taxes

Estate Tax

Where is the Federal Estate Tax Going?

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Estate and Gift Tax Lifetime Exclusion Amount The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA, often referred to as tax reform) generally went into effect in 2018. Tax Reform increased the federal estate and gift tax lifetime … Read More

Tax Reform and Your Taxes

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Well, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) has passed, mainly starting in 2018. Are you confused by tax reform and your taxes, and how this new law will impact you? You’re not alone. As has become the norm for Congress, it played brinksmanship and waited to almost the end of the year, in the midst of the holidays, to pass this very extensive tax bill, providing little time for anyone to plan for 2018.

So that you have an idea about how these changes might affect individual taxpayers like yourself, we have put together some of the key points of the new law. As a suggestion, pull out your 2016 federal return and follow along to get a better understanding of these changes.

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Gambling With Healthcare Premiums?

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Everyone likes to gamble, play the lottery or Bingo every once in a while. Even a recreational gambler, will come across that quirk in the tax law. What quirk you wonder? That glitch that can actually cause you to pay more for your health insurance if you have gambling winnings. Yes, even if the overall result from gambling for the year is actually a loss. How on earth can this be, you wonder? 

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Surviving Spouse Estate Tax Exclusion

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What is an Estate Tax?

The estate tax is a tax on the transfer of property after a person dies. It consists of an account of everything the decedent owned or had interest in on the date of death. This includes cash and securities, real estate, insurance, trusts, annuities, business interests, and other assets. The tax is based on the fair market value of these assets (less certain exclusions). This is generally as of the day the decedent died.

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Owe Taxes, Can't Pay?

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owe taxes, can't payDo you owe taxes to the IRS or your state but you do not have the money to pay your taxes? You are not alone.

The IRS wants you to pay the full amount of your tax liability on time. In fact, the IRS imposes significant penalties and interest on late payments if you don’t. Ideally, it is in your best interest to estimate what you may owe and then build that into your family or business budget.  Okay, so you didn’t do that.

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