Tag Archives: Internal Revenue Service

Nursing Home Costs

 Today TaxMama hears from Susan in the TaxQuips Forum with an ever more common  situation. “My dad (age 88) is in a nursing home because my mom can no longer care for him. I wanted to know which nursing home expenses are considered medical expenses.”  

Ask TaxMama Issue 624 – Happy Holiday Season

Dear Family, Although this time of year is meant to be sort of slow, and laid back, so we can just enjoy the buzz from the whole year and the holidays…it’s been quite the opposite. These last couple of months have been a whirlwind – kind of a blur, actually. And there are still a […]

IRS Offers Tips for Year-End Giving

Courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service WASHINGTON — Individuals and businesses making contributions to charity should keep in mind several important tax law provisions that have taken effect in recent years. Some of these changes include the following: Special Charitable Contributions for Certain IRA Owners This provision, currently scheduled to expire at the end of […]

Hiring Grandma

Today TaxMama hears from Jason in the TaxQuips Forum who wants to get it right. Let me summarize his issue – and you can read the details, here. He has hired Grandma to provide child-care in his home. He’s pretty sure that he is not required to treat her as an employee, according to various […]

Divorce Rip-off

Today TaxMama hears from Kathy in the TaxQuips Forum who is in despair. Let me summarize her problem – and you can read the details, here. Her husband’s ex-wife keeps claiming their children on her joint tax return with her new husband, even though the divorce agreement says Kathy’s husband gets the children. Kathy and […]

Tax on Lump Sum

  Today TaxMama hears from Cindy in the TaxQuips Forum with some great news. “I have recently been approved for disability through Social Security.  I will receive a lump sum (retroactive back to the date I became disabled) as well as start receiving a monthly check. Is the lump sum taxable, and if so, at […]

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 […]

Information for U.S. Citizens or Dual Citizens Residing Outside the U.S.

FS-2011-13, December 2011 The IRS is aware that some taxpayers who are dual citizens of the United States and a foreign country may have failed to timely file United States federal income tax returns or Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARs), despite being required to do so.  Some of those taxpayers are now […]

Student Loan Waived

  Today TaxMama hears from James in the TaxQuips Forum with a disturbing problem. His fiancée got a bill from IRS for a student loan that was cancelled because she had excellent grades. Why is that taxable?  

Red Flag on Business

 Today TaxMama hears from RW in the TaxQuips Forum who is concerned about the new 1099-K reporting. “I am faced with either closing my e-commerce accounts or getting a tax ID number. I have no problem getting the number and making my business legitimate. But will this send up a red flag to the IRS […]