WF News
Thinking of Becoming a Real Estate Flipper? Here’s a Primer on the Tax
With mortgage interest rates low and home prices finally making a comeback, flipping real estate appears to be on the rise. This activity is even the theme of several popular reality TV shows. House flipping is, essentially, purchasing a house or property, improving it and then selling it (presumably for a profit) in a short period of time. The key is to find a suitable fixer-upper that is priced under market for its location, fix it up and resell it for more than it cost to buy, hold, fix up and resell.
Read more: Thinking of Becoming a Real Estate Flipper? Here’s a Primer on the Tax
Congress Gives Small Employer HRAs the Green Light
Congress has approved the 21st Century Cures Act, which includes a provision allowing small employers to reimburse their employees for medical expenses under a health reimbursement arrangement without being liable for the draconian, $100 per day penalty for violating the Affordable Care Act’s rules. President Obama has indicated his approval of the bill.
Read more: Congress Gives Small Employer HRAs the Green Light
Tax Benefits for Single Parents
If you are a single parent dealing with the complicated tasks of working and raising a family, there are some tax benefits and issues you should be aware of.
Not Business as Usual for Employers: W-2 and 1099-MISC Filing Dates Moved Up
The IRS, in an effort to combat rampant tax filing fraud, has introduced what they hope will be two new fraud-prevention measures for the upcoming filing season. The first will purposely delay until February 15 the issuance of refunds for tax returns where there is an earned income tax credit (EITC) and/or a refundable child tax credit (CTC), giving the IRS more time to match the income reported on these returns to the income reported by employers. These two tax credits have been the favorite target of scammers who have been filing fraudulent returns with stolen IDs and fabricated income before the IRS is able to verify the income and withholding claimed on the returns.
Read more: Not Business as Usual for Employers: W-2 and 1099-MISC Filing Dates Moved Up
Dodging Tax Penalties
Most taxpayers don’t intentionally incur tax penalties, but many who are penalized are simply not aware of the penalties or the impact they can have on their wallet. As tax season approaches, let’s look at some of the more commonly encountered penalties and how they may be avoided.