Posts by Caras & Shulman

Capital Gains Tax on Sale of Stocks

Capital Gains Tax on Sale of Stocks

by | Mar 23, 2021 | ,

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 able to deduct that loss and reduce your income. Here's what you need to know about capital gains tax: Capital Gains and Losses Defined A capital gain or loss is the difference between your basis - the amount you paid for the asset - and the...

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Small Business Tax Roundup

Small Business Tax Roundup

by | Mar 19, 2021 |

Tax changes due to recent legislation such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the CARES Act affect both individual taxpayers and small businesses. In 2020, the IRS issued several guidance documents and final rules and regulations that clarified several tax provisions affecting businesses. Here are five of them: PPP Expenses Now Deductible Deductions for the payments of eligible expenses are now allowed when such payments would result (or be expected to result) in the forgiveness of a loan...

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Tax Breaks for Families With Children

Tax Breaks for Families With Children

by | Mar 17, 2021 |

If you have children, one or more of these tax credits and deductions could help your family reduce the amount of tax owed when you file your 2020 tax return. Let's take a look: 1. Child Tax Credit Generally, taxpayers can claim the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child under the age of 17. The maximum credit is $2,000 per child. Taxpayers who get less than the full amount of the credit may qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit (see below). The refundable portion of the credit is...

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Renting Out a Second Home

Renting Out a Second Home

by | Mar 11, 2021 |

In general, income from renting a vacation home for 15 days or longer must be reported on your tax return on Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss. You should also keep in mind that the definition of a "vacation home" is not limited to a house. Apartments, condominiums, mobile homes, and boats are also considered vacation homes in the eyes of the IRS. Tax rules on rental income from second homes can be confusing, especially if you rent the home out for several months of the year and use the...

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Avoiding an IRS Tax Audit

Avoiding an IRS Tax Audit

by | Mar 4, 2021 |

Just 0.45 percent of taxpayers were audited in fiscal year 2019. Still, with taxes becoming more complicated every year, there is an even greater possibility of confusion turning into a tax mistake and an IRS audit. Avoiding "red flags" like the ones listed below could help. Red Flags That Trigger IRS Audits Claiming Business Losses Year After Year When you operate a business and file Schedule C, the IRS assumes you operate that business to make a profit. Claiming losses year after year...

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Tax Tips for March 2021

Tax Tips for February 2021

by | Feb 26, 2021 | ,

Click on the links below to jump to each section in this article: Do You Need To File a 2020 Tax Return? Relief for Taxpayers Struggling With Tax Debts Five Tax Tips for Older Americans New Year, New Withholding? Who Qualifies for the Earned Income Credit   Do You Need To File a 2020 Tax Return? Most people file a tax return because they have to, but even if you don't, there are times when you should - because you might be eligible for a tax refund and not know it. The tax tips below...

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Integra International Audit & Accounting Alert – February 2021 (Issue 2)

by | Feb 25, 2021 |

AT-A-GLANCE For the past quarter century, every two years the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has issued a comprehensive analysis of the impact of financial fraud. However, with the rise of the coronavirus pandemic this past year, the ACFE has supplemented the biennial report with quarterly updates assessing specifically the impact of COVID-19 on fraud within organizations. This issue of the Audit & Accounting Alert summarizes the latest findings. Our Worldwide Update is...

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Taxable vs. Nontaxable Income

Taxable vs. Nontaxable Income

by | Feb 23, 2021 |

Are you wondering if there's a hard and fast rule about what income is taxable and what income is not taxable? The quick answer is that all income is taxable unless the law specifically excludes it. But as you might have guessed, there's more to it than that. Taxable income includes any money you receive, such as wages, tips, and unemployment compensation. It can also include noncash income from property or services. For example, both parties in a barter exchange must include the fair market...

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Social Security Benefits and Taxes: The Facts

Social Security Benefits and Taxes: The Facts

by | Feb 19, 2021 |

What to Know About Social Security Benefits and Taxes Social Security benefits include monthly retirement, survivor, and disability benefits; they do not include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, which are not taxable. Generally, you pay federal income taxes on your Social Security benefits only if you have other substantial income in addition to your benefits. Examples include wages, self-employment, interest, dividends, and other taxable income that must be reported on your tax...

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