder, for those of you who file the FAFSA, please prepare to file as soon as possible so you may file your FAFSA for college requirements.

The good news is my firm is prepared for the 2014 tax season.  We have an excellent new professional software program that has proven to be #1 in the industry ( after having used other professional programs that failed.)   I also have a CPA with my firm this year, who is partnering with me in the coming and future seasons.  I am very excited about this new addition to my firm!

As always, text, e-mail or call with any questions you have.

Have a Happy New Year!

Friday, November 29, 2013

Health Savings Accounts: A Tax Savings Advantage for You!

Take Advantage of a Tax Advantage!

With the new ObamaCare taking effect, many Americans will be in need of a way to offset the high cost of the high deductible health plans now available.  Many Americans insurance policies are being cancelled and are being forced into the ObamaCare system, while others now have insurance available to them that was unattainable before.  Those with lower income will qualify for healthcare coverage at little or no cost.

However, those with higher incomes outside of the income limitations set in the ObamaCare Plan, will have to pay higher premiums and medical expenses under insurance plans offered.  The lower the premium, the higher the deductible and shared cost of actual medical expenses.  I have done some research and compared various medical plans to include monthly premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, co-pays, and co-insurance payment requirements.  A minimal, low-cost insurance plan costs about $450-650 month for one person.  But, the deductibles  ($3,500-6,000), out-of-pocket maximum ($3,500-7,000), co-pays ($40-100), and co-insurance payments(30-50%) are very high.  A consumer may also choose a a plan with lower deductibles and co-pays, but the monthly insurance premium is much higher.

If yo are employed and have health plans available as a benefit, many employers are only offering employees high-deductible plans due to the enormous cost of the medical plans.

So, the question remains, how can you afford these increased costs of medical coverage?

Health Savings Accounts

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are self-directed, self-funded plans that help a consumer save money to pay for medical expenses on a tax-free basis.  In effect, the HSA will reduce your taxable income up to a maximum amount, so you may pay for your medical expenses with your savings plan.

Benefits

HSAs have many benefits, including:

  • Participants can claim a tax deduction on their tax return, even if there are no itemized deductions (it is a reduction of overall income)
  • Contributions made by an employer on behalf of the employee are still not taxable
  • Contributions can be rolled over year to year until expenses are paid
  • Interest and other earnings are tax free
  • Distributions are tax free if paid for qualified medical expenses
  • IRA rollovers to an HSA are permitted, under certain conditions

Eligibility

Consumers will have to meet the following requirements to be eligible for an HSA:

  • Have a qualified high-deductible insurance plan in place
  • Not be covered by any other insurance
  • Not covered by Medicare
  • Not be claimed as a dependent on anyone else's tax return
How Much

A consumer can contribute a set amount annually to an HSA:
  • 2013:  $3,250 individual/$6,450 family
  • 2014:  $3,300 individual/$6,550 family
  • Over 55 years of age:  $1,000 catch up amount allowed
  • Savings can be rolled over until after retirement to pay for medical expenses (however, contributions cannot continue after age 65)
Where to Open

A consumer can open an HSA at local banks and investment companies.  Also check with your employer to see if they provide a similar plan that you can take advantage of.  Research to compare the annual fees set by the bank or investment company.  According to my research, the average annual fee is $25.  Many of the accounts are not FDIC insured, as they are an "investment" account, so savings are not necessarily guaranteed.


HSAs are an excellent way to build up a savings account for current or future medical care costs. It provides valuable tax savings benefits from year to year.  It is definitely an investment in your future and your health!

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at tinataxpro@softcom.net or call me at (209) 329-1255.



Wednesday, August 28, 2013

2014 ObamaCare Tax Penalty

Do you have health insurance?  Hopefully you are covered through your employer.  If not, you may be subject to tax penalties under the new ObamaCare Plan.  The Supreme Court declared the "mandate" as a tax on June 28, 2012.

