When inheriting money, be aware of “income in respect of a decedent” issues

Once a relatively obscure concept, “income in respect of a decedent” (IRD) may create a surprising tax bill for those who inherit certain types of property, such as IRAs or other retirement plans. Fortunately, there may be ways to minimize or even eliminate the IRD tax bite. Basic rules For the most part, property you […]

Expansion of multilingual products

The IRS is taking additional steps to ensure that its forms and other documents are accessible to all taxpayers. The latest expansion of its multilingual products, Braille, text, audio and large print products are now available in Spanish. Specifically, the IRS is converting Form 1040 and its main schedules in Spanish Braille and large print. […]

Inspector General Reports

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports that unprocessed tax returns will continue to plague the IRS. “Inventory backlogs from the 2020 filing season continued to affect the IRS’s ability to provide timely service to taxpayers in the 2021 filing season,” TIGTA said. Auditors also examined the outcome of the IRS’s decision to […]

Going private

Recently, the news media has given a lot of attention to initial public offerings using special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). But there’s another major transaction that’s gaining momentum amid the economic chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: privatizations. Going private (also known as delisting) has many benefits, including: Reduced accounting, regulatory and governance costs, Fewer […]

2022 foreign housing exclusion issued

The IRS issues the 2022 foreign housing cost exclusions. A U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien living abroad can elect to exclude the foreign earned income and housing cost amount from gross income (subject to limitations). The housing cost exclusion is calculated based on the number of days physically present in the foreign location. In […]

Numerous tax limits affecting businesses have increased for 2022

Many tax limits that affect businesses are annually indexed for inflation, and a number of them have increased for 2022. Here’s a rundown of those that may be important to you and your business. Social Security tax The amount of an employee’s earnings that is subject to Social Security tax is capped for 2022 at […]

Time to replace old software?

How will revised tax limits affect your 2022 taxes?

While Congress didn’t pass the Build Back Better Act in 2021, there are still tax changes that may affect your tax situation for this year. That’s because some tax figures are adjusted annually for inflation. If you’re like most people, you’re probably more concerned about your 2021 tax bill right now than you are […]

Budget Deficit

The federal budget deficit hits slower growth. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports that the deficit for the first five months of fiscal year 2022 was $475 billion. That’s lower than for the same period in the two previous fiscal years. Revenues rose by 26% and outlays fell 8%. Individual income and payroll taxes combined […]

Ukraine in the News

Congress seeks to ramp up pressure on Russia for attacks on Ukraine. U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) wants to abolish tax breaks for wealthy Russians supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin. This would be on top of economic sanctions already imposed. Provisions being discussed include denying foreign tax credits and deductions for taxes […]