Tag Archives: Business/Finance

Tax on Inheritance

Today TaxMama hears from Joan in Minnesota, who asks. “How much money can you inherit in Minnesota without paying taxes on it? And if you do need to pay, what is the %?”

IRS Reminds Car Shoppers about 2009 Tax Break

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminds individual taxpayers who are considering buying a new car that they have until Dec. 31 to take advantage of a tax break that may not be around in 2010. Taxpayers who buy a qualifying new motor vehicle this year after Feb. 16 can deduct the state or […]

Mom as Dependent

Today TaxMama hears from Dee in California, who wants to know. “Is my mother’s Social Security income ($9,000 – no other income) considered earned income in order for me to meet the criteria to file for Head of Household?”

Record Keeping for Business Barter Transactions

Courtesy of IRS In today’s economy, small-business owners sometimes look to the oldest form of commerce — the exchange of goods and services, or bartering. The Internal Revenue Service wants to remind small-business owners that bartering transactions generally have associated tax reporting, accounting and record-keeping responsibilities. Bartering is the trading of one product or service […]

Wash Sales

Today TaxMama hears from Kay in New Jersey, who has done some thinking. “I am an investor in the stock market. How can I avoid a wash sale? For example I own 100 shares of stock A and want to sell it to help offset my capital gains for 2009. However I do not want […]

2010 Standard Mileage Rates

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2010 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2010, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: —50 […]

Ask TaxMama Issue 531 – Births and Rebirths

Dear Family, This week is full of birthdays – birth anniversaries, like that of my friends Lulu and Barbara…and an actual birth. Yesterday morning, just before my visit with Brent Clanton on CNN in Houston, my neice sent us an announcement about the birth of her new baby girl. Lisa’s daughter is thin and long […]

Home Warranty

Today TaxMama hears from James in Florida with this question. “I’m a licensed Realtor ® in Florida. If I purchased a home warranty plan for a buyer as a gift at closing, could I deduct the cost from my taxes at years end?”

Garage or Home

Today TaxMama hears from Carole in Washington State who tells us. “My brother, a 1st time real estate buyer, is considering the purchase of a property with a garage/shop on it (not a house). Would this purchase qualify for the $8,000.00 1st time buyer tax credit?”

IRS Seeks to Return $123.5 Million in Undeliverable Refunds to Taxpayers

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is looking for taxpayers who are due to receive a combined $123.5 million in the form of 107,831 refund checks that were returned to the IRS by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors. “We are eager to get this money into the hands of taxpayers, so […]