Month: January 2021

Don’t Miss Out on an EITC Refund

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) was enacted back in the mid-1970s to assist low- and moderate-income workers. The EITC gives a financial boost to hard working people who can really use it. EITC can lower a working taxpayer’s tax liability, and even result in a refund that is bigger than the amount of federal taxes withheld. 

A tax credit like EITC is even better than a tax deduction. A credit is a dollar-for-dollar tax liability reduction, not a reduction of taxable income. For a worker in the 22% marginal tax bracket, a deduction means 22 cents less in tax where a credit means $1 less in taxes. Even better, the EITC is a refundable credit, meaning that the refund can be even more than the amount of income tax that was withheld or paid for the year.

Despite how large a financial boost it is, the IRS estimates that about 20% of eligible working taxpayers do not claim the EITC. Why? Because they don’t know about it.

Five important for workers to know about EITC:

  • To qualify for the EITC, the worker and everyone reported on her or his income tax return must have a valid Social Security number (SSN).
  • For 2020, workers may choose to use her or his 2019 earned income to figure the 2020 EITC if the 2019 earned income is more than the 2020 earned income. This opportunity to get a higher EITC is part of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020. 
  • To qualify for the EITC, a worker must file a federal income tax return using the married filing jointly, head of household, single, or qualifying widow or widower. A worker cannot claim the EITC when using the married filing separately filing status.
  • Workers without a qualifying child are eligible for EITC by meeting the income rules, living in the U.S. for more than one-half of the year, not being claimed as a qualifying child on anyone else’s tax return, and being between the ages of 25 and 65 at the end of the tax year (usually Dec. 31).
  • Claiming the EITC could delay receiving a federal refund because of extra security checks performed by the IRS. 

The IRS wants hard working people who deserve a financial boost to know about EITC. The EITC can lower a working taxpayer’s tax liability to below zero, meaning that she or he could get a refund that is bigger than the amount of federal taxes withheld from her or his paycheck. Knowing about EITC can make a big difference in a person’s life.

Want to know more? Check out the details on the IRS website at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc.

Finding a Tax Pro

Finding the right tax professional to “fix” your taxes is a lot like finding the right plumber or to fix your kitchen sink. There are many to choose from, but it’s a challenge to make sure you find someone who is knowledgeable, experienced, and dependable. With a tax pro, you also want someone with whom you feel comfortable confiding your financial details.

So, how do you find that elusive experienced and dependable confidant to prepare and file your income tax returns? Well, you can ask friends, hit the Internet, or head to the local tax preparation office. That can get you a few tax pros to interview. Yes, interview. Plan to interview two or three recommended tax pros to feel confident that she or he is qualified and that you feel comfortable interacting with her or him.

These three interview questions are a “must” for finding the right tax pro:

  • How Do You Keep Up with Tax Law Changes?

Tax laws are constantly changing. Some changes are major, as we saw three years ago with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It’s important to work with a tax preparer who keeps up with all those changes, so you don’t have to. A qualified tax preparer will describe attending conferences, webinars, or other methods to stay current.

  • What Experience and Credentials Do You Have?

Tax preparation is an unregulated industry where anyone can participate, so asking about years of experience, training and education is essential. Preparers with professional credentials, such as a CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA), are required to complete annual continuing education requirements and follow ethical and professional standards. 

  • How Do You Communicate with your Clients?

Does the tax preparer meet regularly with clients? Is she or he available to you if a tax-related question or issue comes up? Make sure you feel comfortable with the tax preparer’s style, manner, and process. If not, keep looking. You’ll be sharing a lot of personal information so you must be comfortable.

Plan to interview two or three tax pros referred by friends or online reviews to find a tax professional who is knowledgeable, experienced, and with whom you feel comfortable confiding your financial details. Need help getting started? The IRS has a website for you with tips and tools – https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/choosing-a-tax-professional.

Form 1099 Tax Filing Deadline

It’s barely the middle of January and the first tax filing deadline is already upon us at the end of this month. Businesses, nonprofits, and other entities may make payments that must be reported on IRS Form 1099. In general, Form 1099 must be completed and filed for each person to whom $600 or more was paid during the year for rents, non-employee income payments, prizes and awards, and other payments defined by the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-misc. 

Here are four tips to meet the Form 1099 Tax Filing Deadline:

  • Payments are reported on either Form 1099-MISC (miscellaneous), or on the new Form 1099-NEC (non-employee compensation) that was implemented beginning with the 2020 tax year. Which form to use depends on the type of payment recipient. For more information about Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC and their instructions, go to IRS.gov/Form1099MISC or IRS.gov/Form1099NEC.
  • The due date for filing Form 1099 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC is January 31st for the calendar year ending December 31st. The former 30-day automated extended filing deadline was eliminated in 2016.
  • Form 1099 reporting does not apply to personal payments, only payments made as part of a business, nonprofit, trusts of qualified pension or profit-sharing plans of employers. One exception to this is payments of legal fees to attorneys. 
  • Some payments do not have to be reported on Form 1099, although they may be taxable to the recipient. For example, in general, payments to a C or S corporation, payments of rent to real estate agents or property managers, and business travel allowances paid to employees are not reportable on Form 1099. 

If you make payments as part of your business, nonprofit, trusts of qualified pension or profit-sharing plans of employers, your first tax filing deadline for 2021 could be coming up. Use these four tips to see if payments that you made in 2020 need to be reported to the IRS by January 31st. Need more details? The IRS has them for you at https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/am-i-required-to-file-a-form-1099-or-other-information-return. 

New IRS Standard Mileage Rates for 2021

Last week, I filled my Honda’s gas tank for the first time since July. My situation might be extreme, but overall car usage has been down since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. No matter how much or how little you use your personal vehicle, you could qualify for a tax deduction if you drive for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes. How much you can deduct and how you report the expense depends on your situation. 

Every year, the IRS issues the new standard mileage rates based on the average actual cost per mile to operate a vehicle. The average cost per mile is calculated to include fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation. The IRS recently issued the new standard mileage rates for 2021. 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, the standard mileage rates were either reduced due to lower fuel prices or stayed the same due to statutory constraints. Here are the details:

  • 56 cents per mile driven for business use, down 1.5 cents from the rate for 2020
  • 16 cents per mile driven for medical purposes, down 1 cent from 2020
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, set by statute, and remaining unchanged from prior years
  • 16 cents per mile driven by members of the Armed Forces on active duty who move pursuant to a military order and incident to a permanent change of station, down 1 cent from 2020

Even at the lower rates, the standard mileage can really add up. You also have the option of calculating the actual costs of using your vehicle instead of using the standard mileage rates. Qualified deductible vehicle expenses can total the greater of actual expenses or a standard rate. 

Most people choose to use the standard rate because it’s easier and usually results in a larger deduction amount. Both expense deduction options are based on the number of miles driven during the calendar year. You must track your mileage by usage type for each vehicle no matter which method you use.

Taking vehicle deductions for qualified business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes involves a lot of tracking, but the effort can be worth it. There are apps you can put on your phone to help. Once you get your mile tracking process down, you’ll see that those deductions can add up and reduce the bottom line on your tax bill.