Tag Archives: California

US Virgin Islands Taxes

Today TaxMama® hears from Pat in the TaxQuips Forum with a quickie question. “Are income taxes paid to the Virgin Islands deductible as state taxes? VI taxes are governed by the Internal Revenue Code so it doesn’t seem logical they’d be deductible, as federal taxes generally aren’t. In addition, the U.S. Virgin Islands aren’t a […]

Ask TaxMama Issue 635 – Swallowing Tax Pride

Dear Family, This year, the Swallows Day Parade will be held in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday morning. Each year, they welcome back the swallows who return on March 19th. Folks in Southern California can join in the fun via Amtrak’s Surfliner (SNC station) and walk over to the festivities. (The southbound train will get […]

Reporting Sales Tax Collected on Personal Return

Today TaxMama® hears from Della in the TaxQuips Forum with this brief question. “I live in California and I am an online seller. I have received a Form 1099 K. Where do I report my sales tax that I should have collected from California buyers? The question is where do I report this information on […]

Marrying for Love

Today TaxMama® hears from Someone Privately with a romantic story. “My client was deeply in love with a woman who was dying of cancer. To demonstrate their love, they got married in July of 2011. She died in February 2012. The problem? She had a lot of tax debt, spanning several years. How do we […]

Ask TaxMama Issue 631 – Happy Black History Month

Dear Family, I left the house this week. You don’t think that’s news? Let me tell you, I am so well cocooned here in this office, that I can reach out and do anything from here – even teach a class with a 100 people. And do a fabulous Twitter chat with Melinda Emerson the […]

IRS Has $1 Billion for People Who Have Not Filed a 2008 Income Tax Return

IRS YouTube Videos: Haven’t Filed a Tax Return in Years?:English | Spanish | ASL IR-2012-26, Feb. 23, 2012 WASHINGTON — Refunds totaling more than $1 billion may be waiting for one million people who did not file a federal income tax return for 2008, the Internal Revenue Service announced today. However, to collect the money, […]

Californians! Hold Schedule C Returns

 Hold Schedule C returns (02-23-2012) The FTB has changed Schedule CA to reduce the amount of self-employment tax deductible for California purposes. According to the FTB, taxpayers may only deduct 50% of the self-employment tax for California purposes, while they can deduct more than 50% for federal purposes. If the FTB is correct, there will […]

A Day In Tax Court

People, hearing the word tax, sometimes turn around and walk away from me. Just the idea of taxes frightens them so! It is a daunting subject. Especially when you are having problems with the tax system, yourself. (In fact, at my very first television interview on Good Day L.A., the host, Mario Machado, did exactly […]

1099ing the Gardener

  Today TaxMama hears from Donna in the TaxQuips Forum with a good question. “Do I need to 1099 the gardener that is paid $250.00 per month?”

Ask TaxMama Issue 625 – Happy Friday The 13th

We have some exciting news in our TaxMama EA Exam Review Class family. Not one, but TWO of our students have been appointed to the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel  (TAP). Boris Mikhail and Terri Klug are on the team, working with the Taxpayers Advocate Service to help improve the Internal Revenue Service’s interactions with taxpayers.  Hip, […]

Meals Deduction Barely Covers Price of Coffee

If you think American tax laws are tough on meals and entertainment, read this story recently reported by Chelm on the Web. The Israel Tax Authority finally updated the amount that the independently employed can put down on their tax returns as expenditures for wining and dining a business associate. It took a High Court […]

Ask TaxMama Issue 623 – Lots of Happy Birthdays

   It’s birthday time. You see the greeting to Dame Judi Dench – easily one of my all-time favorite actors. But it’s also Lulu’s birthday, and David’s and  Barbara’s and Harlan’s and Tony and Tracy and Alicia and lots of other great people this first half of December. So happy birthday to you all!  Sometime […]