In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The legislation included a provision that allowed qualified retirement plan participants and IRA account holders to take penalty-free early distributions totaling no more than $100,000 between January 1 and December 31, 2020. If you took advantage of this measure, here’s what you need to know for tax filing. Continue reading “Tax Filing Information for Coronavirus Distributions”
Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2021
Every year, the Internal Revenue Service announces cost-of-living adjustments that affect contribution limits for retirement plans and various tax deduction, exclusion, exemption, and threshold amounts. Here are a few of the key adjustments for 2021. Continue reading “Key Retirement and Tax Numbers for 2021”
Charitable Giving
Charitable giving can play an important role in many estate plans. Philanthropy cannot only give you great personal satisfaction, it can also give you a current income tax deduction, let you avoid capital gains tax, and reduce the amount of taxes your estate may owe when you die.
There are many ways to give to charity. You can make gifts during your lifetime or at your death. You can make gifts outright or use a trust. You can name a charity as a beneficiary in your will, or designate a charity as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy. Or, if your gift is substantial, you can establish a private foundation, community foundation, or donor-advised fund. Continue reading “Charitable Giving”
Key Numbers Projected for 2021
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Temporary Payroll Tax Deferral: What You Need to Know
On August 8, 2020, the president issued an executive order to allow the deferral of certain payroll taxes during the last four months of 2020, and the IRS recently provided related guidance. This has implications for both employers and employees. Here’s a brief summary of the issues. Continue reading “Temporary Payroll Tax Deferral: What You Need to Know”
Coronavirus Affects Federal, State, and Local Deadlines
Federal, state, and local governments have extended a number of deadlines amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Here are just a few of the deadlines that have been affected.
What to Do with Your 401(k) Plan When You Change Jobs
When you change jobs, you need to decide what to do with the money in your 401(k) plan. Should you leave it where it is or take it with you? Should you roll the money over into an IRA or into your new employer’s retirement plan? Continue reading “What to Do with Your 401(k) Plan When You Change Jobs”
The SECURE Act will affect all of our retirement plans.
New Spending Package Includes Sweeping Retirement Plan Changes
The $1.4 trillion spending package enacted on December 20, 2019, included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which had overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in the spring of 2019, but then subsequently stalled in the Senate. The SECURE Act represents the most sweeping set of changes to retirement legislation in more than a decade. Continue reading “The SECURE Act will affect all of our retirement plans.”
What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?
ANSWER:
These credits are quite different. First, the child tax credit. The purpose of this credit is simply to provide tax relief for parents, working or not, who have qualifying children under the age of 17. A qualifying child may be a dependent child, stepchild, adopted child, sibling, or stepsibling (or descendant of these individuals), or an eligible foster child. The child must be a U.S. citizen or resident and must live with you for over half the year. Continue reading “What is the difference between the child tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit?”
Does my 16-year-old have to pay Social Security tax on her earnings?
Answer:
Like most wage-earning employees, your 16-year-old will most likely have to pay Social Security tax on her earnings. Of course, every rule has its exceptions. In this case, there are three. She may be exempt from paying Social Security taxes if she (1) works in the family business, (2) works in domestic service, or (3) delivers newspapers. Continue reading “Does my 16-year-old have to pay Social Security tax on her earnings?”