Category Archives: IRS – Information

IRS Automates Installment Agreement User Fees

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service IR-2008-033 WASHINGTON —The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it has automated the user fee calculations for taxpayers entering into an installment agreement. Previously, taxpayers were required to submit a paper Form 13844 to request a reduced user fee. Now, eligibility for reduced fees is determined automatically by the […]

New Form for Employees Misclassified as Independent Contractors

Your 1099 Should Have Been a W-2 Due to the widespread problem of employees getting 1099-MISCs from their employers instead of W-2s, the IRS created a new form in 2007 – the Form 8919. Using this form has saved employees thousands of dollars, while protecting their Social Security records and their tax status. Though it […]

Online Filing – The 2008 Overview

[Update – see the Fi-Life article where they test all the Free-File sites.] Electronic filing of tax returns has become the norm. And that means more demand for online tax-preparation programs. If you are in the market for a provider this year, here’s a look the latest the industry has to offer. Prices vary widely […]

Tax Rates for a Child’s Investment Income

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT-2008-38 Part or all of a child’s investment income may be taxed at the parent’s rate rather than the child’s rate. Because a parent’s taxable income is usually higher than a child’s income, the parent’s top tax rate will often be higher as well. This special method of figuring […]

California FTB News Flash – Wrong IRA Deduction AGI Phaseouts Published

Courtesy of Spidell Publishing Inc. The FTB stated that the instructions for Schedule CA (540 and 540NR), California Adjustments, contain the wrong phase out amounts on line 32 (IRA Deduction) for taxpayers using the married filing joint and qualifying widow(er) filing statuses. In turn, most, if not all, tax software is also using the incorrect […]

Taxes on Early Distributions from Retirement Plans

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT-2008-36 Payments that you receive from your IRA or qualified retirement plan before you reach age 59½ are normally called ‘early’ or ‘premature’ distributions. These funds are subject to an additional 10 percent tax and must be reported to the IRS. There are a number of exceptions to this […]

Income from Foreign Sources

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT-2008-37 Many United States citizens and resident aliens receive money from foreign sources. These taxpayers must remember that they must report all such income on their tax return, unless it is exempt under federal law. U.S. citizens and residents are taxed on their worldwide income. This applies whether a […]

What income is taxable? Nontaxable?

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT-2008-30 Generally, most income you receive is taxable. But there are some situations when certain types of income are partially taxed or not taxed at all. A comprehensive list is available in IRS Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income. Some common examples of items that are not included in […]

IRS Will Send Stimulus Payments Automatically Starting

Eligible Taxpayers Must File a 2007 Tax Return to Receive Rebate WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today advised taxpayers that in most cases they will not have to do anything extra this year to get the economic stimulus payments beginning in May. “If you are eligible for a payment, all you have to do […]

Missing a Form 1099?

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT-2008-25 If you receive certain types of income, you may get a Form 1099 for use with your federal tax return. Form 1099 is an information return provided by the payer of the income. The payer should send or provide your Form 1099-series information returns by January 31, 2007. […]

Missing Your Form W-2?

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service TT 2008-24 Did you get your W-2? These documents are essential to filling out most individual tax returns. You should receive a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from each of your employers each year. Employers have until January 31, 2008 to provide or send you a 2007 W-2 […]