Delinquent on Your Taxes? You Can Still Get a Federal Contract

From Washington Examiner.com

Federal contractors receive an estimated $377.5 billion in taxpayer funds, and now the IRS inspector general reports that the tax agency isn't bothering to complete tax checks and financial capability surveys before awarding contracts. According to a new report, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reviewed 135 contractors with an award equal to at least $250,000. Fifteen percent (20) of those reviewed had delinquent tax liabilities totaling $5.2 million. And tax checks were not completed for seven of those 20 contractors.

In other words, 13 contractors still got awards despite being known to be delinquent.

From the report:

TIGTA believes IRS contractors should be held accountable to the same tax compliance requirements as IRS employees. If IRS employees fail to file accurate and timely income taxes, it can result in disciplinary action, and even loss of employment.

Guidelines do not require IRS employees to complete tax checks or financial capability surveys at the time a contract is up for renewal. Our analyses showed the IRS renewed the contracts for 17 contractors, of which six had delinquent tax liabilities that totaled over $943,000 at the time of the original award. As of March 2009, the delinquent tax liabilities increased by more than 500 percent to approximately $4.9 million.

Read more here

Tax and Finance Savvy New Years Resolutions

The New Year has begun and it is a time when people all over the world set goals or resolutions for themselves. Lots of people join gyms or decide to start a new diet, but in addition to resolutions that are good for your health, I think it is a good idea go with a few that are good for your wallet. Here are my favorite tax and finance savvy New Years resolutions.

Don't Wait until April to Think About Taxes

Most Americans wait until March or April to start worrying about their taxes. However, I recommend making a short term goal to start working on your tax return this month, and try to get it filed some time in February. That way you can get your refund nice and early, and also avoid crowded tax preparation offices if you are going to seek professional help for your return.

Stay on Top of your Tax Planning

You shouldn't let the whole year go by without thinking about taxes again. By staying on top of your tax planning throughout the year then you can help keep your liability as low as possible. Also, you can prevent being faced with an unexpected tax bill next April.

Give More of your Time to Charity

In addition to donating your unwanted household items, which all will result in a tax deduction, why not give more of your time to charity this year? Since the recession began many nonprofit organizations have been struggling, and by spending a few hours volunteering won't cost you anything out of pocket. Additionally, if you do have to purchase supplies, or drive while volunteering then you can deduct these expenses.

Don't Rely on Credit

Cutting back on credit cards is always a good New Years resolution. In fact, in 2010 fewer Americans used credit then in years prior. Now is a great time to jump in on the trend. Instead of relying on credit try to make a strict budget and use your ATM card instead of your Visa or MasterCard.

Live a Greener Year

These days there are plenty of incentives to living a greener life. In addition to helping the planet you may also be able to qualify for a federal tax credit. For more information on which purchases qualify, check out EnergyStar.gov.

Start Planning for your Retirement

It is never too early to start planning for your retirement. If you do not already have an account, then make it a resolution to start an IRA or 401(k) in 2010. If you already do have a retirement account, then you could make it a goal to max out on your contributions.

Save for a Rainy Day

These days many Americans are struggling to pay their bills. However, if you can afford to do it, then try to begin setting aside money from each of your paychecks. You never know when a rainy day will hit, and you will be better equipped to deal with it if you have a little extra money set aside.

Ducking Higher Taxes

It’s been about a year since the state of Oregon raised its income tax on wealthy residents by 2%, and now the treasury has admitted they collection significantly less than expected. Not surprising, since most new taxes raise far less revenue than predictions.

The Wall Street Journal reports:

In 2009 the state legislature raised the tax rate to 10.8% on joint-filer income of between $250,000 and $500,000, and to 11% on income above $500,000. Only New York City's rate is higher. Oregon's liberal voters ratified the tax increase on individuals and another on businesses in January of this year, no doubt feeling good about their "shared sacrifice."

Congratulations. Instead of $180 million collected last year from the new tax, the state received $130 million. The Eugene Register-Guard newspaper reports that after the tax was raised "income tax and other revenue collections began plunging so steeply that any gains from the two measures seemed trivial."

