Are You Receiving a Medicaid Waiver Payment? Read This Important Information!
In order to promote home care and reduce the government’s institutional care expenses, Medicaid (through state agencies) pays home caregivers a small wage (usually reported on Form W-2 but sometimes on Form 1099-MISC) referred to as a Medicaid waiver payment to care for an individual in the care provider’s home.
Many taxpayers prefer to care for ill or disabled family members in their homes as opposed to placing them in nursing homes, however, this can be incredibly expensive, time-consuming, and exhausting. The government also recognizes home care as a means of reducing the government’s costs in terms of caring for individuals who otherwise would be institutionalized (because they require the type of care that is normally provided in a hospital, nursing facility, or intermediate care facility).
Do You Need A Six-Month Tax Extension?
If you need more time to file your 2015 individual tax return you may request an automatic six-month extension. The extension is obtained by filing IRS Form 4868 on or before the April 18, 2016 deadline.
This extension will give you until October 17, 2016 to file a return and avoid the late filing penalty. Normally these due dates fall on the 15th day of the month. However, since April 15, 2016 falls on a Friday, which is a holiday, Emancipation Day, in the District of Columbia a holiday in the District of Columbia the date becomes Monday, April 18, even for taxpayers who don’t live in D.C. October 15, 2016 falls on a weekend, so the extended due date is Monday, October 17, 2016.
April 18th, 2016 is The Deadline for 2015 Tax Returns
If you haven’t as yet filed your 2015 tax return remember that April 18, 2016 is the due date to either file your return and pay any taxes owed, or file for the automatic six-month extension and pay the tax you estimate to be due. Usually April 15 is the due date, but because Friday, April 15, is a legal holiday in the District of Columbia (where the IRS is headquartered), the filing date is advanced to the next day that isn’t a weekend or holiday – Monday, April 18 – even for taxpayers not living in DC.
Tax ramifications are different when selling the old vehicle and when trading it in for a new vehicle.
It’s normal that business owners will eventually replace vehicles used in their business. However, keep in mind that when replacing a business vehicle, the tax ramifications are different when selling the old vehicle and when trading it in for a new vehicle. If you sell the vehicle, the result is reported on your taxpayer’s return as an above-the-line gain or loss. Since a trade-in is treated as an exchange, any gain or loss is absorbed into the replacement vehicle’s depreciable basis, thereby avoiding any current taxable gain or reportable loss.
The IRS is now auditing to see if too much home equity debt interest is being deducted from your taxes.
Remember, equity debt is debt not incurred to acquire or improve the home and taxpayers frequently exceed the equity debt limit and fail to adjust their interest deduction accordingly. Normally, you are allowed to deduct the interest on up to $1 million of home acquisition debt which includes subsequent debt incurred to make improvements, but not repairs, and the interest on up to $100,000 of home equity debt.
Predict Your Future Social Security Income
Are you ignoring your future retirement needs? If you are younger, that’s probably the case since retirement is far in the future, and you think you have plenty of time to save for it. It’s not wise to ignore the issue until late in life and then have to scramble at the last minute to fund their retirement. Although some people actually ignore the issue altogether by thinking their Social Security income (assuming they qualify for it) will take care of their retirement needs.
Cut Your Taxes & Save on Energy Bills with Home Energy Credits
Recently passed legislation has given new life to two homeowner energy credits that had expired or were about to expire, providing renewed opportunities to homeowners wanting to take advantage of these credits and reduce their energy costs.
Take a look at the Pros & Con of Roth Conversions
The tax provision that allows taxpayers to convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA is a great tax-planning tool when used properly, and timing is everything. Conversions can be tricky, so if you are considering a conversion, take a look at this article regarding conversion considerations or give our office a call and set up an appointment so we can help you properly analyze your conversion options.
How to identify Scams and Avoid Becoming a Victim
It’s natural for thieves to use the IRS and other government entities to ply their scams against the public through email and phone scams in order to steal your money. They can trick you into giving out your date of birth, account numbers, passwords and even your Social Security number!
These scams have reached epidemic proportions and this article will hopefully provide you with the knowledge to identify scams and avoid becoming a victim.
It’s the holiday season and that means it’s that time of year when the majority of charities start soliciting for year-end donations. And that means that it’s the perfect time of year when fake charities start showing up in force hoping to convince you to give them a monetary donation.
