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Individual income taxes

Unfiled tax returns?

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“Better late than never” applies when it comes to filing income tax returns.

Here’s what you should know. 

Maybe you didn‘t get your 1040 done in time in a previous year and figured you couldn’t still file your income taxes. Or you thought you owed money that you didn’t have. The IRS knows that people file late sometimes, and it has systems in place to deal with that.

It’s absolutely critical that you file every year, for a variety of very good reasons. Failure to file means that you might:

  • Incur interest and penalties.
  • Lose a refund (you can claim a refund for up to three years after the return due date).
  • Reduce your Social Security benefits. If you’re self-employed and don’t file, you will not be credited for income that year.
  • May not qualify for credit and lending opportunities.
  • Certain professional licenses (CPA, legal) may be revoked in some states.
  • May be prohibited from serving in public office

Extenuating circumstances? Don’t Panic!

Were you or a family member extremely ill or disabled? Did you suffer severe hardships due to natural disasters? If you didn’t file because of hardships, we at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs can assist you in requesting an abatement from the IRS of penalties imposed due to the late filing.

File It ASAP

As soon as you realize you have a past-due tax return, you should prepare and file it.

If you can’t pay what you owe when you file, you can ask for an additional 60-120 days to fulfill your financial obligation. If that’s not enough time and/or you’re going to need to pay in installments, you can apply for an IRS Payment Plan.

What If You Don’t File?

The IRS may file a substitute return for you. If this happens, you may not get all of the deductions and credits that you should. We advise you to still file a tax return that includes everything, even if the IRS already prepared a substitute return. The IRS usually adjusts the return they created to reflect credits, deductions, and exemptions when they’re made aware of them.

The IRS will notify you if they file a substitute return. If you don’t’ file or submit a petition to Tax Court, the IRS will proceed with its proposed assessment, which will trigger a tax bill. Failure to pay it will result in your account going into the collection process. This can include the filing of a federal tax lien or a levy on your bank account or wages. If you continue to ignore the bill, you may be subject to additional penalties and/or criminal prosecution.

If prior year information is required, we can assist you in obtaining IRS transcripts. These transcripts provide all sources of payors of wages, interest, dividends, pensions and proceeds from sale of securities and real estate.

On Your Mark, Get Set, File!

Any correspondence from the IRS can create anxiety, as can realizing you missed a tax deadline. At Urbach & Avraham, CPAS, we encourage you to contact us if you’re concerned about a return you didn’t file. We can help you understand what your options are and how to proceed. We can assist you in abating penalties and obtaining IRS Transcripts if necessary. We can also help with tax planning throughout the year, so you don’t have to deal with a past-due return again.

 

You can reverse a 2020 RMD by Aug. 31, 2020

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RMD Background

A required minimum distribution, or RMD, is the amount of money one is required to withdraw from most retirement accounts after he or she attains a certain age. Beginning in 2020 the Secure Act raised that age from 70½ to age 72. Almost all retirement accounts are affected by the RMD rules. The one major exception is Roth IRAs.

RMDs for 2020

The CARES Act suspended most RMD payments for 2020. Any taxpayer with an RMD due in 2020 from an IRA, an inherited IRA, a 401(k) or 403(b) or defined-contribution retirement plan may skip those RMDs this year. Defined benefit plans are not exempt from RMDs for 2020.

Owners of IRAs, 401(k) plans or beneficiaries of inherited IRAs who already received an RMD in 2020 have until August 31, 2020 to rollover or repay the distribution to the retirement plan. This reversal of the 2020 RMD is intended to benefit older Americans who can refrain from taking money out, making it easier for their balances to recover from the 2020 decline in security values.

Who will benefit?

The ability to reverse a 2020 RMD is not expected to help the majority of retirement account owners who rely on the retirement income to live from. This IRS provision will generally only help those who are less reliant on their retirement account funds for their living expenses. Taxpayers in high brackets stand to benefit from saving the steep income tax and keeping funds longer in a tax-deferred account.  Individuals with extremely high medical expenses in 2020, should not consider reversing the 2020 RMD. The steep medical expenses will shelter the RMD from taxes.

Don’t forget the withholding!

One must return the entire amount of the 2020 RMD to your retirement account by August 31, 2020 to qualify as a reversal. Many individuals have income tax withheld from the RMD. The income tax withheld also has to be returned – not just the amount received. The amount withheld will be credited to your 2020 income tax return. This can reduce the amount of your September and December 2020 estimated income tax payments.