The ObamaCare Tax Penalty is an individual mandate, a requirement for those individuals who do not have health insurance.  A penalty will be applied to your taxable income, and is set at 1% to 2.5% of your income or a set penalty, whichever is greater.  The amount will be paid on your taxes at the end of the year.  The current rates are set as follows:

2014:  $95 per person at 1%
2015:  $325 per person at 2%
2016:  $695 per person at 2.5%
2017:  2.5% or increased with inflation

Subsidies Available

ObamaCare subsidies are aimed at individuals with incomes between 139% to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FLP).  The current 139% FLP is $23,050 for a family of four and the 400% FLP is $92,200.  Those who fall within these categories will be eligible for insurance.  However, the more income the family has, the less assistance available.  Subsidies are given as refundable tax credits.

Exemptions

  • individuals who have to pay more than 8% of their income for health insurance
  • individuals with incomes below the threshold for filing taxes
  • individuals who qualify for religious exemptions
  • Undocumented immigrants
  • Incarcerated individuals
  • Members of Native American tribes


For those who can afford to pay for medical insurance, the tax will be unavoidable.

Why?

The money from these taxes goes towards funding ObamaCare and subsidizing hospitals that must cover unpaid ER visits.



As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email tinataxpro@softcom.net or phone at (209) 329-1255.

Have a great week!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Thank you!

Well, this was one tough season - between the IRS delays in getting the E-file season started, to the long delays in refunds due to the 100+ million E-files done on opening day to the new fraud detection software implemented by the IRS.  And then, I changed tax programs twice just to be compatible with the new IRS software (which was very costly).

In talking with other CPAs and tax professionals, they all said the same thing - it was the roughest year in their careers as well.

If you were one of the few clients that was affected by this, my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience.  Hopefully, next tax season will be better.  The new upcoming changes will be the Obamacare.  Look for more BLOGS on how this may affect you in the future, when I conduct more research on this topic.

Again, thank you for your continued business!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Budgeting 101

One way to take control of your finances is to prepare a BUDGET.  This will help you figure out where your money is going each month.  A budget is a great tool to help you find a balance between your income and expenses and help you understand how you can save toward your financial goals, whether it be for a long awaited dream vacation or  for your children's college fund.

When using a budget planner, include the most basic expenses required for living day to day.  This includes rent or mortgage payments, utilities, food, car payments, insurance and gasoline expense.  For income, include the basic regular paycheck(s) you receive, not including overtime.  Overtime should be an extra savings for you each month.  You should always include a "Savings" line item in your budget too.

Here are a couple of tools that you can use to plan your budget:

https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/tools-and-resources/calculators-and-tools/budget-planner

http://financialplan.about.com/library/n_budget.htm

I also have an Excel spreadsheet Budget, that is fill-in and can be changed anytime.  The Budget document will even add everything for you, so you can see exactly what your monthly savings would be.  Please e-mail me and I will send you the Budget document to download to your computer.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me or call me at (209) 329-1255.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

New Addition to our Home! Sorry - No Tax Deduction!

On a real life note, all taxes aside, today we adopted Jimmy, a 180 lb 6 year old harlequin Great Dane.  He is a moose!  This guy is the mellowest dog I have ever seen and just wants to lay on our laps!  He was rescued by FURescue from a shelter that was ready to euthanize him.  Today, he was up for adoption in front of Tractor Supply, and of course I could not resist looking at all the dogs, but he caught my attention.  Who could resist this face?  Jimmy is as big as James - and he is James' new best friend!  Too bad he can't be a tax write off - I don't think the IRS would approve of that!

For those clients who have not yet filed, call soon for a tax appointment.  Have a great weekend!

Friday, March 1, 2013

Beware: New IRS Scam - Don't be a Victim!

Beware!  Thee is always some new way the identity thieves will try to get your account information by sending phishing emails, or even cold calling you on the phone.

The latest scam involves your email.  If you receive an email with the subject line reading "Income Tax Refund REJECTED", do not open this email.  Simply ignore it, and definitely do not click on any links provided in the email.  If you do happen to open one, closely read the email - it will say the Internal Revemue Service.  Reve-mue?  Wrong spelling.

