Saving for Education: Understanding 529 Plans Many parents are looking for ways to save for their child’s education and a 529 Plan is an excellent way to do so. Even better, is that thanks to the passage of tax reform legislation in 2017, 529 plans are now available to parents wishing to save for their…
Common Errors to Avoid When Filing a Tax Return While not all mistakes on tax returns cause delays in refunds, some do. 1. Not using electronic filing. While this isn’t necessarily a mistake per se, filing electronically is the best way to cut the chances for many tax return mistakes while maximizing deductions to reduce the…
Economic Impact Payments: Round Three On March 12, following the American Rescue Plan Act’s approval and signing, the IRS began sending out the third round of Economic Impact Payments. Most payments were sent out via direct deposit, but approximately 150,000 checks were mailed by the Treasury Department as well. Taxpayers who received EIP1 or EIP2…
Coronavirus-Related Distributions and Loans The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act made it easier to access savings in IRAs and workplace retirement plans for those affected by the coronavirus. This relief provided favorable tax treatment for certain withdrawals from retirement plans and IRAs, including expanded loan options. Distributions: Certain distributions made from Jan. 1,…
Q & A: The $10,200 Unemployment Tax Break Generally, unemployment compensation received under the unemployment compensation laws of the United States or a state is considered taxable income and must be reported on your federal tax return. However, a new tax break – in effect only for the 2020 tax year – lets you exclude…
PPP Loan Deadline Extended Through May 31 The Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 31, 2021, extending the deadline to apply for a loan by an extra 60 days, from March 31 to May 31, 2021. The law also gives the Small Business Administration (SBA) an additional 30…
Tax Day for Individuals Extended to May 17 The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced yesterday that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. The IRS will be providing formal guidance in the coming days.…
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law on Thursday afternoon. This $1.9 trillion stimulus package contains extensions to unemployment, direct stimulus payments, provisions for small businesses, state and local aid, as well as funding for K-12 schools. Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Last year,…
Unemployment Benefits Identity Theft Scam Alert During 2020, millions of taxpayers were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through job loss or reduced work hours. Some taxpayers who faced unemployment or reduced work hours applied for and received unemployment compensation from their state. As a reminder, unemployment benefits are taxable income and must be reported on…
Capital Gains Tax on Sale of Stocks Apps like Robinhood make it easy for everyone to play the stock market. If you’re a retail investor who made money last year buying and selling stocks, you may owe capital gains tax when you file your tax return this year. If you lost money, you may be…