Totherow Haile Welch

Time for post-filing season checkup
Your 2011 tax return has been filed, or you have properly filed for an extension. In either case, now it’s time to start thinking about important post-filing season activities to save you tax in...

Countdown to Supreme Court’s health care decision
After three days of oral arguments in March, the Supreme Court is deciding the fate of the Pension Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and its companion law, the Health Care and Education Recon...

Congress eyes retirement savings plans in push toward tax reform
Proposals to reform retirement savings plans were highlighted during an April 2012 hearing by the House Ways and Means Committee. Lawmakers were advised by many experts to move slowly on making ...

How do I: Compute Code Sec. 1231 gains and losses?
Code Sec. 1231 applies to gains and losses from property used in the trade or business and from involuntary conversions. Normally, you have to determine whether property is a capital asset or is ordin...

FAQ: What is a family partnership?
The family partnership is a common device for reducing the overall tax burden of family members. Family members who contribute property or services to a partnership in exchange for partnership interes...

May 2012 tax compliance calendar
As an individual or business, it is your responsibility to be aware of and to meet your tax filing/reporting deadlines. This calendar summarizes important tax reporting and filing data for individuals...

Planning for the 3.8 percent Medicare tax on investment income
The health care reform package (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010) imposes a new 3.8 percent Medicare contribution tax on the ...

Back to school expenses: Putting the tax rules to work
Education continues to become increasingly expensive. The Tax Code provides a variety of significant tax breaks to help pay for the rising costs of education, from elementary and secondary school to c...

FAQ: What's the difference between an HSA, FSA and HRA?
To ease the pain of the ever-escalating costs of healthcare, many employers provide certain tax-driven health benefits and plans to their employees. To help employers understand the differences and si...

How Do I? Figure the first-time homebuyer tax credit?
The Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 (2008 Housing Act) gave a boost to individuals purchasing a home for the first time with a $7,500 first-time homebuyer tax credit. The credit was enhanced from $...

How Do I? Figure the value of clothing and household goods I donate to charity
The IRS allows taxpayers with a charitable inclination to take a deduction for a wide range of donated items. However, the IRS does provide specific guidelines for those taxpayers contributing non-cas...

IRS increases standard mileage rate; But does "actual expense method" yield better results?
In response to the record high gas prices, the IRS has raised the business standard mileage reimbursement rate from 50.5 cents-per-mile to 58.5 cents-per-mile. This new rate is effective for business ...

FAQ: Should I borrow from my 401(k)?
The flagging state of the economy has left many individuals and families to cope with rising gas prices and food costs, struggle with their mortgage and rent payments, and manage credit card debt and ...

How to pay off your tax debt
Often, individuals end up with an unexpected tax liability on April 15. There are several options available to pay off your tax debt, stop accruing penalties and interest and secure peace of mind. Eac...

FAQ: When does a gift require a gift tax return?
If you've made, or are planning to make, a big gift before the end of 2009, you may be wondering what your gift tax liability, if any, may be. You may have to file a federal tax return even if you do ...

FAQ: What kinds of moving expenses are deductible?
Only "qualified moving expenses" under the tax law are generally deductible. Qualified moving expenses are incurred to move the taxpayer, members of the taxpayer's household, and their personal belong...

How Do I? ... Keep a log for automobile expenses
If you use your car for business purposes, you may have learned that keeping track and properly logging the variety of expenses you incur for tax purposes is not always easy. Practically speaking, how...

FAQ: Will renting my vacation home mean big tax write-offs?
If you own a vacation home, you may be considering whether renting the property for some of the time could come with big tax breaks. More and more vacation homeowners are renting their property. But w...

FAQ: When are back social security payments included in income? How about repayments?
A lump-sum of social security benefits is usually included in gross income for the year in which it is received. However, a recipient may choose to include in gross income the total amount of benefits...

How Do I? Calculate required minimum distributions for my traditional IRA
Although you may want your traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to keep accumulating tax-free well into your old age, the IRS sets certain deadlines. The price for getting an upfront dedu...

No bright line between businesses and hobbies
Businesses benefit from many tax breaks. If you are in business with the objective of making a profit, you can generally claim all your business deductions. If your deductions exceed your income for t...

FAQ: Must I retain original business expense receipts if I computer scan them?
No, taxpayers may destroy the original hardcopy of books and records and the original computerized records detailing the expenses of a business if they use an electronic storage system....

Like-kind exchanges: Don't overlook a valuable business and tax planning tool
If someone told you that you could exchange an apartment house for a store building without recognizing a taxable gain or loss, you might not believe him or her. You might already know about a very va...

Reap the full benefit of business advertising costs
Money spent to sell your company's product or service, or to develop goodwill in the community, can be deducted from business income. Advertising costs, like other ordinary and necessary business expe...

Prove it! IRS demands less proof of business expenses in certain situations
The general rule on business expenses is that you must prove everything in detail to be entitled to a deduction. Logs, preferably made contemporaneously to the business transaction, must show date, am...

Tax penalties: How much can a mistake, or worse, cost?
You should beware of fancy footwork when it comes to estimating, filing, and paying federal taxes. One misstep can lead to harsh penalties. Willful or fraudulent mistakes can generate criminal sancti...

FAQ: The IRA that I converted to a Roth IRA has gone way down in value. Any tax relief available?
Q. I converted my regular IRA to a Roth IRA when the account had a high value because the stock market was at an all time high. I paid the required tax on the conversion when the conversion proce...

How do I...Obtain back tax returns or account information from the IRS?
A taxpayer who may have misplaced or lost a copy of his tax return that was already filed with the IRS or whose copy may have been destroyed in a fire, flood, or other disaster may need information...

Could a Health Reimbursement Arrangement be in your future?
A new IRS ruling confirms that HRAs are entitled to significant tax breaks. Properly structured, they can provide a deduction for the business, tax-free benefits for employees, and more direct and...

How do I...report interest on U.S. savings bonds?
U.S. Savings Bonds can be a relatively risk-free investment during time of upheaval in the stock market, such as we are experiencing now. There are two different types of savings bonds for tax purp...

How do I?…Pay my payroll taxes electronically
The Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) allows individuals and businesses to make tax payments by telephone, personal computer or through the Internet....

FAQ: What tax deductions am I entitled to as an investor?
Q: What tax deductions am I entitled to as an investor?A: Certain investment-related expenses are deductible, others are specifically restricted. Still othe...

Making gifts to minors: How generosity can help ease your tax bill
Making gifts is a useful, and often overlooked, tax strategy. However, when thinking about whether to make a gift, or gifts, to your children or other minors, the tax consequences must be evaluated...

FAQ: How much of a reprieve is filing for an extension?
Q: An extension to file my tax return seems such a painless procedure, is there any good reason for me not to postpone my filing deadline to avoid just one more hassle during the b...

Estate planning for retirement plan assets
Throughout all of our lives, we have been told that if we don't want to work all of our life, we...

Provide for family members while achieving your giving goals with charitable lead trusts
In addition to direct giving during their lifetimes, many people look at how they can incorporate charitable giving in their estate plans. While many options are available, one plan that allows you...

Keep an 'arms length' when transacting with family members
Although the old adage warns against doing business with friends or relatives, many of us do, especially where personal or real property is involved. While the IRS generally takes a very discernin...

Could you be personally liable for your company's employment tax obligations?
Employers are required by the Internal Revenue Code to calculate, withhold, and deposit with the IRS all federal employment taxes related to wages paid to employees. Failure to comply with these re...

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