10 Facts About Capital Gains and Losses

When you sell a capital asset such as a home, household furnishings, and stocks and bonds held in a personal account, the difference between the amount you paid for the asset and its sales price is known as a capital gain or capital loss. Here are ten facts you should know about how gains and losses can affect your federal income tax return.

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tax return errors

Avoid These 8 Common Errors When Filing a Tax Return

When filing a tax return, mistakes such as the common errors listed below can result in a processing delay – and increase the amount of time it takes to receive a tax refund. Using a reputable tax preparer such as a certified public accountant, enrolled agent or another knowledgeable tax professional is usually the best way to avoid this. With this in mind, here are eight of the most common errors taxpayers make when filing their returns:

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Estates and Trusts: Guidance for Itemizing Deductions

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) prohibits individual taxpayers from claiming miscellaneous itemized deductions for any taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2026. However, proposed guidance has recently been issued clarifying that certain deductions of estates and non-grantor trusts are not miscellaneous itemized deductions and are allowable in figuring adjusted gross income, specifically:

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Ready to File? This Tax Records Checklist Will Help

If you’re a taxpayer who has not yet filed their 2019 tax return, you may be getting ready to do so now. One of the first things you will need to do – before visiting your tax preparer – is to gather all of your year-end income documents. Doing so ensures that your tax return is complete and accurate.

Here are some of the documents taxpayers need to have on hand:

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9 Useful Facts About the Adoption Tax Credit

Parents who adopted or started the adoption process during 2019 may qualify for the adoption credit. Generally, the credit is allowable whether the adoption is domestic or foreign. However, the timing rules for claiming the credit for qualified adoption expenses differ, depending on the type of adoption.

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