by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 28, 2017 | Tax Help
Tips to Keep in Mind on Income Taxes and Selling a Home
Homeowners may qualify to exclude from their income all or part of any gain from the sale of their main home.
Below are tips to keep in mind when selling a home:
Ownership and Use.
To claim the exclusion, the homeowner must meet the ownership and use tests.
This means that during the five-year period ending on the date of the sale, the homeowner must have:
• Owned the home for at least two years
• Lived in the home as their main home for at least two years
Gain.
If there is a gain from the sale of their main home, the homeowner may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain from income or $500,000 on a joint return in most cases. Homeowners who can exclude all of the gain do not need to report the sale on their tax return
Loss.
A main home that sells for lower than purchased is not deductible.
Reporting a Sale. Reporting the sale of a home on a tax return is required if all or part of the gain is not excludable. A sale must also be reported on a tax return if the taxpayer chooses not to claim the exclusion or receives a Form 1099-S, Proceeds from Real Estate
Transactions.
Possible Exceptions.
There are exceptions to the rules above for persons with a disability, certain members of the military, intelligence community and Peace Corps workers, among others. More information is available in Publication 523, Selling Your Home.
Worksheets.
Worksheets are included in Publication 523, Selling Your Home, to help you figure the:
• Adjusted basis of the home sold
• Gain (or loss) on the sale
• Gain that can be excluded
Items to Keep In Mind:
• Taxpayers who own more than one home can only exclude the gain on the sale of their main home. Taxes must paid on the gain from selling any other home.
• Taxpayers who used the first-time homebuyer credit to purchase their home have special rules that apply to the sale. For more on those rules, see Publication 523. Use the First Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up to get account information such as the total amount of your credit or your repayment amount.
• Work-related moving expenses might be deductible, see Publication 521, Moving
Expenses.
• Taxpayers moving after the sale of their home should update their address with the IRS and the U.S. Postal Service by filing Form 8822, Change of Address.
• Taxpayers who purchased health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace should notify the Marketplace when moving out of the area covered by the current Marketplace plan.
by Fresh Start Tax | Aug 24, 2017 | Tax Help
Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft
For 2017, the IRS, the states and the tax industry joined together to enact new safeguards and take additional actions to combat tax-related identity theft. Many of these safeguards will be invisible to you, but invaluable to our fight against these criminal syndicates.
If you prepare your own return with tax software, you will see new log-on standards. Some states also have taken additional steps.
See your state revenue agency’s web site for additional details.
We also know identity theft is a frustrating process for victims. If you become a victim, we are committed to resolving your case as quickly as possible.
What is tax-related identity theft?
Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund.
You may be unaware that this has happened until you efile your return and discover that a return already has been filed using your SSN. Or, the IRS may send you a letter saying we have identified a suspicious return using your SSN.
Know the warning signs
Be alert to possible tax-related identity theft if you are contacted by the IRS or your tax professional/provider about:
• More than one tax return was filed using your SSN.
• You owe additional tax, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return.
• IRS records indicate you received wages or other income from an employer for whom you did not work.
If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper.
Steps to take if you become a victim
If you are a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission recommends these steps:
• File a complaint with the FTC at identity theft.gov.
• Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a ‘fraud alert’ on your credit records:
◦ Equifax, www.Equifax.com, 1-888-766-0008
◦ Experian, www.Experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
◦ TransUnion, www.TransUnion.com, 1-800-680-7289
• Contact your financial institutions, and close any financial or credit accounts opened without your permission or tampered with by identity thieves.
If your SSN is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, the IRS recommends these additional steps:
• Respond immediately to any IRS notice; call the number provided.
• Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if your e-filed return rejects because of a duplicate filing under your SSN or you are instructed to do so. Use a fillable form at IRS.gov, print, then attach the form to your return and mail according to instructions.
If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, contact us for specialized assistance at 1-800-908-4490. We have teams available to assist.
About data breaches and your taxes
Not all data breaches or computer hacks result in tax-related identity theft. It’s important to know what type of personal information was stolen.
If you’ve been a victim of a data breach, keep in touch with the company to learn what it is doing to protect you and follow the “Steps for victims of identity theft.” Data breach victims should submit a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, only if your Social Security number has been compromised and your efile return was rejected as a duplicate or IRS has informed you that you may be a victim of tax-related identity theft.
How to reduce your risk
Join efforts by the IRS, states and tax industry to protect your data. Taxes. Security. Together. We all have a role to play. Here’s how you can help:
• Always use security software with firewall and anti-virus protections. Use strong passwords.
• Learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails, threatening calls and texts from thieves posing as legitimate organizations such as your bank, credit card companies and even the IRS.
• Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown or suspicious emails.
• Protect your personal data. Don’t routinely carry your Social Security card, and make sure your tax records are secure.
The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.
