Category Archives: *Tax Quips

Utility Offers to Buy Home

Today TaxMama® hears from Dean in the TaxQuips Forum with this odd question. “The local power company wants to purchase my home, payoff my mortgage, allow me to live rent free for 12 months; then allow me to purchase the house back for the market value to avoid capitol gains tax. Is this legit? They […]

Computing Your Own Withholding

Today TaxMama® hears from Brian in the TaxQuips Forum who finally asked the right question. “What I really was asking was, if I take my withholdings up to, say, single and 8 on federal and state for this check only would I get more of the check?”

Missing Hotel Receipts

Today TaxMama® hears from Tim in the TaxQuips Forum with this question. “A relative was sent by his company to work far away from home in different places for weeks at a time. He was given a nonaccountable per diem that was included in Box 1 of his W-2. He did not save the hotel […]

Schedule K-1 for IRA

Today TaxMama® hears from David in the TaxQuips Forum with a quick question. “I received a Schedule K-1 from a fund included in my IRA. I did not make any withdrawals from the IRA, and it is supposed to be tax-deferred. Do I have to include the information from the Schedule K-1 in my 2011 […]

Get All the Paperwork

Today TaxMama® hears from someone else in the TaxQuips Forum who is being audited. “This person is being audited by IRS for a child tax credit. At this point, she can no longer locate the care provider to get her Social Security Number – the woman’s phone is disconnected. She didn’t get receipts for her […]

Overcome Closed or Signed-Off Audits

Today TaxMama® hears from someone in the TaxQuips Forum who was overwhelmed. Let summarize. “After a grueling audit, and a lot of personal tragedies, the IRS agent went back and reviewed the medical mileage. Despite having detailed evidence to prove the mileage, the reason it was medical mileage, and the reason the treatment needed to […]

In Business Yet?

Today TaxMama® hears from sh1207 in the TaxQuips Forum with this question. “In 2011, my wife started a home-run Montessori school in October. We spent about $2,000 in setting up the Montessori (supplies, furniture, license, etc.). We only got $600 in income from one child, who was with us for 3 hrs a day starting […]

Sloppy 1099ing

Today TaxMama® hears from Gary in the TaxQuips Forum who has this problem. Let me paraphrase:  “Gary has already filed his LLC’s tax return, reporting all his income properly. Suddenly, nearly three weeks past the 1099 deadline, he gets a 1099 showing income he received, plus reimbursements for materials and supplies – that were not […]

2010 401k Rollover

Today TaxMama® hears from Tom in the TaxQuips Forum with this issue.  “I rolled over a 401k directly to a Roth IRA in 2010.  I received a 1099 for this, but did not fill out an 8606 when I submitted my 2010 return. The plan was to report half of the taxable amount in 2011 and […]

Mobile Home Rental

Today TaxMama® hears from Klondike in the TaxQuips Forum with this question.  “In March, I purchased a new mobile home and placed it on property I own. It is skirted with wheels removed and set on cement pillars. My son lives in the home and pays rent. Is it best to depreciate the home for […]

Overseas Freelancer

Today TaxMama® hears from Jim in the TaxQuips Forum with this question.  “I live in Thailand and do some freelance work. I can’t put that income on Form 2555 for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion because I had to return to the US for 60 + days for an operation. How do I report this […]

Stepchild in Divorce

Today TaxMama® hears from Susan in the TaxQuips Forum with a divorce question for Valentine’s Day. “What happens, taxwise, to the relationship of stepchildren when the parents divorce and the stepchild stays with the stepparent? Do they go back to just being the girlfriend’s kid again? I hear about stepparents adopting their spouse’s children. Is […]