Earned Income Credit Missed by Many

Earned Income Credit Missed by Many

One of the best tax credits available today is the Earned Income Credit but many individuals don’t claim it even when they qualify. These individuals may not have qualified last year but their financial, marital, or dependent situation may have changed making them now qualified.

The tax credit maximum is $5,657 this year and depends on your income and how many dependent children you have in your household. Plus the credit is refundable, which means you can get a refund above the tax your into the treasury during the tax year. Make sure not … Read the rest

Earned Income Credit Missed by Many

One of the best tax credits available today is the Earned Income Credit but many individuals don’t claim it even when they qualify. These individuals may not have qualified last year but their financial, marital, or dependent situation may have changed making them now qualified.

The tax credit maximum is $5,657 this year and depends on your income and how many dependent children you have in your household. Plus the credit is refundable, which means you can get a refund above the tax your into the treasury during the tax year. Make sure not to file separately from your spouse as this will disqualify you automatically.

Having a valid social security number and earned income are two important first steps. And combat pay is considered earned income for qualify for the earned income tax credit. The easiest way to determine if you qualify is by using the EITC assistant at the IRS.gov website. Make sure to apply for this tax credit when you file your taxes if you determine that you are qualified.

The Government Retiree Tax Credit

The Government Retiree Tax Credit

If you are a government retiree and received a pension during 2009, you could be eligible to the Government Retiree Tax Credit. An extra $250 in tax credits is available to federal, state and local government retirees. This credit was created with the ARRA bill passed early in the current presidential administration’s tenure.

If you have a pension or annuity outside of the social security system, this credit is available to you. This credit and the Making Work Pay credit cannot both be claimed. Therefore your Making Work Pay credit is reduced if you worked … Read the rest

The Government Retiree Tax Credit

If you are a government retiree and received a pension during 2009, you could be eligible to the Government Retiree Tax Credit. An extra $250 in tax credits is available to federal, state and local government retirees. This credit was created with the ARRA bill passed early in the current presidential administration’s tenure.

If you have a pension or annuity outside of the social security system, this credit is available to you. This credit and the Making Work Pay credit cannot both be claimed. Therefore your Making Work Pay credit is reduced if you worked while receiving the Government Retiree Credit. Couples can get a full $500 if both spouses qualify.

The really good news is, this is a refundable credit which means you can get the refund even if you have not paid taxes into the system. Complete the Schedule M to claim the tax credit when you file your taxes this year.

The Making Work Pay Tax Credit

The Making Work Pay Tax Credit

Created by the ARRA federal bill with an aim at leading to an economic recovery in the US, the Making Work Pat tax credit is something you should be familiar with when completing your tax return for 2009, according to the IRS. The first thing you will notice is a $400 refundable tax credit for single tax filers and an $800 tax credit for married couples. If your employer has taken the credit out of your withholding already, you will not be eligible for an additional credit.

Use Schedule M if you feel … Read the rest

The Making Work Pay Tax Credit

Created by the ARRA federal bill with an aim at leading to an economic recovery in the US, the Making Work Pat tax credit is something you should be familiar with when completing your tax return for 2009, according to the IRS. The first thing you will notice is a $400 refundable tax credit for single tax filers and an $800 tax credit for married couples. If your employer has taken the credit out of your withholding already, you will not be eligible for an additional credit.

Use Schedule M if you feel you have not already received the credit and want to claim it this tax filing season. You file the 1040EZ, there is a worksheet for line 8, in place of Schedule M, which will allow you to claim the credit directly on the main tax form.

The credit was spread evenly over a shorter period of time in 2009 than it will be in 2010. Therefore you might see some additional withholding in 2010 to compensate. There are some instances were the credit was deducted incorrectly for individual tax situations and you might have received a bigger tax credit during the year that legislated. Review Publication 919 to determine how much should have been deducted from your pay check and how much you will owe when you file your return.

Extended and Expanded: The First Time Homeowners Tax Credit

Extended and Expanded: The First Time Homeowners Tax Credit

If you were looking to purchase a home last year before the First Time Home Owners Tax Credit ran out in November and did not find the home you wanted to purchase, you are in luck. The tax credit has been extended to the end April 2010. And this time you do not need to close on a home before the deadline, you just need to have a house in contract. You can close anytime prior to July 1st and qualify for the non-repayment credit. First time homebuyers are anyone that … Read the rest

Extended and Expanded: The First Time Homeowners Tax Credit

If you were looking to purchase a home last year before the First Time Home Owners Tax Credit ran out in November and did not find the home you wanted to purchase, you are in luck. The tax credit has been extended to the end April 2010. And this time you do not need to close on a home before the deadline, you just need to have a house in contract. You can close anytime prior to July 1st and qualify for the non-repayment credit. First time homebuyers are anyone that has not owned a home in the past three years.

And the really good news for those that are not first time home buyers, if you are considered a long time home owner there is a new tax credit for you. The tax credit is part of the First Time Home Owners Tax Credit but applies to home purchasers that have lived in the same home at least 5 of the last 8 years. They are eligible for a $6,500 tax credit towards the purchase of their new home. Not quite the $8,000 the first time buyers are awarded but helpful non-the-less.

For those that do not fall into one of these groups you will need to wait for another extension after the current April 30, 2010 deadline. And there are some income phases out to be concerned with. Single tax filers begin to be phased out of the credit at $125,000 in income and completely at $145,000. For married couples the phase out range is $225,000 to $245,000.