Summer brings warm weather, fun outdoor activities and new opportunities to earn some additional income. However, taxes on seasonal income need to be handled with care, whether they're related to your child’s first job or an extra income opportunity for you. Here are some tips to help you manage the taxes on your summer earnings:
If you have not already done so, now is the time to review your tax situation and make an estimated quarterly tax payment using Form 1040-ES. The third quarter due date is now here.
Only about a third of Americans file income tax returns using itemized deductions. Unfortunately many of those who don't itemize are overpaying their taxes. Don't wait until tax time to figure out if itemizing your deductions yields a lower tax bill. Start now to review your situation and plan for a reduction in your taxes by the end of the year.
As your children grow older, you can easily be surprised by a larger tax bill. To help ease the possible burden, consider these tax implications as your dependent children age.
The tax code is about 75,000 pages long, so it’s not surprising there are many overlooked money-saving deductions hidden within it. Check out this list of commonly overlooked deductions. You might wind up with a bigger refund than you expected.
Details matter in divorce negotiations
Divorce can be an emotionally draining process. If you are in the middle of one, you probably just want it to be over. But be careful. Divorce has serious tax implications, and the choices you make now may affect you for many years. Consider the following:
Many mutual fund companies allow you to switch funds without a penalty or commission, as long as you stay within their family of funds. There's a catch though.
The death of a spouse can be a devastating experience, both emotionally and financially. As the survivor, you'll have to make important decisions while you're in what could be the most vulnerable and distracted stage of your life. The suggestions that follow might at least help ease your financial stress.
Whew! The rush is over once your personal income tax return is done for another year - or so you thought, right up until the moment you discover information you forgot to include.
Now what?
The action you take depends on the type of information you forgot. For instance, say you reported all your income on the return you mailed to the IRS. But now you realize you neglected to attach a copy of your wage statement.
It's been coming for three years, but now the day of tax reckoning for higher-income investors has finally arrived.
Caution: For the first time, you may have to pay the 3.8% Medicare surtax on "net investment income" (Nii) on your 2013 tax return. The tax is computed on Form 8960, Net Investment Income Tax—Individuals, Estates, and Trusts.