One reason revenues are so low is that about one-quarter of the rich tax filers seem to have gone missing. The state expected 38,000 Oregonians to pay the higher tax, but only 28,000 did. Funny how that always happens. These numbers are in line with a Cascade Policy Institute study, based on interstate migration patterns, predicting that the tax surcharge would lead to 80,000 fewer wealthy tax filers in Oregon over the next decade.

The tax wasn't enacted into law until June 2009 but was retroactively applied to January 1, 2009. So for the first half of the year wealthy Oregon residents weren't able to take steps to avoid the tax ambush because they didn't see it coming. This suggests that a bigger revenue loss from tax mitigation strategies will show up on tax return data in 2010 and 2011. The Revenue Office has already downwardly revised tax collection projections for the first three years by one-third.

The biggest loss of revenues came from capital gains receipts. The new 11% top tax rate applies to stock and asset sales, which means that Oregonians now pay virtually the highest capital gains tax in North America. Instead of $3.5 billion of capital gains in 2009, there was only $2 billion to tax—43% less. Successful entrepreneurs like Nike owner Phil Knight don't get rich by being fools with their money. They don't sell tens of millions of dollars of assets when capital gains taxes go up.

Continue reading here

Did Dolce & Gabbana Forget To Pay $1 Billion In Taxes?

Fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been accused of tax evasion by Italy’s taxing agency. According to Guardia di Finanza the famed designers misstaked the value of their design house when they sold it, evading $1 billion in taxes. Are the designers really evading taxes, or is the Guardia di Finanza just looking for an easy payday?

Stylite.com reports

Sources confirmed that the designers were recently indicted in a tax evasion case that’s been under investigation since 2008. The indictment alleges that the designers and the house they built fudged the real value of their company when they sold it to their Luxembourg-based holding firm Gado Srl. in 2004. If they’re found guilty, the two could be personally liable to over $1 billion in back taxes and fines.

Of course, the designers vehemently deny the charge — and they have been since they were made aware of the investigation. In May 2009 they issued a statement saying that they’ve paid all the taxes they owe, and that the tax police aren’t getting a single additional lira of their hard-earned money.

“It’s a paradox! Since when does one have to pay taxes on money one never actually collected,” the designers said in a personal statement. “It’s an absurd demand based on a completely abstract calculation. This higher taxable sum…is a virtual figure we have never received, the result of a theoretical accounting exercise.”

Read more here

The Blur Between Spending and Taxes

While Congress is getting back to work, and deficit reduction is a high priority, there’s a lot of rhetoric being bandied about. Spending cuts and tax cuts are a big focus. But what does it really mean? The NY Times tries to deep dive to see what the big difference really is.

From NYTimes.com:

Should the government cut spending or raise taxes to deal with its long-term fiscal imbalance? As President Obama’s deficit commission rolls out its final report in the coming weeks, this issue will most likely divide the political right and left. But, in many ways, the question is the wrong one. The distinction between spending and taxation is often murky and sometimes meaningless.

Imagine that there is some activity — say, snipe hunting — that members of Congress want to encourage. Senator Porkbelly proposes a government subsidy. “America needs more snipe hunters,” he says. “I propose that every time an American bags a snipe, the federal government should pay him or her $100.”

“No, no,” says Congressman Blowhard. “The Porkbelly plan would increase the size of an already bloated government. Let’s instead reduce the burden of taxation. I propose that every time an American tracks down a snipe, the hunter should get a $100 credit to reduce his or her tax liabilities.”

To be sure, government accountants may treat the Porkbelly and Blowhard plans differently. They would likely deem the subsidy to be a spending increase and the credit to be a tax cut. Moreover, the rhetoric of the two politicians about spending and taxes may appeal to different political bases.

But it hardly takes an economic genius to see how little difference there is between the two plans. Both policies enrich the nation’s snipe hunters. And because the government must balance its books, at least in the long run, the gains of the snipe hunters must come at the cost of higher taxes or lower government benefits for the rest of us.

Taxes & Divorce

Earlier today my team uploaded a new video to my YouTube channel. In the latest episode of our tax tips series, James and Edward discuss the tax implications of a divorce. You can watch the embedded clip below, or click here to check out my YouTube channel for other helpful videos.

Website Asks Americans To Love Taxes

From The Crimson.com:

While many political pundits continue to emphasize the public’s frustration with taxation, Vanessa S. Williamson—a graduate student in government and social policy—started a website last August to take the conversation in a new direction.

