Individual income taxes

Friendly Strategies for Charitable Giving

December 10, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

Obtaining a significant tax benefit

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.

Retirement Savings Credit- Who Can Benefit?

December 3, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

It’s not always easy to keep contributing to your employer-provided retirement plan. Bills and unexpected expenses can eat up most of your salary, leaving little for retirement savings. You might be tempted to forget about it until you start earning more money.
But before you stop or cut back (or never start) contributing to your plan, understand that you could be entitled to a federal tax credit called the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, or Saver’s Credit, if you meet certain income requirements. In effect, the credit repays a percentage of the contributions you make to your 401(k) or other retirement savings plan by reducing your income tax liability for the year. It may be just the thing that enables you to keep participating in your retirement plan or increase your contributions.
What It Is?
The credit is a percentage — 50%, 20%, or 10% — of up to $2,000 in qualified retirement savings contributions for a maximum credit of $1,000 (or twice that amount for a married couple filing jointly who each contribute $2,000). The percentage depends on adjusted gross income (AGI) and filing status. The credit is available for contributions to a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), SIMPLE IRA, or salary reduction SEP as well as for traditional and Roth IRA contributions.

Who Qualifies? To claim the credit, you must be at least age 18, not claimed as a dependent on another person’s return, and not a full-time student. You will not be able to claim the credit if your AGI exceeds the top of the range for the 10% credit.

2019 Tax Credit
Percentage of Contribution: 50% 20% 10% 0%
Tax Filing Status Adjusted Gross Income
Married Filing Jointly $38,500 or less $38,501-$41,500 $41,501-$64,000 > $64K
Head of Household $28,875 or less $28,876-$31,125 $31,126-$48,000 > $48K
All other filers* $19,250 or less $19,251-$20,750 $20,751-$32,000 > $32K
*Single, married filing separately, or qualifying widow(er)

This is an excellent saving tool for those who just entered the workforce or those with a lower than usual income year. Everyone’s tax situation is different. Contact one of our tax professionals at Urbach & Avraham, CPAs to discuss your circumstances.

Tax Planning for College Expenses

July 23, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

It’s no secret that a college education is expensive. Average annual charges for tuition, fees, and room and board at four-year public colleges and universities stood at $20,770 for in-state

students and $36,420 for out-of-state students for the 2017-2018 school year. Average charges were $46,950 at four-year private colleges and universities.¹ These costs are likely to increase in the future.

Parents should take the time to look into the various tax benefits that can help reduce the costs of sending a child to college. Getting an early start on tax planning for college expenses can help reduce some of the anxiety surrounding the whole issue of trying to figure out how to pay for college. Here are some areas worth further investigation.

Savings Programs

Parents have several education savings opportunities that come with built-in tax benefits. Section 529 plans have grown in popularity over the years, but Coverdell education savings accounts also offer valuable tax benefits.

Section 529 Savings Plans

Section 529 college savings plans* are specifically designed for educational saving. You can invest a little at a time or contribute a larger lump sum, whatever approach works best for you. You choose how you want your contributions invested; your plan investments are then professionally managed. These plans offer several features that parents may find appealing:

Investment earnings accumulate tax deferred and won’t be subject to federal income taxes when withdrawn for your child’s qualifying educational expenses. (Excess withdrawals are subject to tax and a potential 10% penalty.)
Some states offer their residents tax incentives for investing in an in-state plan. New York taxpayers (both resident and non-resident) may deduct up to $5,000 from the NY income taxes for contributions to 529 plans ($10,000 for married filing joint taxpayers)
As a parent, you retain control of the money in the account even after the child turns 18.
If your child does not attend college or deplete the fund, you can change the account beneficiary to another qualifying family member without losing tax benefits.

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts

Annual contributions to these accounts are limited to $2,000 per child. This maximum phases out (is gradually reduced to zero) for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (AGI) between $95,000 and $110,000 (between $190,000 and $220,000 for joint filers).

Your contributions accumulate tax deferred at the federal level and earnings are tax free when used for qualified educational expenses such as tuition, room and board, and books. If you make withdrawals from the account for non-educational expenses, the earnings portion of the withdrawal may be subject to federal income tax and an additional 10% penalty.

