Seniors: Can you deduct Medicare premiums?
If you’re age 65 and older, and you have basic Medicare insurance, you may need to pay additional premiums to get the level of coverage you want. The premiums can be costly, especially if you’re married and both you and your spouse are paying them. But there may be a silver lining: You may qualify […]
IRS Tax Tip: Know the difference between standardized and itemized deductions
It’s a good idea for people to find out if they should file using the standard deduction or itemize their deductions. Deductions reduce the amount of taxable income when filing a federal income tax return. In other words, they can reduce the amount of tax someone owes. Individuals should understand they have a choice of […]
Could ‘bunching’ medical expenses into 2018 save you tax?
Some of your medical expenses may be tax deductible, but only if you itemize deductions and have enough expenses to exceed the applicable floor for deductibility. With proper planning, you may be able to time controllable medical expenses to your tax advantage. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) could make bunching such expenses into […]
3 traditional midyear tax planning strategies that hold up post-TCJA
With its many changes to individual tax rates, brackets and breaks, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) means taxpayers need to revisit their tax planning strategies. Certain strategies that were once tried-and-true will no longer save or defer tax. But there are some that will hold up for many taxpayers. And they’ll be more […]
Protect against medical identity theft
Identity theft does not only happen when thieves steal your credit card number. Health insurance information is another way that criminals can steal your identity and file fraudulent claims with your insurance company, get prescription drugs, run up bills and ruin your credit. Medical identity theft also exposes your most private and sensitive information to […]
Take advantage of deductions to reduce tax liability
Taxpayers can take advantage of two types of deductions. So-called “above-the-line” deductions reduce both your adjusted gross income (AGI) and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), while “itemized” deductions (i.e., below-the-line deductions) do not reduce either AGI or MAGI. Deductions that reduce your AGI (or MAGI) are particularly favorable because they not only reduce your […]