Tax season can evoke strong feelings for many taxpayers. Self tax preparation can be a stressful and daunting experience, especially with the many new tax laws that were implemented last year. Professional tax preparation requires industry knowledge and experience.
Today’s documents and tax statuses will affect both current and future years. It is vital to fully understand and manage new developments in tax law that may affect your current and future financial situations. Filing without accurate information could lead to missed credit opportunities and unwanted tax liabilities.
Tax laws are so complicated that unless your financial affairs are extremely simple, chances are you will benefit from at least occasional help from a tax professional. It is too easy to overlook deductions and credits to which you are entitled if you prepare only one return a year. Even the use of computer software is no substitute for the assistance of a seasoned tax preparer.
We prepare hundreds of tax returns every year. We know what to look for when your return is prepared. More importantly, you will have someone to answer your questions during the rest of the year. And we can put you on our mailing list to receive timely tax, business, and financial advice.
Your Tax-Cutting Checklist
Whether you’re a wage earner, an investor, a business owner, or all three, you should use the tax-cutting benefits available in the tax law. There is little to be gained by paying more tax than the law demands.
Identify the tax-savers for which you qualify. Here’s a tax-cutting checklist to get you started. Check the list to see if there are tax breaks that you are overlooking.
For Individuals:
- Roth IRA
- Rollover to Roth IRA
- Tax-deductible IRA
- Child tax credit
- Income shifting to children
- Child care credit
- Earned income credit
- Lifetime gifts
- Education savings accounts
- Hope scholarship credit
- Lifetime learning credit
- Bunching deductions
- Flexible spending accounts
- Donating appreciated assets instead of cash
- Qualifying property for personal residence gain exclusion
- Best filing status
- Shifting income or deductions from year to year
- Adoption expense credit
For Investors:
- Tax-free municipal bonds
- Long-term capital gains
- Rental property
- Tax-free exchange
- Low-income housing credit
- Small business stock rollover
For Businesses:
- Home office deduction
- Keogh plan
- SIMPLE plan
- SEP
- 401(k) plan
- First year expensing of business equipment
- Year-end bonuses
- Bad debt write-off
- Disabled access credit
- Other business tax credits
- Tax-free exchange
Contact our office if you have questions or want more information on these and other strategies that could reduce your taxes.
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