What are the advantages of a Coverdell ESA? The Coverdell ESA allows you to self-direct your investments. Also, in addition to college expenses, Coverdells can be withdrawn tax-free to pay for a broad range of K-12 expenses, while 529 plans are limited to K-12 tuition.

Scholarships

Young adults who demonstrate high academic promise or who possess certain desirable skills may receive scholarships that can defray a percentage of the cost of attending college. Scholarships are generally exempt from income tax if the scholarship is not compensation for services and is used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and similar items (and not for room and board).

Tuition Tax Credits

A tax credit gives you a dollar-for-dollar reduction against the taxes you owe the IRS. The following two education tax credits can help eligible parents alleviate the costs of educating a child.

American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC)

This credit is worth up to $2,500 per year for each eligible student in your family. It’s for the payment of tuition, required enrollment fees, and course materials for the first four years of post-secondary education. The credit is allowed for 100% of the first $2,000 of qualifying expenses, plus 25% of the next $2,000. Were the credit to exceed the amount of tax you owe, you may be eligible for a refund of up to 40% of the credit. The available credit is phased out for single taxpayers with modified AGI between $80,000 and $90,000, and for married couples with modified AGI between $160,000 and $180,000.

Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC)

This credit can be as much as $2,000 a year (per tax return) for the payment of tuition and required enrollment fees at an eligible educational institution. It is calculated as 20% of the first $10,000 of expenses. You cannot claim the credit for a student if you are claiming the AOTC for the student that year. Unlike the AOTC, qualified expenses for the LLC do not include academic supplies and no portion of the credit is refundable. The LLC is phased out (in 2018) for single taxpayers with modified AGI between $57,000 and $67,000, and for married couples with modified AGI between $114,000 and $134,000.

Student Loan Interest Deduction

A tax deduction lowers your tax liability by reducing the amount of income on which you pay tax. You can deduct interest on qualified loans you take out to pay for your child’s post-secondary education. The maximum deduction is $2,500 per year, but it phases out for taxpayers who are married filing jointly with AGI between $135,000 and $165,000 (between $65,000 and $80,000 for single filers). The deduction is available even if you don’t itemize deductions on your return.

*Certain 529 plan benefits may not be available unless specific requirements (e.g., residency) are met. There also may be restrictions on the timing of distributions and how they may be used. Before investing, consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities. The issuer’s official statement contains more information about municipal fund securities, and you should read it carefully before investing.

Questions about college savings opportunities? Please call us to discuss. It is never too early to start saving for junior’s college.

Selling your home? Don’t share the profit with Uncle Sam

July 22, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

Itching for a change of scenery? Whether you plan to sell your home because of retirement, a job change,

or a desire to downsize or move to a larger home, you may be eligible for a very attractive tax break.

If your home has appreciated in value, you may be able to exclude all or part of your profit from the sale of your home on your federal income tax return. Eligible individuals may exclude up to $250,000 of gain from their income, while married couples who file jointly may be able to exclude up to $500,000 of gain. Just be sure you familiarize yourself with the rules before you sell your home.

Who and What Qualifies?

Your home can be a house, a cooperative apartment, a condominium, or another type of residence. To qualify for the exclusion, you must have owned and used the home as your principal residence for at least two years (a total of 24 full months or 730 days) during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale. The tax law allows you to utilize the exclusion multiple times over your lifetime as long as you meet the applicable requirements. However, you may not use it more than once every two years.

You can have only one principal residence at a time. That means that if you own two homes, the home you use for the majority of the year would generally be considered your principal residence for that year.

In the case of the $500,000 exclusion for a married couple filing jointly, only one spouse must meet the ownership requirement, although neither spouse may have excluded gain from a previous home sale during the two-year period ending on the sale date. Both spouses must meet the residence (use) requirement in order to qualify for the $500,000 exclusion.

Ownership and Use Do Not Have to Be Continuous

Your ownership and use of the home do not necessarily have to coincide. As long as you have at least two years of ownership and two years of use during the five years before you sell your home, the ownership and use can occur at different times. For example, you can move out of the house for up to three years and still qualify for the exclusion.

A Reduced Exclusion Is Possible

If you are unable to meet the qualifications for the full $250,000/$500,000 exclusion, you may be eligible for a reduced exclusion under certain circumstances. These are:

You have to sell your home because of a change in place of employment;
You must move for health reasons; or
You must move because of other qualifying “unforeseen circumstances.”