It is a scam.  The IRS does not send emails about your refunds or personal tax information.  Luis Gacia, and IRS spokesman in Detroit says, "It is a scam."  He also said that the IRS never sends emails to taxpayers regarding their tax accounts or personal information.  He reiterates that you should not open any emails, click on any links o respond to those emails.  You may forward the email to the IRS at:  phishing@irs.gov.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at (209) 329-1255.

Have a great weekend!



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Refund Delays

Just an update to your refund status:  The IRS is still not giving projected dates for refund deposits, as they have in years past.  The problem is with the IRS, and NOT your tax professional.  Some clients have received refunds in one week, and others are still waiting for theirs, even though the returns were electronically filed the same day.  Clients of the big block storefronts, as well as CPAs, EAs (like me) and attorneys are experiencing the same delays in refunds.

With the late  tax law updates and the new fraud detection software implemented this tax season by the IRS, refunds are delayed.  They are $26 billion behind on refunds this year compared to last year.

Please keep checking the IRS and FTB websites for your refund status.  If you receive the message display that your refund is being processed, it is just that - it is being processed and your refund will arrive soon.

If you have any questions, please contact me anytime.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Mortgage Foregiveness Debt Relief Extended!

Good News!  For federal tax purposes, mortgage forgiveness debt relief on principal residences has been extended until December 31, 2013, under the federal American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, approved on January 2, 2013.


As of the date of this publication, California has not conformed.

Accordingly, taxpayers who had all or part of the loan balance on their principal residence forgiven by their lender after December 31, 2012, may continue to exclude the forgiven debt from their federal gross income only.

Presently, for California tax purposes, the debt forgiven after December 31, 2012, may still be excluded if:

1. Taxpayers were bankrupt when the discharge occurred (Title 11 discharge).

2. Taxpayers were insolvent (limited to level of insolvency). - Most of you qualify here...

3. Qualified farm indebtedness was canceled.

4. Debt was Qualified Real Property Business Indebtedness (QRPBI) and you make a federal election. The taxpayer cannot be a C corporation to use this exclusion.

If more than one of these exceptions applies, they are applied in the above order under Internal Revenue Code Section 108(a)(2).

IRS and State Form Delays

Good morning!  Well, tax season is in full swing and Electronic Filing just opened last week.  There are still several form delays, so some client returns cannot be electronically filled yet.  This list includes:

Form 4562 Depreciation (for those of you with rental properties)
Schedule D - Capital Gains (for those of you with investment accounts)
Form 8863 - Education Credits
Corporation Returns including 1120 and 1120S
Several CA State Forms including Schedule D, Depreciation, Non-Resident/Part Year Resident Returns

Please call soon for an appointment.  I am pretty open the weekend of February 16 and after.  You may call, text, or e-mail me!

Have a great week everyone!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

IRS Refunds Delayed - New System to Prevent Fraud

IRS States Refunds Will Be Delayed

“When can I expect to receive my refund?” is the most frequently asked question I get. This year, the IRS is not producing a 2013 IRS e-file refund cycle chart for tax professionals to answer the question. The commonly used chart has been discontinued and Publication 2043 has been dramatically revised due to IRS uncertainty about issuing refunds. The IRS states “In a change from previous filing seasons, taxpayers won’t get an estimated refund date right away.” From a customer service standpoint, this presents a problem in managing my clients expectations. The IRS states that “most taxpayers will have their refunds within 23 days”, a significant delay from recent years.

The delay in issuing refunds is due to a new processing method with an emphasis on FRAUD. The IRS’s new processing method includes multiple fraud checks based on the information in your tax return. Tax returns will be analyzed for what the IRS calls “Incoming transactions” and placed in a different category for funding. The IRS has not stated what denotes an incoming transaction but it could be anything from a change in dependents to a change in address. The IRS has fraud filters built into their new system and they don’t truly know what category the tax returns will fall into based on the filters in place at the time of review and how many returns are going to be delayed. Those filters could change throughout the tax season.  It apears that the IRS’s priority has shifted from getting you your refund quickly to fraud prevention and identity theft.