Example of withholding from RMD and reversal

Retired Rita withdrew an RMD of $50,000 in Feb 2020. She had $10,000 of federal income tax withheld from her RMD and received $40,000. If Rita would like to reverse the RMD she must return the entire $50,000 to her retirement account by August 31, 2020 even though she received only $40,000. On her 2020 US Income Tax Return (Form 1040) she will receive credit for the $10,000 of income tax withheld. This will enable her to reduce her third and fourth quarter 2020 US estimated income tax payments.

Look before you leap!

Everyone’s tax situation is different. If you feel you can benefit from the 2020 RMD reversal, contact your investment advisor. You should also contact our tax accountants at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs this week to assist you in the decision.

Tax Gifts for Self-Employed

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Tis the Season – Now is the time for business owners to review potential tax saving possibilities. People who are self-employed have many opportunities to cut taxes that regular employees don’t have.

Health Insurance– Self-employed individuals can deduct health-insurance costs above-the-line. That’s better than deducting them on Schedule A, ( Itemized Deductions) where they are limited.

If the spouse of the owner is an employee and the insured person on the medical insurance, then the medical insurance premiums can be deducted directly on Schedule C as a business expense.

Health insurance premiums paid for long-term care insurance may also be deducted (with some limitations) above-the-line for self-employed business owners.

Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction– The 2017 tax overhaul added a QBI deduction of 20% of the net income of self-employed people. Depending upon the type of business, the 20% deduction may be limited when taxable income is $160,700 for single filers and $321,400 for married couples filing jointly. Self-employed workers whose incomes will exceed the limits may get below them by making tax-deductible donations to charity before year-end or contributing more to tax-deductible retirement plans.

Self- employed business owners whose taxable incomes are over the limits, may still receive the QBI deduction depending upon the type of business and subject to additional limits. The amount of the tax deduction will vary depending on the specific taxpayer circumstances.

Office in the Home Deduction– Many self-employed individuals operate their businesses from their home. If you qualify for the home office deduction, you can deduct all direct expenses and part of your indirect expenses involved in working from home. Indirect expenses are costs that benefit your entire home, such as rent, deductible mortgage interest, real estate taxes, and homeowner’s insurance. You can deduct only the business portion of your indirect expenses.

More people are taking the now higher standard deduction or their real estate tax deduction is limited as a result of the state and local income tax limitation. By deducting office in the home expenses, one can deduct a portion of the mortgage interest and real estate taxes that otherwise may be not be deductible.

Retirement Plan Contributions- Self-employed individuals can often make larger tax-deductible contributions to retirement plans than employees. The 2019 contribution to a traditional IRA is a maximum of $7,000. The 2019 limits are over $50,000 for SEP IRAs and Solo 401(k)s.

Retirement Plan Deadlines– For 2019, traditional IRAs can be set up and funded until April 15, 2020. The deadline for a SEP-IRA maybe as late as Oct. 15, 2020 if a valid extension is filed. It is important to remember that requesting a filing extension does not provide an extension on paying the taxes that will eventually be due. The Solo 401(k)s have a catch: for 2019, the contribution deadline can be as late as Oct. 15, 2020. However, the plan must be set up by Dec. 31, 2019.

Review Estimated Taxes– Self-employed workers usually owe estimated taxes. There is a penalty for underpayment. For self-employed who also have W-2 wage income earned either by them or their spouses one can avoid quarterly taxes by increasing their withholding on wages. If the wage-earner doesn’t increase his withholdings until late in the year, that is fine- as long as the IRS receives about 90% of the total tax due by year-end.

Everyone’s tax and financial situation is different. Please contact a tax professional at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs about your business tax options.

 

Volunteering? Let Uncle Sam Reward You in a Deduction

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If  your contributions to charity begin and end with check writing, you may be missing out on some satisfying volunteer opportunities — and a few tax deductions. Many people volunteer for the Salvation Army, your church or temple and other charitable organizations. IRS rules allow you a number of tax breaks for contributions other than cash that you make to qualified organizations.

Traveling  There and Back

You may deduct the costs of going to and from a location where you volunteer your services. You may also deduct the costs of driving for the organization — for example, to pick up or deliver items. To compute your deduction for charitable driving, use the standard mileage rate of 14 cents per mile for 2021, per the IRS, or deduct the actual cost of your gas and oil. Either way, parking fees and tolls are also deductible.

Recoup Your Expenses

Out-of-pocket expenses you pay in giving services to a qualified organization may count as a charitable donation if you’re not reimbursed for them. You cannot deduct your personal expenses, such as child care costs, even if they are necessary for you to volunteer. You may, however, deduct the costs of buying and cleaning a uniform you’re required to wear while volunteering if it is not suitable for everyday use.

No Time to Volunteer? Gift of Appreciated Securities

Many charities accept non-cash donations. Giving investments that have increased in value can be a smart tax move. Instead of selling the investment and paying capital gains tax, donate it to a qualified organization. If you held the investment for more than one year, you generally can deduct its fair market value at the time of the donation. Remember that you’ll need a receipt from the organization to claim a tax deduction, and other records also may be required.