The amount of the reduced exclusion is generally based on the portion of the two-year use and ownership periods you satisfy.

As you can see from this general summary, the rules for the gain exclusion can be complex.

How do I measure the gain before any possible exclusion? The calculation of the basis of a home varies depending on how the home was acquired. Did you purchase your home? Substantially improve your home? Receive all of the home or an interest in the home by inheritance or gift? All these factors effect how to calculate the basis of your home to measure the capital gain. We can provide more details regarding how to qualify for this valuable tax exclusion and how to calculate the gain on the sale of your home. Please contact us when contemplating selling your home.

Above-the-Line Deductions: Can You Benefit?

July 22, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

Any deductible expense is useful because it reduces the amount of income subject to tax. But for individual taxpayers, deductions that can be claimed

in arriving at adjusted gross income (AGI) –referred to as “above-the-line” deductions — are especially significant. By lowering AGI, above-the-line deductions increase your chances of qualifying for various other deductions and credits.

For example, for those with substantial medical expenses, the medical expense deduction on Schedule A- Itemized Deductions, is limited to 10% of your AGI. By lowering your AGI, you are increasing your medical expense deduction.

Here are some of the above-the-line deductions available for the 2019 tax year.

Traditional IRA contributions. Contributions of up to $6,000 ($7,000 for individuals age 50 or older) to a traditional individual retirement account (IRA) are potentially deductible on your 2019 return. AGI-based limitations apply if you (or your spouse) are an active participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

Extra Tax Tip for IRAs– for self-employed individuals eligible for a Qualified Business Income Deduction, (QBI) a contribution to an IRA will not reduce your qualifying business income. In contrast, contributions to other retirement plans do reduce your qualifying business income and therefore the corresponding QBI deduction.

Rental property/trade or business expenses. Expenses associated with property held for the production of rents are deductible above the line on Schedule E, whereas sole proprietors also deduct their trade or business expenses above the line on Schedule C.

Hidden rental property expense– frequently taxpayers do not provide us with the cost of the rental property insurance. It is usually paid via the escrow account if there is a mortgage on the property. Although you don’t pay this directly, it is being paid with your funds and should be deducted. Review your escrow account for other deductions.

Student loan interest. Taxpayers may deduct up to $2,500 of interest expense on qualified higher education loans, though phaseouts apply to those at higher levels of modified AGI.

Health savings account (HSA) contributions. The 2019 deduction limits are $3,500 for those with self-only coverage under an eligible high-deductible health plan and $6,900 for those with family coverage. An additional $1,000 deduction is available to those 55 and older who are not enrolled in Medicare.

Self-employed taxpayers. The self-employed also may be able to deduct retirement plan contributions, qualified health insurance premiums, and a portion of their self-employment taxes.

Don’t Forget About the Medical Expense Deduction

February 13, 2019 by Pamela Avraham

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 lowered the threshold for the deduction of medical and dental expense.

The new law permits taxpayers to deduct unreimbursed medical expenses that are in excess of 7.5% of their adjusted gross income (AGI), down from 10% previously. This change, unlike others, was made retroactive to January 1, 2017. To be deductible, the expenses may not be reimbursed by insurance or elsewhere. For example, a family with AGI of $60,000 would have to spend more than $4,500 on unreimbursed medical expenses to qualify for any deduction. That floor rate may seem high, but with the increases in medical costs in recent years, expenses can add up quickly. Many families have no, or little, coverage for vision care or dental care. And an unexpected illness or accident can lead to thousands of dollars of unreimbursed expenses.

Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Only out-of-pocket costs can be deducted, that is, expenses not paid for by insurance or an employer. And expenses that are paid with money from tax-advantaged accounts (such as health savings accounts or flexible spending accounts) are not deductible either. Nor are any health insurance premiums automatically drawn from your paycheck on a pretax basis.

Nonetheless, the list of medical expenses that can qualify for the deduction is quite long. Medical insurance, long-term care insurance, doctors’ bills, tooth repairs, eyeglasses and contact lenses, hearing aids, laboratory fees, oxygen, psychiatric care, stop-smoking programs, surgery, medical equipment and X-ray costs, for example, can all qualify. Medical travel and lodging also qualify for the deduction. In addition, the expenses of dependent family members can also qualify for deduction.