Homeowner Records: What to Keep and How Long Keeping full and accurate homeowner records is not only vital for claiming deductions on your tax return, but also for determining the basis or adjusted basis of your home. These records include your purchase contract and settlement papers if you bought the property, or other objective evidence…
It’s Not Too Late to Check Paycheck Withholding Did you know that the average tax refund was $2,729 for tax year 2018? While some taxpayers may find it advantageous to get a large tax refund, others may wish to have more of their money show up in their paychecks throughout the year. No matter which…
Scam Alert: Watch out for IRS Impersonation Emails Taxpayers should be aware that a new IRS impersonation scam email campaign is making the rounds. This latest scheme is yet another reminder that tax scams are a year-round business for thieves and taxpayers should be on guard at all times. This latest scam uses dozens of…
Credit Reports: What You Should Know Creditors keep their evaluation standards secret, making it difficult to know just how to improve your credit rating. Nonetheless, it is still important to understand the factors that determine creditworthiness. Periodically reviewing your credit report can also help you protect your credit rating from fraud–and you from identity theft.…
Three Tips for Getting an Accurate Business Valuation If you’re conscientious about financial reporting, you may already have a sense of your company’s worth, but in some instances, you might need a formal business valuation, such as: Certain transactions: Are you selling your business? Planning an IPO? Need financing? Tax purposes: This includes estate planning,…
Who Can Represent You Before the IRS? Many people use a tax professional to prepare their taxes. Anyone who prepares, or assists in preparing, all or substantially all of a federal tax return for compensation is required to have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). All enrolled agents must also have a valid PTIN.…
Two New Tax Scams to Watch out For Although the April filing deadline has come and gone, scam artists remain hard at work. As such, taxpayers should be on the lookout for scams that reference taxes or mention the IRS, especially during the summer and fall as tax bills and refunds arrive. The two new…
What to Do if You Receive an IRS CP2000 Notice An IRS CP2000 notice is mailed to a taxpayer when income reported from third-party sources such as an employer, bank, or mortgage company does not match the income reported on the tax return. It is not a tax bill or a formal audit notification; it merely…
Deducting Business-Related Car Expenses If you’re self-employed and use your car for business, you can deduct certain business-related car expenses. There are two options for claiming deductions: Actual Expenses. To use the actual expense method, you need to figure out the actual costs of operating the car for business use. You are allowed to deduct the…
Your Canceled Debt Could Be Taxable Generally, debt that is forgiven or canceled by a lender is considered taxable income by the IRS and must be included as income on your tax return. When that debt is forgiven, negotiated down (when you pay less than you owe), or canceled you will receive a Form 1099-C, Cancellation…