Category Archives: TipOffs

TipOffs

Before visiting an IRS office, taxpayers should call to make an appointment

Before visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center for in-person help with their tax issues, a taxpayer needs to call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment. All TACs provide service by appointment. The Contact Your Local Office tool on IRS.gov helps taxpayers find the closest IRS TAC, the days and hours of operation and a list of services provided.

Once they make an appointment , taxpayers will receive an automated email to the address they provide. The email will confirm the day and time of their appointment. Taxpayers should consider the self-service options on IRS.govbefore calling for an appointment. Taxpayers can resolve many questions online without taxpayers having to travel to a Tax Assistance Center. Continue reading →

Business taxpayers should take another look at their estimated tax payments

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IRS in their latest issue (Issue Number: Tax Reform Tax Tip 2019-23) has alerted the business taxpayers to double check the estimated tax payments, and here it from the alert…

Taxpayers who pay quarterly estimated tax payments may want to revisit the amount they pay. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed the way most taxpayers calculate their tax. These taxpayers include those with substantial income not subject to withholding, such as small business owners and self-employed individuals. The tax reform changes include:

Revised tax rates and brackets
New and revised business deductions
Limiting or discontinuing deductions
Increasing the standard deduction
Removing personal exemptions
Increasing the child tax credit

Continue reading →

Extension From 7004 is due in Another 10 Days!

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“The difference between death and taxes is death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets” – Will Rogers

March 15^th will be the deadline to file your business income tax return and if you need more time to file, it’s not too late to e-file an extension with www.Extensiontax.com . Missing your tax deadline can incur hefty penalties & Interests. Extensiontax.com is your one-stop e-filing solution for IRS tax extensions. E-filing an extension for your business tax return is quick and easy… Continue reading →

Taxpayers should be ready to verify their identity when calling the IRS

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Taxpayers and tax professionals who call the IRS will be asked to verify their identities.. Being prepared before a call or visit can save taxpayers time by avoiding having to make multiple calls.

Before calling, taxpayers and tax professionals should instead consider using IRS.gov to access resources like the IRS Service Guide to get faster answers to their tax questions.

If a taxpayer decides to call, they should know that IRS phone assistors take great care to only discuss personal information with the taxpayer or someone the taxpayer authorizes to speak on their behalf. To make sure that taxpayers do not have to call back, the IRS reminds taxpayers to have the following information ready: Continue reading →

Relief from Addition to Tax for Underpayment of Estimated Income Tax by Individual Farmers and Fishermen

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The IRS is granting an extension of the March 1st deadline for farmers and fishermen to make their estimated tax payment before being subject to estimated tax penalties – as long as they file and pay the full amount of tax reported on their 2018 return by April 15, 2019 (or by April 17, 2019, for those taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts).

• To claim the waiver of the estimated tax penalty, farmers and fishermen must attach Form 2210-F, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Farmers and Fishermen, to their 2018 tax return. The taxpayer’s name and identifying number should be entered at the top of the form, and the waiver box (Part I, Box A) should be checked. The rest of the form should be left blank. Continue reading →

Here’s how tax reform affects taxpayers who claim the child tax credit

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IRS Issue Number: Tax Reform Tax Tip 2019-15

Many people claim the child tax credit to help offset the cost of raising children. Tax reform legislation made changes to that credit for 2018 and later. Here are some important things for taxpayers to know.

Credit amount. The new law increases the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000. Eligibility factors for the credit have not changed. As in past years, a taxpayer can claim the credit if all of these apply:

the child was younger than 17 at the end of the tax year
the taxpayer claims the child as a dependent
the child lives with the taxpayer for at least six months of the year

Credit refunds. The credit is refundable, now up to $1,400. If a taxpayer doesn’t owe any tax before claiming the credit, they will receive up to $1,400 as part of their tax refund. Continue reading →

There are six new schedules some taxpayers will file with the new Form 1040

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The 2018 Form 1040 replaces prior year Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ. The 2018 Form 1040 uses a building-block approach that allows individuals to file only the schedules they need with their federal tax return. Many people will only need to file Form 1040 and no schedules.

Electronic filers may not notice these changes as the tax software will automatically use their responses to complete the Form 1040 and any needed schedules. For taxpayers who filed paper returns in the past and are concerned about the 2018 changes, this may be the year to consider the benefits of filing electronically. Continue reading →

Farmers, fishermen face March 1 tax deadline; IRS encourages convenience of IRS Direct Pay

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WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds farmers and fishermen who chose to forgo making quarterly estimated tax payments that they must file their 2018 Form 1040 along with a payment for all taxes owed by Friday, March 1, 2019.

This special rule normally applies to taxpayers whose farming or fishing income was at least two-thirds of their total gross income in either the current or the preceding tax year. Farmers and fishermen choosing not to file by March 1 should have made an estimated tax payment by Jan. 15 to avoid a penalty.

IRS Direct Pay is safe, free Continue reading →

IRS Videos help taxpayers learn more about tax reform

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The IRS has several videos that can help individual and business taxpayers learn more about the tax reform legislation. The IRS posts these videos on the IRS Video Portal and to their YouTube channel. Aside from these sites, the IRS offers tax reform information on its other social media channels, such as Twitter and their new Instagram account. Taxpayers can visit the Multimedia Center on IRS.gov for links to all the agency’s social media sites.

Here are some of the tax reform videos taxpayers can watch on their computer or on their smartphone when they’re on the go. Continue reading →

IRS offers online webinars on tax reform basics for businesses

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Members of the small business community can now view webinars on some tax reform provisions that affect businesses. The webinars include:

Tax Reform Basics for Employers
This presentation includes information on the Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave, Employee Achievement Awards, Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits and more.
Tax Reform Basics for Small Businesses and Pass-Through Entities
This presentation gives an overview of tax reform changes for small businesses and pass-through entities. It also includes changes to estimated taxes, deductions and depreciation.
Tax Reform Basics for the Qualified Business Income Deduction (199A)
This presentation gives an overview of businesses eligible for the Qualified Business Income Deduction under Section 199A. It also shows calculations and basics for reporting.
Understanding Tax Reform Basics about Opportunity Zones
This presentation defines Qualified Opportunity Zones and explains what’s required to become a Qualified Opportunity Zone.

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