8 Tips to Avoid Costly Tax Return Mistakes
While tax laws are complicated, most common tax return errors are surprising simple. While we’ll do everything possible to help you avoid these mistakes, it’s important for you to know what they are and how to avoid them. Many errors can be avoided by filing electronically, which is how we file all the returns we complete.
2021 Tax Preparation Checklists Now Available
Help yourself (and us!) make tax preparation easier by using these handy Checklists to pull together your tax materials for 2021. With another year of tax law changes and new programs, these Checklists will ensure you’ve got everything you need to file.
2022 Calendar: Know Your Tax Dates & Deadlines
We will be developing a new checklist to help you pull together your tax preparation materials for 2021. We hope to have that ready in our next newsletter. Until then, please take note of these important tax-related dates for the new year:
Don’t Forget to Take Your RMD by Dec. 31
December 31 is the deadline to take your required minimum distribution for 2021. The RMD is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your retirement plan account annually starting with the year you reach 72 (in most cases). RMD amounts not withdrawn on time may be subject to penalties.
Plan Ahead: Consider These 8 Smart Tax Tips for Year-end 2021
With only a few weeks left until the new year, it’s time to take a look at your year-end finances. There may be a few things you can do before the calendar changes to get ready for the 2022 tax-filing season.
Retirement and Taxes: Understanding Your IRA
Retirement may be closer than you think — especially if you’re saving money now just for that purpose. An Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) can be a smart way to save because it provides tax incentives to help you on your path. And IRAs are easy to set up with a bank or other financial institution, a life insurance company, a mutual fund or a stockbroker.
Year-End Tax Tip: Check Your Income Tax Withholding
Life moves quickly — events like marriage, divorce, a new child or a home purchase are all good reasons to check your tax withholding before the end of the year and make any necessary adjustments.
Do You Qualify for a Home Office Deduction?
While you may be working from home due to the pandemic, you do not automatically qualify for a home office deduction. For example, if you work as an employee for a company (that’s not yours), you generally cannot claim the home office deduction.
Tax Benefits Expanded for Your 2021 Charitable Donations
The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last December, provides several deductions for individuals and businesses who give to charity. The law generally extends — through the end of 2021 — temporary tax changes originally enacted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Here’s what you need to know: