15 Jul 2024
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The Tax Consequences of Selling Mutual Funds

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Tax Consequences of Selling Mutual Funds

Do you invest in mutual funds or are you interested in putting some money into them? If so, you’re part of a large group. According to the Investment Company Institute, 116 million individual U.S. investors owned mutual funds in 2023. But despite their widespread use, the tax rules involved in selling mutual fund shares can be complex. Review the basic rules Let’s say you sell appreciated mutual fund shares that you’ve owned for more than one year. The resulting profit will be a long-term capital gain. As such, the maximum federal income tax rate will be 20%, and you may also owe the 3.8% net investment income tax. However, most taxpayers will pay a tax rate of only 15% and some may even qualify for a 0%...

26 Jun 2024
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House Rich But Cash Poor? Consider a Reverse Mortgage Strategy

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
House Rich but Cash Poor? Consider a Reverse Mortgage Strategy

Are you an older taxpayer who owns a house that has appreciated greatly? At the same time, you may need income. Thankfully, there could be a solution with a tax-saving bonus. It involves taking out a reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage basics With a reverse mortgage, the borrower doesn’t make payments to the lender to pay down the mortgage principal over time. Instead, the reverse happens. The lender makes payments to you and the mortgage principal gets bigger over time. Interest accrues on the reverse mortgage and is added to the loan balance. But you typically don’t have to repay anything until you permanently move out of the home or pass away. You can receive reverse mortgage proceeds as a lump sum, in installments over a period of time...

24 Jun 2024
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You May Be Entitled to Tax Breaks if Caring for an Elderly Relative

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
You May be Entitled to Tax Breaks if Caring for an Elderly Relative

There are many rewards for taking care of an elderly relative. They may include feeling needed, making a difference in the person’s life and allowing the person to receive quality care. In addition, you could also be eligible for tax breaks. Here’s a rundown of four of them: Medical expenses. If the individual qualifies as your “medical dependent” and you itemize deductions on your tax return, you can include any medical expenses you incur for the person along with your own when determining your medical deduction. The test for determining whether an individual qualifies as your “medical dependent” is less stringent than that used to determine whether an individual is your “dependent,” which is discussed below. In general, an individual qualifies as a medical...

05 Jun 2024
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A Three-Step Strategy to Save Tax When Selling Appreciated Vacant Land

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
A Three-Step Strategy to Save Tax When Selling Appreciated Vacant Land

Let’s say you own one or more vacant lots. The property has appreciated greatly and you’re ready to sell. Or maybe you have a parcel of appreciated land that you want to subdivide into lots, develop them and sell them off for a big profit. Either way, you’ll incur a tax bill. For purposes of these examples, let’s assume that you own the vacant land directly as an individual or indirectly through a single-member LLC (SMLLC), a partnership or a multi-member LLC that’s treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Here are a couple of scenarios and a strategy to consider. Scenario 1: You simply sell vacant land that you’ve held for investment If you’ve owned the land for more than one year and you’re not classified...

16 May 2024
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When Do Valuable Gifts to Charity Require an Appraisal?

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
When do Valuable Gifts to Charity Require an Appraisal?

If you donate valuable items to charity and you want to deduct them on your tax return, you may be required to get an appraisal. The IRS requires donors and charitable organizations to supply certain information to prove their right to deduct charitable contributions. How can you protect your deduction? First, be aware that in order to deduct charitable donations, you must itemize deductions. Due to today’s relatively high standard deduction amounts, fewer taxpayers are itemizing deductions on their federal returns than before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act became effective in 2018. If you clear the itemizing hurdle and donate an item of property (or a group of similar items) worth more than $5,000, certain appraisal requirements apply. You must: Get a “qualified appraisal,” Receive the qualified...

