February 13, 2014
Is the New Home Office Deduction Short-Cut Worth It?
A new simplified method devised by the IRS for claiming home office deductions is much faster and easier to use than the unwieldy traditional method.
February 13, 2014
States Renew Push for Earned Income Tax Credit
A push to boost tax credits for the working poor could see success in states this year, echoing a key proposal from the White House.
February 13, 2014
IRS Expects Hold Times To Increase At Call Center
The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers that phone calls to the agency's support center usually start to dramatically increase following the President's Day holiday, which is this weekend. There are other options for taxpayers who have questions, of course, starting with using a tax professional such as a CPA or Enrolled Agent.
February 13, 2014
IRS Worker Charged With ID Theft, Filing False Returns
As an IRS contact representative, Sherelle Pratt was tasked with tackling confused tax filers' most complicated questions.
February 13, 2014
Reality Bites: The New 3.8% Net Investment Income Surtax
The specter of the dreaded new surtax on “net investment income” (NII) has turned into reality. For the first time ever, some upper-income taxpayers will have to pay the 3.8% surtax on their 2013 income tax returns. This could be a harrowing experience for some of your clients.
February 13, 2014
New Hampshire Representatives Considering Minimum Wage Increase
The 2014 version of a New Hampshire minimum wage hike bill, which would set the wage at one dollar above the federal level and then escalate it in future years, received predictable mixed reviews before a State House panel Tuesday.
February 12, 2014
Are Your Clients Overlooking Tax-Free Fringe Benefits?
We get so busy during tax season that we often barely have time to breathe. Even so, I want you to do some reading. Call the IRS at 800-TAX FORM (800-829-3676) to get a printed copy of IRS Publication 15-B. Have you ever read it? It’s all about fringe benefits.
February 12, 2014
High Paying Jobs for 2014 – Mobile Media and Big Data Top List
Trends like big data and mobile media are translating into growing paychecks for some professionals, according to the recently released 2014 Salary Guides from Robert Half Technology and The Creative Group.
February 10, 2014
Why a Minimum Wage Hike is a Bad Idea
The President of the United States, our champion of income equality, has once again called on Congress to raise the minimum wage from its present level of $7.25 per hour up to $10.10 per hour, a salary increase of just under 39 percent.
February 9, 2014
What’s Not On Your Clients’ W-2s Can Be a Goldmine For Your Firm
There’s so much nifty tax preparation software out there these days. Don’t you just love the software that allows us to import W-2 data, stock sales data, QuickBooks data, etc.? With all those tools, we barely even have to look at our clients’ documents. But we should!
February 9, 2014
Tips On How To Choose A Tax Professional
Find out how to pick a reputable tax preparer.
February 7, 2014
When Will You Get Your Tax Refund? Sooner, If You Use Direct Deposit
One of the top-searched questions between mid-February and April 15 each year is, "When can I expect my income tax refund?" Well, the answer depends on a couple of things, but the good news is that there are a number of tools to help find out.