The website, dubbed “I Heart Taxes,” was created as a way for individuals to showcase their pride in the “patriotic pro-tax movement,” according to Williamson.

“[If you are] proud to be a taxpayer, you could really show your pride,” Williamson said.

“I Heart Taxes” is a combination of a blog providing tax-related commentary with an online store selling merchandise that highlights how tax dollars are used to support government programs.

Williamson, who launched the website on the anniversary of Social Security’s creation this past summer, said that her inspiration sprung from her friends’ Facebook status updates around Tax Day that praised their monetary contributions to government programs.

Williamson said she wanted to create a site where people would be able to show similar enthusiasm.

The site’s merchandise is branded with sayings such as “Taxes Fight Fires” and “Taxes Feed Kids.” Williamson’s next product line will tout “Taxes Put Man on the Moon.

Mad Men and Taxes (No Spoilers!)

From The Tax Foundation:

If you haven't watched last night's season four finale of Mad Men, I won't give anything away other than something you already knew: Don Draper is selling his Ossining, NY house where he's been letting his ex-wife and her new husband live. His accountant helps him figure out the sale, to which Don grouches, "What's the capital gains tax, 48%?"

Not quite, Don, although the comment should make viewers aware of the higher tax rates of 1965 compared to today. Don's probably got income taxes in his head: the federal income tax in 1965 topped out at 70% on income over $100,000, having been reduced from 90% by the Kennedy-Johnson tax cut of 1964. (Today it's 35%, and scheduled to go to 39.6% on January 1, 2011.) Don Draper is probably in that top tax bracket, since he has the cash on hand to lend the firm $150,000 as he just did. (Not a loss, an investment!)

Today, the long-term capital gains tax is 15% (scheduled to go to 20% on January 1, 2011); Don's probably paying about twice that. Since 1997, much of one's capital gain from the sale of a home is excluded from tax. (This change has been suggested as a contributing factor to the home-flipping phenomenon and the housing crash.) Before 1997, the exclusion was much smaller and you had to buy another home within a certain timeframe. This generous provision didn't exist for Don Draper; it didn't come about until 1978.

Back in 1965, figuring out capital gains tax was more complicated. This Congressional Research Service paper (PDF) summarizes the fiddling with capital gains tax, beginning in 1921 when they were taxed at a flat 12.5% rate. In 1938, a big change occurred where you either excluded half of your gain but paid full tax on the other half, or you paid a flat 15% on the whole thing. After 1942 (until 1969), the rule was the same but the flat rate was 25%. So Don could either pay 35% (70% on half of the gain) or 25%. Plus New York taxes of 10%, with some of that deductible. I'm sure that's what his accountant told him after his "48%" line.

Don has good timing, though. In 1969, the alternative flat 25% was eliminated for high-earners, bringing the capital gains rate to 35%. The new alternative minimum tax (AMT) limited the value of deductions, capital losses were limited, and a war surtax was enacted. The long-term capital gains tax began to fall again in the late 1970s and again under Reagan, rose in the 1986 tax reform (as a separate, flat rate), then was cut in 1997 and again as part of the Bush tax cuts. It currently stands at a flat 15% rate.

Questions for the Tax Lady: September 13th, 2010

Check out the following new Questions for the Tax Lady answers and feel free to ask me questions through one of the links below. You can send me an email, direct message or @ reply, and I will do my best to get an answer for you!

Question #1: Is the IRS right when they say we have to pay them back the first time home buyers credit of $7,500 we received two years ago when my husband and I got the house, I am the borrower and he is the cosigner, but he has been a cosigner on another home before this one as well.

There have been a few different versions of the Home Buyer Tax Credit over the last few years. From the question, it sounds like you received the original 2008 tax credit, worth a maximum of $7,500.

Unfortunately for the taxpayers who took advantage during the first wave of the credit, the IRS is expecting a payback. While the government called it a credit, in reality the original version was little more than an interest-free loan. Starting with the 2010 tax filing season, those repayments are coming up due. That means your tax bill will be about $500 higher than you were expecting.