So, unfortunately, I may not have an answer for you as to when to expect your refund, other than approximately 23 days out from the time of filing.   

Remember to use this BLOG to check your refund status.  ou may click on the "Where's My Refund" button on the right hand side of the blog page, and it will take you directly to the IRS website.  Follow the instructions from there.   Have a great week and I will keep you updated on any other new changes!

2013 Electronic Filing Opens January 30!

Due to the late changes in the tax laws, the Electronic Filing Season opens later this year - January 30.  Most simple individual tax returns will be able to file on that day.  Other returns that have more intense deductions and other complicated type of returns will not be available until the end of January and into February.  When changes are made to specific forms, such as Schedule D, Capital Gains, the Internal Revenue Service does not approve the forms for electronic filing until it meets standards and calculations can be done correctly.

As always, there are no electronic filing fees.  I charge by the form and the fees are the same for all clients.  There will be a slight increase in fees this year, but if you compare my rates to my  competitors with the same credentials, I am usually 2/3 less than their fees.

Call soon for an appointment!  I look forward to visiting everyone this year!

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

2013 Final Tax Law Changes

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope your Christmas and New Years celebrations went well!  We spent the holidays at home, and the kids enjoyed it very much.  Then we spent New Years in Monterey/Pacific Grove, which was quite beautiful - sunny and a little bit cold!  It was nice being next to the ocean.  Well, Congress finally came to an agreement on the very last day of the year.  Here is a summary of the new tax laws that affect us this tax season:

1.  The federal estate tax, gift tax and the federal generations skipping transfer (GST) tax will continue to have $5,000,000 exemptions, indexed for inflation. The estate tax, gift tax, and GST tax exemption amounts were $5,120,000 for 2012. It is too early to know the level for 2013 because we will need to wait for the IRS to announce the inflation adjustment.  The highest rate will go up from 35% to 40%.  This is a permanent change to the law.    Note:  Technically there are multiple rates for estates under $5,000,000.  This will not affect most people but it can affect non-resident aliens with significant assets in the US or people who are otherwise not entitled to the full estate tax exemption.

2.  The income tax rates for 2013 are as follows:
Married Filing Joint                                                  Single
10% Bracket  $0-17,400                                         $0-8700
15% Bracket  $17,400-70,700                               $8,700-35,350
25% Bracket  $70,700-142,700                             $35,350-85,650
28% Bracket  $142,700-217,450                           $86,650-178,650
33% Bracket  $217,450-388,350                           $178,650-388,350
35% Bracket  $388,350-450,000                           $388,350-400,000
39.6% Bracket $450,000 and up                            $400,000 and up

The change here was an increase in the top rate for married couples earning $450,000 or more and individuals earning $400,000.  For Head of Household, I believe it is $425,000.  It also appears that these amounts are indexed for inflation.

3. Payroll taxes will increase 6.2%, reverting back to the levels of 2010.  This is the biggest hit for us all, as we will see less in our paychecks!

4.  There will also be a phaseout of personal exemptions for individuals earning more than $250,000 and couples earning more than $300,000.  Head of Household limit is $275,000.  This also appears to be indexed for inflation.

5.  Permanently indexes Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) for inflation.  

6.  Capital Gains tax rates for 2013 go from 15% to 20% for individuals earning more than $400,000 and couples earning $450,000 or more.  It will stay at 15% for everyone else.  

7.  Extension for 5 years of the Child Tax Credit and $2500 for college tuition.

8.  Extension for one year of the accelerated "bonus" depreciation on business investments.

9.  Extension of tax free distributions from IRAs for charitable purposes.


I will keep you up- to-date on any other changes in the tax laws.

Call soon for an appointment, and let's gear up to get your refunds as quickly as possible!