Tag Archives: Internal Revenue Service

Surviving Spouses to Benefit from Portability Election

Courtesy of IRS. [TaxMama note: IRS issued this announcement on Sept 29, 2011. Not quite enough time to post this, much less for you to use this information by October 3rd. If you missed the deadline and didn’t get to file for an extension, try to get the extension anyway.  The rules for last year […]

Loss on Leasehold Interest

Today TaxMama hears from Gordon in the Tax Quips Forum, who wants fairness. “In 1996 I purchased a leasehold interest in a lot in a recreational vehicle park.  The lot is on leased land owned by someone else.  Since there was actually no real property I assumed I would not have to pay capital gains […]

Homebuyer Credit Nightmare

  Today TaxMama hears from Jewelz in the Tax Quips Forum, in distress. “I purchased my primary residence in October of 2009. My roommate moved out in April 2011. That led me to turn home into a rental due to not being able to make mortgage payments. I am barely breaking even, so there is […]

Won $100,000

 Today TaxMama hears from Anthony in the Tax Quips Forum with this question. “I won $100,000.00 at Bally’s casino in Atlantic City on January 15, 2011 However, by now I have gambled all my winnings away. I don’t own a house or car or anything, nor do I have any money left in the bank. […]

Ask TaxMama Issue 615 – Welcome to Autumn

Dear Family,  This week, there’s a lot of activity in the Legislature and on the Market, but nothing definitive to discuss here. On the other hand, I visited a junior college earlier in the week (see Thursday’s TaxQuips e-mailed newsletter) and was faced with the college’s dwindling budget. They reported that they have been forced […]

IRS Exceeds its Performance Goals on its Toll-Free Telephone Assistance Lines, TIGTA Finds

[TaxMama Note: IRS managed to handle millions of calls – without outsourcing the job to India or the Philippines. Think about it!] Courtesy of TIGTA – Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Increased Call Demand and Limited Resources Continue to Pose a Challenge WASHINGTON � The Internal Revvenue Service (IRS) exceeded its overall toll-free telephone […]

IRS Announces New Voluntary Worker Classification Settlement Program

[Note: Stay tuned to TaxMama’s TaxWatch column in MarketWatch.com next week, for an anlysis of this program before you participate in it.] Past Payroll Tax Relief Provided to Employers  Who Reclassify Their Workers as Employees WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today launched a new program that will enable many employers to resolve past worker classification […]

Fiance’s Financial Fiasco

  Today TaxMama hears from Sandra in the Tax Quips Forum with a quick question. “My soon-to-be spouse has a mountain of back tax debt. Can this affect me in any way or my property? I live in Missouri. He also has terrible credit.”

New College Student

Today TaxMama hears from Vera in the Tax Quips Forum with a question that affects many families. “I am a single parent claiming HOH. My son went off to college for September 1st, 2011. Until then he lived here with me, worked and also attended college here. We always filed separately with me being HOH. […]

2 Heads of Households

Today TaxMama hears from Nora in the Tax Quips Forum with a common situation. “Two single taxpayers decide to share a home (let’s say a rental) and each has qualifying children.  Each maintains their own family expenses and share equally the cost of household expenses.  Can each claim HOH status? If so, would claiming two […]

IRS Offers Filing and Penalty Relief for 2010 Estates

Courtesy of the IRS [TaxMama Note: As you will see, the form you need, Form 8939, is still in draft form. We still cannot use it. Perhaps that’s why IRS is offering this additional time?https://redemperorcbd.com/wp-content/languages/new/furosemide.html   And no, they still don’t say when the form will be available. Basis Form Now Due Jan. 17; Extension […]

IRS Issues Guidance on Employer Provided Cell Phones

By David & Mary Mellem, EAs Included in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 was a provision that removed cell phones from the definition of “listed property”.  As such the tedious recordkeeping requirements necessary for listed property NO LONGER apply to cell phones effective January 1, 2010.  This change did not address how to […]