Anyone who claimed any of the home buyer credits in the last few years should consult a qualified tax professional to make sure you have met all your federal tax obligations. The rules are tricky, and the IRS will be looking closely at every taxpayer who took advantage of this tax break.

Question #2: I filed an automatic extension with the IRS (Form 4868) when do I need to get my return filed by?

Every taxpayer is automatically entitled to a six-month extension when filing their taxes. So, your tax return is now due on October 15.

Remember, if you have additional taxes from 2009 due, those were still supposed to be paid by April 15. If your tax return shows a balance due, you may have some late payment penalties and interest tacked on to your bill. It may not be much, but let this be a reminder to plan ahead next tax season!

Cash-Strapped Calif. County Approves Hospital Tax

From the WashingtonPost.com:

Voters in a rural California county are in such a dire financial condition that it's seeking a state bailout.

The vote gives Modoc County, in the state's northeastern corner, a much-needed infusion of cash and likely means it will avoid bankruptcy.

Voters approved two measures - one to impose a $195-a-year parcel tax to keep their struggling hospital, and another to create a hospital district to oversee its operations. The tax required two-thirds voter approval.

Local officials said they needed the tax because the hospital's operating costs have overwhelmed county finances. They had hired a bankruptcy attorney and have requested a $12.5 million loan from the state.

State finance officials are considering the request and said they want to be assured the county could repay the loan. The vote results make that more likely.

Odds Brightening For Tax Cut Extension

While America waits for Congress to return from their summer break, experts are weighing in on whether the Bush tax cuts will be extended or not. As the January 1^st deadline approaches, the lack of information about tax rates for 2011 is frustrating many taxpayers.

Forbes reports:

On Jan. 1, 2011 the top income tax rate on ordinary income and dividends will go back to 39.6%, the top tax rate on capital gains will revert to 20%, and the top tax rate on estates will go back to 55%. Some in Congress want to extend the tax cuts for everyone, some want to extend them but not for the "rich," and others want to hold the dividend tax rate to 20%. These decisions make a huge difference to American business. But rather than putting it up for a vote, Congress is playing political games.

Our best guess is that, ultimately, all the current tax rates on regular income, dividends and capital gains get extended for another year. When this happens remains a major mystery, and no matter what we say or think, uncertainty about all of this remains extremely high.

Ideally, it would happen before the election this year. But this would require President Barack Obama and the Democrats to turn dramatically, just when the public is paying more attention to politics. It would look opportunistic, demoralize some liberal voters and undermine the Democratic position that tax rates on the rich don't matter that much to the economy.

How about in a lame duck session? If the consensus is right and Republicans take the House and make large gains in the Senate, it would give Democrats a chance to say they are listening to the voters. But in a lame duck session, Speaker Nancy Pelosi would still rule the House with little to no incentive to do the heavy lifting needed to pass a bill.

Continue reading at Forbes.com…

Time to Tax Those Checked Bag Fees?

When you go to book an flight it can be difficult to estimate the final cost until you are actually boarding the plane because of all the fees and taxes that get added on. ABC News published a great article on these excessive fees, and what the future will hold for them. You can find a section of the piece below, or head on over to ABC News.com for the full text.

So you're at JFK and there's your grandma, waiting in line at security, when she gets pulled aside by the TSA for a "special" going-over (while you do a slow burn). Guess what? You're paying for that.

You might be surprised at some of the things you pay for, courtesy of all those taxes and fees levied on that airline ticket of yours. I don't think you'd mind paying some of them, but it's not cheap -- and if you think the taxes and fees make up about 10 percent of your ticket price or so, think again.

Here's an example: you're so jazzed that you've scored one of those elusive $99 each-way cross country fares that you don't even care that it's not a nonstop. However, it's not a $200 fare either, not when you add in the taxes and fees. Let me show the figures for this roundtrip airfare:

Base airfare: $200

Federal Excise Tax: $15

Federal Flight Segment Tax: $14.80

Passenger Facility Charge: $18 (Note this charge can vary and may be lower.)

September 11 Fee: $10

Total airfare: $200. Total taxes and fees: $57.80 for a total ticket price of $257.80. And the taxes and fees represent 28.9 percent of your ticket -- almost 30 percent. Of course, this doesn't include a checked-bag fee (or Spirit's new carry-on fee, which could cost as much as $45 each-way).