Some Restrictions

Contributions must be made to qualified organizations that meet IRS guidelines. Not sure? The IRS has an online tool, the Exempt Organizations Select Check, that can help. Or call IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500.

You can’t deduct contributions to a specific individual; the value of your time or services; personal expenses incurred while volunteering, such as the cost of meals (unless you must be away from home overnight); and appraisal fees to determine the value of donated property.

Everyone’s volunteer pattern is different. Consult with a tax professional at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs for more information on charitable donations.

Substantiating Charitable Donations for Tax Purposes

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To claim a deduction for a charitable donation, you must have certain documentation. The current tax law requirements are summarized below.

Cash contributions under $250 require a bank record and date and amount of contribution. Cash contributions of $250 or more require written acknowledgement stating whether charity provided goods/services in exchange for gift. Contributions withheld from payroll require the pay stub or Form W-2 that shows amount withheld for charity.

Property contributions less than $250 require receipt or letter from charity stating: name of organization, date and location of contribution and property description. Property contributions from $250 to $500 require written acknowledgement whether goods/services were provided in exchange for gift. Property contributions from $500 to $5,000 require Form 8283 filed with tax return stating: how and when property was acquired and cost or basis of property. Property contributions of $5,000 or more require a qualified appraisal (exceptions apply) filed with Form 8283.

Additional Tips- Here are some other points to keep in mind.

Multiple contributions. If you make multiple contributions of less than $250 to the same charity during the year, you generally should treat each contribution separately in determining the amount of the contribution and the supporting records you should have.

Donations of clothing and household items. To be deductible, these donations must be in “good used” condition or better unless you are claiming a deduction of over $500 and include a qualified appraisal of the item with your return. If you can’t get a receipt from the charity because you left items at a charity’s unattended drop site, note the charity’s name, the contribution date, and a description of the items you donated and keep it on file. Also note the donated items’ fair market values and how you determined the values.

Text message donations. If you donate money by sending a text message — to a disaster relief charity, for example — the donation will be routed through the cell phone company you use. The company forwards the amount you donate to the charity, and the charge appears on your bill. Therefore, the telephone bill showing the date and amount of your donation to the organization will serve as the proof you need to substantiate your contribution.

Everyone’s charitable gifting is different. Consult with a tax professional at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs about your charitable donation documentation.

Friendly Strategies for Charitable Giving

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Obtaining a significant tax benefit

Gift from Uncle Sam

for charitable contributions may be a little harder after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), but it’s not impossible. Here’s a look at how the TCJA has altered the tax landscape for charitable giving and three strategies that could help taxpayers get better tax mileage from their donations going forward.

What Has Changed?

Because the deduction for charitable contributions is an itemized deduction, taxpayers who claim the standard deduction receive no deduction for their contributions. That much hasn’t changed. What has changed is that standard deductions for every filing status are significantly higher under the TCJA. And since there are new limits on some itemized deductions — e.g., the deduction for state and local taxes — and others have been outright eliminated, taxpayers are less likely to benefit from itemizing.

Timing Donations With a Donor-Advised Fund

With a donor-advised fund, you make a contribution (or series of contributions) to the fund and recommend how you would like your gifts to be disbursed. Generally, the donor’s recommendations will be followed, but the sponsoring organization has the final say as to how the money is actually distributed.

Contributions to a donor-advised fund are generally tax deductible in the year they are made. So funding a donor-advised fund in a year you expect to itemize your deductions could provide a tax advantage. If desired, you could then put those dollars to use over several years by supporting your favorite charities through your donor-advised fund.

Donating Appreciated Securities

Many donor-advised funds and other public charities accept contributions of publicly traded stock or other securities. A donation of highly appreciated securities held more than one year provides a potential tax deduction for the securities’ fair market value while also avoiding the capital gains tax that would be due if the securities were sold. Note that itemized deductions for contributions of appreciated securities are generally limited to 30% of AGI.

Making Qualified Charitable Distributions After Age 70½

A qualified charitable distribution (QCD), also known as an IRA charitable rollover, allows you to donate to qualified charities directly from your individual retirement account (IRA). While there is no tax deduction allowed for the donated assets, they don’t count as income either. What’s more, a QCD can help satisfy your annual required minimum distribution (RMD).

To make a QCD you must be at least 70½ years of age. Gifts must be made directly from your traditional or Roth IRA to a public charity. (Contributions to donor-advised funds are not eligible.) Up to $100,000 may be transferred annually.

Each individual’s tax situation is different. Please consult with a tax professional at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs to help you analyze the impact on your personal situation.