Category Archives: Tax Returns

Gambling Winnings and Losses

Your summer vacation may mean a trip to the casino or the racetrack. What will you owe Uncle Sam if Lady Luck happens to be on your side? Gambling winnings are fully taxable and must be reported on your tax return. You must file Form 1040 and include all of your winnings. Gambling income includes, […]

Revised Innocent Spouse Form Now Available from IRS

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced a redesigned Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief, that will help reduce follow up questions and reduce the burden on taxpayers. The form will ask more questions initially, but collecting critical information early in the process will mean faster processing of the request. The new design […]

Free File Software May Not Always be Accurate

By David & Mary Mellem, EAs The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released a 45 page (pdf version) report dated June 28, 2007 dealing with the Free File Program. There is also a one page “Highlights” of the report. One of the TIGTA concerns was the accuracy of the returns prepared using the […]

Preparing False Return is Tax Crime Even if Not Sent

By David & Mary Mellem, EAs The issue is whether a tax practitioner can be convicted under §7206(2) for preparing a fraudulent return and presenting it to the taxpayer with the expectation that the taxpayer will file the return or whether the return has to be presented to IRS for processing in order for the […]

Tax Season Sets Records

2007 Tax Season Sets Records for E-file, Direct Deposit, IRS.gov WASHINGTON — The recently completed 2007 tax filing season set a number of electronic records, highlighted by over 76 million electronically-filed individual tax returns and more than 140 million visits to IRS.gov, the Internal Revenue Service said today. “E-file and our other electronic services helped […]

Excess Roth Contribution

Today TaxMama hears from TC a MarketWatch reader, who says “It turns out my income has been to high for me to use a Roth IRA contribution for years. But my tax pro didn’t catch this error – and now I am over-contributed for several years and will face a 6% penalty for each year […]

Stock Sale Date

Today TaxMama hears from Stephen, a MarketWatch reader, who has this question. “I sold some stocks on 12-27-06. The settlement date was 1-2-07. The stock brokerage company sent me a Form 1099 without this sale because the settlement date was after 2006. Can I report this sale in my 2006 tax return? Will the IRS […]

Deduct Lost Refund

Today TaxMama hears from Bruce in the Tax Parlor, asks an interesting question. “I filed 1997 taxes well past the 3-year statute of limitations to get my refund. Naturally IRS denied my request for my $8,000, saying I had filed too late. Is there any way to get IRS to release that refund? Or can […]

Loss Carryforward

Today TaxMama hears from Geraldine in the Tax Parlor, who asks “Can I bring over a $3,000 loss from 2004 return without filing a 2005 return, since he did not have any earn income – only social security for 2005?” Hi Geraldine, Personally, I ALWAYS advise my clients to file tax returns for each year, […]

Non-Profit Kids

Today TaxMama hears from Deb in the Tax Parlor who says, “Our PTA finished up our 990EZ form and sent it home with the PTA President’s son to get her signature on it and mail it . But it sat in his bookbag for a couple days before she found it. To make a long […]

Land Interest

Today TaxMama hears from Phillip in the Tax Parlor who wants to know, ” My wife and I purchased land with the intent to build on it. We have been paying on an interest-only land loan for over a year. Can I deduct this interest for 2006? We have a home already in which we […]

Church School

Today TaxMama hears from Ann in Texas who wants to know. ” I am a single mother of two children and they attend private schools. I pay Church fees to my daughter’s school only. This is for Parishoner fees. Can the money that I invest in private schools and Church fees be claimed on my […]