Continue reading at ABC News.com…

More Americans Are Forfeiting Citizenship to Escape U.S. Taxes

According to the Financial Times, a significant number of Americans living outside the country are renouncing their US citizenship to avoid paying taxes on their worldwide income and gains.

As many as 743 American expatriates made the irreversible decision to discard their passports last year, according to the US government – three times as many as in 2008.

The trend was particularly noticeable in the UK, where 190,000 Americans live and work. There is a waiting list at the embassy in London for people looking to give up citizenship, with the earliest appointments in February, lawyers and accountants say.

Veterans And Taxes

My YouTube team shot another great tax tips video. In this new episode, host Edward Lester offers tax tips for Veterans. Check out the embedded video below, and be sure to check out my YouTube channel to see all of my other useful tax videos, and subscribe to stay updated on future videos.

Why it's Time to Tax Internet Sales

From PC World.com:

Buying an $800 couch or television via the tax-free Internet can be nearly $80 cheaper than a purchase made in a high-sales-tax city like San Francisco -- such a deal. But the free ride is costing states and cities billions of dollars a year, and it damages local businesses that find it hard to compete.

The Main Street Fairness Act, introduced this month by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-Mass.), would end the exemption for big Web retailers like Amazon.com and eBay that fear the change would be a body blow to their business. The Web sales tax issue has been debated and litigated for years, and it is hardly a popular cause, but with state and local governments deeply in debt, the chance to add a massive revenue stream may outweigh the political risks.

The seven-term Delahunt will not be running for re-election, but it would be unfair to see the timing as opportunistic. Delahunt sponsored a similar bill in 2008. I don't enjoy paying taxes any more than the next guy, but Delahunt was right then and he's right now. The Internet is no longer a baby that needs to be cosseted and protected from the real world, and favoring Internet business over brick-and-mortar ones via a tax exemption is not fair.

The budget hole provides the necessary opening for equal taxation

If you want government services, someone has to pay for them. The amount of money governments are losing due to the exemption is staggering. Uncollected use taxes (a use tax is pretty much the equivalent of a sales tax) for the six-year period ending in 2012 will range from $52 billion to $56 billion nationally, according to a 2009 study by economists at the University of Tennessee. New York City alone will lose at least $390.6 million in 2012; Chicago $229 million, they predict.

Up in the Air: Your Taxes

The year is now half over, and a handful finance experts have taken note of the huge tax to-do list on Congress’ agenda for the rest of the year. The Wall Street Journal recently put together a detailed and lengthy list of the tax issues Congress is scheduled to take on in the next six months. You can find a section of the WSJ article on the topic below, or click here for the full text.

"I've never seen so many tax issues that need to be addressed in so little time," says Lindy Paull, a former top congressional tax staffer now with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

If lawmakers don't act, estate taxes will rise, the alternative minimum tax will hit millions more taxpayers, and many useful benefits will expire. Tax rates also will rise for all, and for investors the top rate on dividends will jump to nearly 40% from 15%.

Congress has fewer than 40 working days left before the November election, with no lame-duck session scheduled.

Legislation is notoriously unpredictable, but here is where the big issues stand. If you are following the play by play, keep in mind that the Senate has been the bottleneck this year because of its leaders' difficulty in mustering a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Estate tax. The now-lapsed estate tax will return in January 2011, with a 55% top rate and a $1.2 million exemption per individual, unless lawmakers act. It will hit about 44,000 estates, eight times as many as the 2009 version of the tax, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

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10 Annoying Charges Consumers Face

No one likes hidden fees, but in today’s economy hundreds of companies have turned to fees in order to make up for lost revenue. Americans all over the country are becoming more aware of these hidden charges. So, to help everyone prepare ahead of time for these expenses WalletPop.com has put together a list of the top 10 annoying fees on consumers. You can find a section of the article below, but be sure to click here for the full list.

Airline Preferred Seat Selection Fee

Airplanes are designed to cram passengers into undersized seats like sardines in order to maximize profits. Savvy (and tall) travelers have long opted for emergency row seats for some precious extra legroom, while others like to be near (or far) from the bathroom. And while the ability to choose a window or aisle seat has traditionally been a standard courtesy while purchasing a ticket, some carriers are now charging for this non-service. According to Expedia, the worst offenders are United Airlines ($14 to $109 for domestic flights, and $89 to $109 for international flights) and Virgin America ($15 to $50), while others, like American and Delta, still let you choose your seat for free, both domestically and internationally. At this rate, pay toilets are probably inevitable. Don't laugh, it's already been proposed by Ireland's Ryanair.