16 May 2024
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Pay Attention to the Tax Rules if you Turn a Hobby Into a Business

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Pay Attention to the Tax Rules if you Turn a Hobby into a Business

Many people dream of turning a hobby into a regular business. Perhaps you enjoy boating and would like to open a charter fishing business. Or maybe you’d like to turn your sewing or photography skills into an income-producing business. You probably won’t have any tax headaches if your new business is profitable over a certain period of time. But what if the new enterprise consistently generates losses (your deductions exceed income) and you claim them on your tax return? You can generally deduct losses for expenses incurred in a bona fide business. However, the IRS may step in and say the venture is a hobby — an activity not engaged in for profit — rather than a business. Then you’ll be unable to deduct losses. By contrast, if...

30 Apr 2024
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Treasury Has Issued Auto Dealers >$580 Million in Advance EV Tax Rebates This Year

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Automotive, Individual Tax Briefs
Treasury Has Issued Auto Dealers >$580 Million in Advance EV Tax Rebates This Year

According to the Treasury, the US government has provided auto dealers with >$580 million in advance payments for consumer electric vehicle (EV) tax credits since 1/1/2024. Before 2024, American car purchasers were only eligible for the new electric vehicle (EV) credit of up to $7,500 or the $4,000 credit for used EVs when they submitted their tax returns in the subsequent year. Commencing on January 1, consumers have the ability to transfer the credits to a car dealer during the transaction, so reducing the purchase price. This year, the IRS has received almost 100,000 reports on the sale of electric vehicles. A total of 85,000 time of sale tax reports were filed for new electric vehicles (EVs), and more than 90% of these reports included requests for advance...

30 Apr 2024
0

Taxes When You Sell an Appreciated Vacation Home

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Taxes When You Sell an Appreciated Vacation Home

Vacation homes in upscale areas may be worth way more than owners paid for them. That’s great, but what about taxes? Here are three scenarios to illustrate the federal income tax issues you face when selling an appreciated vacation home. Scenario 1: You’ve never used the home as your primary residence In this case, the home sale gain exclusion tax break (up to $250,000 or $500,000 for a married couple) is unavailable. Your vacation home sale profit will be treated as a capital gain. If you’ve owned the property for more than one year, the gain will be taxed at no more than the 20% maximum federal rate on long-term capital gains (LTCGs), plus the net investment income tax (NIIT), if applicable. However, the 20% rate only applies...

28 Apr 2024
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Watch Out for “Income in Respect of a Decedent” Issues When Receiving an Inheritance

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
Watch Out for "Income in Respect of a Decedent" Issues When Receiving an Inheritance

Most people are genuinely appreciative of inheritances, and who wouldn’t enjoy some unexpected money? But in some cases, it may turn out to be too good to be true. While most inherited property is tax-free to the recipient, this isn’t always the case with property that’s considered income in respect of a decedent (IRD). If you have large balances in an IRA or other retirement account — or inherit such assets — IRD may be a significant estate planning issue. How it works IRD is income that the deceased was entitled to, but hadn’t yet received, at the time of his or her death. It’s included in the deceased’s estate for estate tax purposes, but not reported on his or her final income tax return, which includes...

28 Apr 2024
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The Pros and Cons of Turning Your Home into a Rental

Roger Rossmeisl, CPA
Individual Tax Briefs
the Pros and Cons of Turning Your Home into a Rental

If you’re buying a new home, you may have thought about keeping your current home and renting it out. In March, average rents for one- and two-bedroom residences were $1,487 and $1,847, respectively, according to the latest Zumper National Rent Report. In some parts of the country, rents are much higher or lower than the averages. The most expensive locations to rent a one-bedroom place were New York City ($4,200); Jersey City, New Jersey ($3,260); San Francisco ($2,900); Boston ($2,850) and Miami ($2,710). The least expensive one-bedroom locations were Wichita, Kansas ($690); Akron, Ohio ($760); Shreveport, Louisiana ($770); Lincoln, Nebraska ($840) and Oklahoma City ($860). Becoming a landlord and renting out a residence comes with financial risks and rewards. However, you also should know that it carries...

ROGER ROSSMEISL, CPA

Kho & Patel CPAs
160 E. Arrow Highway
San Dimas, CA 91773

(714) 325-0442
roger@khopatel.com

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