Switched Keys

While enjoying a round of disc golf this week one of the players was talking about someone who had to live in a house he inherited for three years in order to avoid paying tax on the sale of the house. I may not have all the relevant details but it… more »

Tax incentives for education may be the most overlooked and most abused items on an individual tax return. They are frequently criticized for their complexity, with each form of education credit or deduction having different rules. With some credits as easy targets for fraud some practitioners are leery of education credit claims. Other problems with these incentives are not so obvious. Software support is limited and taxpayers are not always aware of the benefits or may have false notions about the requirements. more »

With several tax law changes to education credit requirements over the past two years, the IRS regulations have become outdated. One of the changes requires that taxpayers have received a 1098-T in order to claim the credit… However, buried in the middle of the proposal is a section that taxpayers and preparers can rely on if the regulations do not become final before the next tax year. … more »

Over the years tax law has been quite fluid based on changes and incentives Congress intends to provide to taxpayers in each session. This amoeba-like quality is what makes comparisons between different generations of the tax code difficult. It's more… more »

During tax season each year I occasionally come across issues that I need to research or verify. That's when I think a complete list of resources would be handy. I've started developing such a list and am making Volunteer Tax Assistance Resources available on-line. The page is at http://www.tylerhosting.com/voltax/. This is a collection of resources I've developed to assist me and others with our volunteer work at VITA and AARP Foundation Tax-Aide programs and includes … more »

This tax season has been one for IRA traps. IRAs are great, but meeting the rules can be a challenge. With hefty penalties on large sums, any mistake can be disastrous. Here's a few issues I've encountered this year. Don't Forget to Take RMDs. With most… more »

Last year I confronted someone at Tax-Aide corporate headquarters about a spreadsheet on the support website that limited the amount of scholarships by the amount of the taxpayer's own money…This year the new Tax-aide worksheet for preparers has no mention of own money, and maximizes AOTC much like my own AOTC Worksheet… more »