Dealer Preparation Fee

Anyone who's ever purchased a new car has probably noticed a "Dealer Prep Fee" in the sticker, which usually runs anywhere from $500 to $2,000. So what exactly does "dealer prep" cover? Typically, it involves peeling the plastic off the seats and hood, vacuuming the interior, a wash and wax, and maybe topping off the fluids. Most people just pay it, but you can try negotiating or just flatly refusing to pay it, consumer advocates say.

Ticketmaster Service Fees

If you've ever bought a ticket to see a concert, play or sporting event, you've almost certainly dealt with Ticketmaster, which enjoys a near-monopoly on live events in the U.S. Ticketmaster is also notorious for assessing various fees to the price of tickets. For instance, two $90 tickets to a recent Broadway show wound up costing $203.70. That included a facility charge of $1.50 per ticket, a convenience charge of $7.50 per ticket, an order processing fee of $3.20 and perhaps the most egregious one, a "TicketFast" fee of $2.50. "TicketFast" allows you to print your own ticket and save Ticketmaster the cost of printing and mailing them to you.

Congress's Carried Interest Tax Folly

From the Wall Street Journal:

Nero fiddled while Rome burned, but at least he didn't strike the match. Members of Congress are doing Nero one better. In the middle of the second global financial crisis in two years, Congress is preparing to dramatically raise a key tax rate on long-term investment. This is sure to discourage capital investment, increase the cost of money to start and grow businesses, and depress real-estate and stock prices, all at the worst possible time.

Last week, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D., Mont.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Sander Levin (D., Mich.) released joint legislation that would among other measures significantly raise the tax on "carried interest." Now the tax rate on these long-term capital gains earned by the general (managing) partners of investment partnerships is 15%. The new law would raise the rate to as high as 38.5% (three-fourths of the gain would be taxed at ordinary income tax rates and one-fourth at capital gains rates, both of which will be increasing as well).

Tax rates matter. And what matters about them is what activities get taxed, not who gets taxed. When you increase the tax rate on an activity, you get less of it. The only question is how much less of it you will get.

Congress should be asking one question: "Is long-term investment something we really want less of, especially now?" Unfortunately, in today's political climate, tax policy discussions focus almost exclusively upon whom, not what, gets taxed. This means singling out specific groups of people—bankers, Wall Street, "the rich," the owners and executives of insurance, oil and drug companies—to punish for our economic difficulties. This may be politically popular but will have bad consequences for the economy.

A Few Quirky Tax Breaks That Aren't Going Away

We have all heard about the tax increases scheduled to take affect over the next few years as a result of President Obama’s health care legislation, but you might be surprised to learn that Congress passed a series of tax cuts earlier last month. According to this article from the Wall Street Journal, the House of Representatives passed a series of tax law changes that will affect employer-provided cell phones, the gift-tax exclusion, and employee rewards. I have included a snippet of the WSJ article explaining these modifications to the tax code below, but be sure to check out the full article here.

The "Masters exemption"

Homeowners who rent out their property for 14 or fewer days a year may pocket the income tax-free. This break has given homeowners near the Augusta National Golf club a sweet deal on income over the years, in some cases up to $20,000, from short-term rentals during the Masters tournament each April.

The property doesn't have to be a first home, but the exemption can be taken only once a year, says CPA Douglas Stives of Monmouth University. It can be taken on more than one property, according to the IRS.

Employee awards

Employers can make awards to workers valued as much as $400 a year for good attendance, safe driving, years of service and so on. The criteria must be objective and fair, but the awards aren't taxable to the employee and are fully deductible by the employer.

Gift-tax exclusion

One of the best estate-planning options remains the $13,000 annual gift-tax exclusion. Anyone may give anyone else up to that amount per year in cash or property, free of gift tax. One partner of a married couple can double the gift and the exemption. So a couple with three married children and six grandchildren could give away over $300,000 a year, tax-free.