In the last ten years, too many taxpayers have sold real estate at a loss. How does this type of loss ultimately affect the amount of taxes owed to the IRS? First, to accurately determine the amount of a loss from disposition, compare the property’s sale price to its tax basis. The tax basis is generally the original purchase price, plus the cost of improvements (but not expenses deducted as repairs and maintenance) less depreciation.
What Is A Federal Tax Lien?
A federal tax lien is the government’s legal claim against your property when you neglect or fail to pay a tax debt. The lien protects the government’s interest in all your property, including real estate, personal property and financial assets. A federal tax lien exists after the IRS:
• Puts your balance due on the books (assesses your liability);
• Sends you a bill that explains how much you owe (Notice and Demand for Payment); and
You:
• Neglect or refuse to fully pay the debt on time.
The IRS files a public document, the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, to alert potential creditors and the public that the government has a legal and enforceable interest in your property.
Losses, Expenses and Interest between Related Taxpayers – Know The (Tax) Code: 26 U.S.C. §267
Congress, aware that related parties could create fictitious tax losses lacking economic substance based upon the related parties continued enjoyment of the property subject to the loss, enacted § 267 of the Internal Revenue Code to disallow certain losses and deductions on transactions between related taxpayers.
Frivolous Tax Arguments And Their Perils
“Like moths to a flame, some people find themselves irresistibly drawn to the tax protester movement’s illusory claim that there is no legal requirement to pay federal income tax. And, like moths, these people sometimes get burned.” United States v. Sloan, 939 F.2d 499, 499-500 (7th Cir. 1991).
As long as the federal income tax has been with us, taxpayers have tried to argue that income taxes don’t legally apply to them. The reasons and bases for these arguments usually include the voluntary nature of the federal income tax system, the meaning of income, and the meaning of certain terms contained in the Interenal Revenue Code. Taxpayers hanging their hats on frivolous positions risk a variety of civil and criminal penalties for tax evasion and tax fraud . And taxpayers that adopt these frivolous positions may face more severe consequences than those who only promote them.
Gifts and Inheritances Under the Tax Code (26 U.S.C. §102)
Section 61 of the Tax Code states that “except as otherwise provided in this subtitle gross income means all income from whatever source derived”. Thus, the federal tax law requires taxpayers to pay income taxes on earnings, commissions, rents, royalties, retirement benefits, investment profits, tips, fringe benefits, bonuses and almost anything else of value, unless the Internal Revenue Code specifically provides an exception to the general rule contained in §61. An exception to the general rule is §102 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Child and Dependent Care Credit Explained (26 U.S.C. §21)
Federal courts have long held that expenses incurred by taxpayers for the care of dependents, such as a daycare or babysitting expense, while the taxpayer is away from home and at work, are not deductible under I.R.C. § 162(a). However, taxpayers who incur daycare expenses for their children or disabled adult dependents may be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to 35% percent of the cost of day care. To qualify for the child and dependent care credit, you must have a dependent child age 12 or younger, or a dependent of any age who cannot care for himself or herself. You may calculate your tax credit on IRS Form 2441.
Who Claims The Kids On Their Taxes, And Other Ways Divorce May Affect Your Taxes
Divorcing couples often wonder who claims the children on their taxes, and in what other ways divorce will affect their taxes. Questions may include which filing status to use after the divorce, and how payments for spousal maintenance and child support to an ex-spouse are treated for tax purposes. Also, inquiries about what happens to assets like the family residence are obviously frequently common.
Filing Status
The Alternative Minimum Tax, Explained
Under the Internal Revenue Code and the vast body of rules and regulations related thereto, certain tax benefits can significantly reduce the amount of taxes that a taxpayer may owe. The alternative minimum tax (AMT) applies to those taxpayers with high levels of income by limiting these benefits and ensuring that these taxpayers pay at least a minimum amount of tax. If the AMT applies to you, you may lose many credits or deductions you would normally receive if you didn’t have to pay the AMT.
IRS Audits – What Are My Chances?
It’s considered by many taxpayers to be one of the most frightening events that could happen related to their everyday business affairs. What is this frightening event? An IRS audit, of course. But is a tax audit really that scary in real life? The numbers reveal that only 1% of all taxpayers experience an audit, and of this one percent, about one in five result in a meeting with the IRS.
Presently, the IRS audits half as many taxpayers as it did five years ago. However, the amount of tax recovered per audit has increased. The IRS uses an elaborate computer selection process, auditing only those returns which will almost certainly yield some adjustment.
Uber drivers – employees or independent contractors? (What’s the significance anyway?)
By now everyone is familiar with Uber. And in case you’re not, Uber is an online taxi dispatch company that uses its own mobile app that allows its customers to submit a trip request on their smartphones for drivers who then pick up riders using driver-owned vehicles.
Uber’s business is built on an independent contractor (IC) model, which in Uber’s case means that ideally, Uber drivers receive no benefits, use their own vehicles, and pay all expenses for gas, maintenance, and insurance. Twenty to twenty-five (20 to 25) percent of driver earnings are paid to Uber as a fee to use its service. Some estimate that this contractor model can save businesses up to 30% on labor costs.