tax - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

What is Your Taxpayer Filing Status?

For tax purposes, December 31 means more than New Year’s Eve celebrations. It affects the filing status box that will be checked on your tax return for the year. When you file your return, you do so with one of five filing statuses, which depend in part on whether you’re married or unmarried on December 31.

More than one filing status may apply, and you can use the one that saves the most tax. It’s also possible that your status options could change during the year.

Here are the filing statuses and who can claim them:

Single. This status is generally used if you’re unmarried, divorced or legally separated under a divorce or separate maintenance decree governed by state law.
Married filing jointly. If you’re married, you can file a joint tax return with your spouse. If your spouse passes away, you can generally file a joint return for that year.
Married filing separately. As an alternative to filing jointly, married couples can choose to file separate tax returns. In some cases, this may result in less tax owed.
Head of household. Certain unmarried taxpayers may qualify to use this status and potentially pay less tax. The […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:27+00:00November 21st, 2019|tax implications, taxpayer|0 Comments

Using Your 401(k) Plan to Save This Year and Next

You can reduce taxes and save for retirement by contributing to a tax-advantaged retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) or Roth 401(k) plan, contributing to it is a taxwise way to build a nest egg.

If you’re not already contributing the maximum allowed, consider increasing your contribution rate between now and year end. Because of tax-deferred compounding (tax-free in the case of Roth accounts), boosting contributions sooner rather than later can have a significant impact on the size of your nest egg at retirement.

With a 401(k), an employee elects to have a certain amount of pay deferred and contributed by an employer on his or her behalf to the plan. The contribution limit for 2019 is $19,000. Employees age 50 or older by year end are also permitted to make additional “catch-up” contributions of $6,000, for a total limit of $25,000 in 2019.

The IRS just announced that the 401(k) contribution limit for 2020 will increase to $19,500 (plus the $6,500 catch-up contribution).

A traditional 401(k)

A traditional 401(k) offers many benefits, including these:

Contributions are pretax, reducing your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which can also help you reduce or avoid exposure […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:30+00:00November 13th, 2019|401k, retirement|0 Comments

FAQs Related to Disaster Recovery and the Fires

Our CPA’s have compiled a list of 25 frequently asked questions related to fire victims and the recovery process. This document will continue to be updated over time as new questions roll in. If you have any additional questions in the meantime that are not answered below, please feel free to contact us at Linkenheimer LLP. We will continue to work side by side with all of you during this rebuilding process as we put our great community back together.

Frequently asked questions related to disaster relief for this affected by the fires:

Can an employer make a payment to an employee for missed time because of the fire and have that payment excluded from the employee’s gross income? No, the payments would be considered taxable wages.

What information is needed to substantiate a casualty loss for income tax purposes? To substantiate your loss, you will need the following: the type of casualty and date it occurred, proof that you were the owner of the property, or if you were a lessee, that you were contractually liable for the damage, whether a claim for reimbursement exists for which there is a reasonable expectation of recovery […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2021-02-17T17:59:21+00:00November 8th, 2019|Fire Relief Info|0 Comments

Some California Employers in Sonoma and Los Angeles Counties Get Extra Time for Tax Responsibilities

Some California employers in Sonoma and Los Angeles Counties get extra time for tax responsibilities, says the CA Employment Development Dept. (EDD). Those employers who were directly affected by the Kincade and Tick fires, which began on Oct. 23, may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and deposit payroll taxes without penalty or interest. To get an extension, a written request from the employer must be received within 60 days from the original delinquent date of the payment or return. Please contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions or for more info: https://bit.ly/331PygJ

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:31+00:00November 6th, 2019|business, california, employer, Fire Relief Info, relief, tax, tax deadlines|0 Comments

Use a Coverdell ESA to Help Pay College, Elementary and Secondary School Costs

There are several ways to save for your child’s or grandchild’s education, including with a Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA). Although for federal tax purposes there’s no upfront deduction for contributions made to an ESA, the earnings on the contributions grow tax-free. In addition, no tax is due when the funds in the account are distributed, to the extent the amounts withdrawn don’t exceed the child’s qualified education expenses.

Qualified expenses include higher education tuition, fees, books and room, as well as elementary and secondary school expenses.

Contribution limits

The annual limit that can be contributed to a child’s ESA is $2,000 per year — from all contributors for all ESAs for the same child. The maximum dollar amount that any individual can contribute is phased out if the contributor’s adjusted gross income (with certain modifications) exceeds $95,000 ($190,000 for married joint filers).

However, this phaseout is easily avoided. A child can contribute […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:03:34+00:00October 15th, 2019|child, contributions, deduction, education credit, savings, tax|0 Comments