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- Unclaimed property can be a business issue
- Watch out for special rules when making a Roth conversion
- Some business meals get a full deduction
- DB(k) retirement plans are new this year
- Pay yourself reasonable wages
- The kiddie tax: A basic review
- Follow IRA withdrawal rules
- Homebuyer tax credit extension
- Collectibles face special tax rules
- Rental property tax rules are complicated
- Payroll tax update
- Don't overlook the Roth five-year holding requirement
- Can you qualify for the small business health insurance credit?
- Military tax breaks are available
- Do you need to file an FBAR?
- Roth IRA conversion: Act now, pay later?
- Start your 2010 planning with your 2009 tax return
- Don't ignore employer penalty notices
- The HIRE Act offers tax breaks for hiring
- Direct deposit: Should you buy savings bonds?
- The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act reforms health care
- Can you take a home office deduction?
- Deducting interest expense: What you need to know
- Did you receive Form 1099-C?
- Missing a W-2?
- Who has to file an income tax return?
- New law allows early deduction for Haiti relief donations
- The dependency exemption: What you need to know
- What's your status?
- Payroll - A 2010 employer update
- Review payroll reporting for 2009
- What to expect on your 2009 return
- Check these vehicle tax breaks for 2009
- Know the rules for backup withholding
- Tax issues come with gifting stock
- Hiring seasonal employees? What you need to know
- Don't get tripped up by a wash sale
- New law includes two important tax changes
- Two IRA tax breaks are scheduled to expire soon
- Take a tax deduction for worthless stock
- Withdrawals from your SIMPLE IRA may not be so simple
- Savings bonds can help pay for college
- Tax tips for first-time employers
- First-time homebuyer credit to expire November 30
- Closing your business has tax implications
- You need basis to deduct an S corporation loss
- Unemployed? Pay health premiums from your health savings account
- Some IRA terms you should know
- Employee or independent contractor? Don't misclassify workers
- Take a penalty-free IRA withdrawal for medical expenses
- Your business vehicle expenses are deductible
- Plan for the phase-out of tax breaks
- Your business could benefit from the extended net operating loss carryback
- When is income taxable, and when is it not
- IRS has a new procedure for correcting payroll returns
- Capture tax breaks when you refinance
- Prepare now for a possible disaster
- Tax law changes could affect your 529 plan
- Two reasons to review tax payments
- The COBRA credit: What employers must know
- Don't waste your tax refund
- A new vehicle could give you a new tax break
- Check out the "making work pay" credit
- Don't overlook a theft loss deduction
- Who owes self-employment tax?
- The Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department Release Additional FBAR Guidance
- HIRE Act
- Health Care Updates
News
Direct deposit: Should you buy savings bonds?
Everything old is new again.
Forty years ago, you could choose to have your federal tax refund sent to you in the form of U.S. savings bonds. That option, among others, is once again available on your 2009 return.
This time around, the bonds you can buy with your refund are U.S. Series I savings bonds. And, like other alternatives for saving your refund - such as depositing the money in your IRA, health savings account, or Coverdell education savings account - you'll want to consider your overall financial picture before making the decision to buy.
- What they are. "I bonds," as they're known, are savings bonds with an inflation component. When you buy I bonds, part of the interest you earn is based on a fixed rate, and part comes from an inflation adjustment.
- The tax effect. I bond interest is not taxable on your state or local income tax returns. Federal income tax does apply, as do both federal and state inheritance and gift taxes. Generally, you can choose to pay federal income tax on the interest annually or defer it until the bonds mature.
In addition, there's a break when you redeem the bonds and use the principal and interest to pay qualified educational expenses for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent. In that situation, you may be able to exclude the interest from your taxable income.
Give us a call to discuss these and other tax planning moves that will help you make the most of your refund.
For more information, contact Ross Rizzo at 212-404-5528, rrizzo@sb-cpa.com.
"Tax Tips" are published weekly to provide current tax information, tax-cutting suggestions, and tax reminders. If you would like more information on anything in "Tax Tips," or if you'd like to be on our mailing list to receive other tax information from time to time, please contact our office.
The tax information contained in this site is of a general nature and should not be acted upon in your specific situation without further details and/or professional assistance.
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