Income Tax

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March 8, 2015 

Is it Better for Couples to File Joint or Separate Tax Returns?

Sometimes the “easiest” tax return decisions aren’t so simple after all. Take the basic choice of your tax filing status. Usually, it’s a no-brainer for a married couple to file a joint return, but there are a few notable exceptions. When you dig a ...

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March 5, 2015 

How to Increase an Investment Interest Deduction

It’s rare when tax return preparers advise their clients to look a gift horse in the mouth. But it might happen when a taxpayer is affected by the limits for deducting investment interest expenses. Depending on the situation, it may make sense to elect preferential tax treatment for certain long-term capital gains or qualified dividends...…

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March 5, 2015 

Common Taxpayer Scams Get IRS Attention

The IRS compiles annually The Dirty Dozen, listing a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter any time during the year. Many of these con games peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns or hire someone to do so. Some of the more

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March 4, 2015 

The Kiddie Tax: Is It Worth It To File A Separate Return?

Under the “kiddie tax,” if unearned income of a dependent child who is under age 19 or a full-time student under age 24 exceeds an annual threshold, the excess is taxed at the top rate of the child’s parents. The threshold on 2014 returns is $2,000.

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March 3, 2015 

Top 10 IRS Identity Theft Cases of 2014

Continuing its enforcement push against refund fraud and identity theft, the Internal Revenue Service today announced the Top Ten Identity Theft Prosecutions for Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14). The ongoing efforts to bring identity thieves to justice ...

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March 2, 2015 

AICPA to Host Webcast on Legalized Marijuana

As of last week, laws legalizing recreational marijuana use have gone into effect in four states, with nearly half of the states already having medical marijuana laws on the books. Professional service providers, including CPAs, are increasingly ...

Tax ID Theft 1  54d6d07eafd9c

February 27, 2015 

5 Tips to Avoid ID Theft and Refund Fraud During Tax Season

Your Social Security Number could be the ticket for a fraudster seeking to claim a false tax refund or worse, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). A fraud expert offers some tips for preventing such crime – or at least catching it early.

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February 26, 2015 

Should Taxpayers Deduct State Income Tax or State Sales Tax?

The optional sales tax deduction is a no-brainer for some individual taxpayers. If you live in one of the seven states with no state income tax – Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming -- you should elect to deduct your ...