|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Hurricane Katrina ? How To Use Your Business Loss To Get A Refund on 2004 Taxes
With the massive losses caused by Katrina, the economy of the Gulf Coast region is in extremely bad shape. Fortunately, there is a quirk in the tax code that can help you generate a large refund from your 2004 taxes. Apply Losses to 2004 Taxes When a large geographic area suffers a disaster, the President can declare it a federal disaster area. President Bush has made such a declaration for the Gulf Coast area. While you've probably heard such declarations occur over the years, I doubt it means much to you. The declaration, however, has major implications for recovery efforts. Initially, the declaration of a federal disaster area means the federal government is going to provide disaster relief loans, special grants that don't have to be repaid, unemployment benefits and a variety of other assistance. It also signifies a major tax break for impacted businesses. When a business suffers a loss, the deduction must typically be made in the year the loss occurred. With Hurricane Katrina, the deduction would typically occur when you file taxes in 2006. The problem, of course, is 2006 is a very long time from now if your business is destroyed. You will find this hard to believe, but the IRS is here to help. The IRS is going to give you cash. Under current tax law, you may make a special election to deduct your business losses caused by Katrina on your 2004 taxes. By doing this, you do not have to wait till 2006 to get a tax refund. You don't have to do this, but it may be the key to getting necessary cash. To make the special election, you must claim it on your 2004 taxes. If you have already filed taxes for 2004, you can file an amended tax return claiming the deduction. In Closing Using this tax strategy can help generate badly needed cash. Make sure you pursue the strategy with the help of your tax professional. If all your records are destroyed, you can order copies of past tax returns from the IRS. Richard Chapo is with http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com - recovering overpaid taxes for small businesses. Visit our article page - http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com/articles - to read more tax articles.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover Money Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover MoneyBy Darren Oliver April 15th may be gone but, but certainly not forgotten ? especially if you, like millions of small businesses, unknowingly overpaid your federal taxes and can recover money by filing an amended return. According to the IRS tax code, you have three years from the filing date for the tax year in question to file an amended return. For example, if returns for the 2003 tax year were filed on March 1, 2004, the taxpayer has until March 1, 2007 to file an amended return. This same rule also applies if the taxpayer feels they have made errors resulting in a balance. Most business owners either prepare their business taxes themselves or have a tax preparer or accountant do them. With either method, the tax liability can be calculated as higher than it actually is because of missed deductions, unrecognized changes in tax laws or just plain being given bad advice. There are a number of applicable deductions which many tax preparers often miss from home office deductions to self-employed health insurance to personal assets converted to business use. Although some deductions may seem minor, over an entire year, they can add up to thousands of dollars. Another area, which causes many businesses to overpay, is being given incorrect advice by their tax preparer or even the IRS directly. In a poll performed by Money Magazine, the average tax preparer produces an average of 480 returns between February 1 and April 15, making it difficult for each return to get the time and attention it deserves. This same poll also found there was an average discrepancy of 300% between what the tax preparers said was due and what was actually due. Furthermore, in the IRS's 2001 assessment of their own call centers, they found that 50% of the time, their representatives gave incorrect or insufficient advice. Whether a business owner does their taxes themselves and had to call the IRS for clarification on an issue or a CPA did, odds are the answer was not correct. The United States tax law is one of the most complex in the world. Not to mention, tax laws change every year and have changed tremendously in the last couple of years. Even the best tax preparer, CPA or even IRS representative can, like all humans do, easily make a mistake. In 2002 alone, 3.3 million taxpayers filed an amended return. Samuel Rowley, owner of Muffler Masters in Colorado, was able to recover $14,500 through the filing of an amended return when it was found that he overpaid FICA and payroll taxes. Another small business owner, Karen McClafflin, owner of home-based Secret Canyon Realty, was able to recover $11,000 when her tax preparer failed to include home office and automobile deductions in her past returns. Why is it that when faced with a life-threatening surgery a second opinion is immediately sought after but, when trusting thousands or millions of dollars to an individual or entity, it's done without question? Businesses must get a second opinion, whether it is done before or after the return is filed, to ensure they are not overpaying or simply to ensure their returns are accurate in all aspects. If not, they could be leaving thousands of dollars on the table. Know A Tax Cheat? Get Paid To Tell The IRS According to the IRS, taxpayers underpay their taxes by some $300 billion. If you know someone that is contributing to that deficit, the IRS may be willing to pay you up to $10 million for the information you provide. The bigger the cheating you report, the more you're likely to receive. What Is Tax Law? The federal tax code is complex. This complexity generally arises from two factors: the use of the tax code for purposes other than raising revenue, and the feedback process of amending the code. Tax Reform, My Way We need real tax reform and we need it now. Previous attempts have been made at tax reform, but they have only provided band-aid solutions that have still left us with too many quirks, complication, and read tape. There are several things Congress could do to simply the tax system and benefit the taxpayers and federal budget at the same time. Tax Trap #5 -- Ignoring The IRS (and the 5 best ways to contact them!) We all love to criticize the IRS, don't we? And I'mjust as guilty as anyone. It's easy to ridicule a hugeorganization of government bureaucrats who often seemto be Public Enemy #1. 1031 Exchange Rules and Requirements Following is a reproduction of the IRS's rules and requirements for 1031 tax deferred exchanges with regards to real property. If you have any questions regarding the sale of your real property or questions about what qualifies for a 1031 exchange or not, please consult your tax professional. 10 Thoughts on Tax Offer in Compromise Beware of advertisements that claim to settle tax debts for "pennies on the dollar". Check the Offer In Compromise requirements to see if it is right for you. Gambling Income and Expenses - Tax Requirements Hit a big one? With more and more gambling establishments, keep in mind the IRS requires people to report all gambling winnings as income on their tax return. Another Tax Loophole Just image, you are a small manufacturing company, business has been good, but yesterday you received a call from a customer who wants 50,000 widgets in 45 days. The customer is a large account and if you turn the business down, he may never call you again. Getting A Second Extension to File 2004 Taxes Millions of people file tax return extensions every year. The tax filing deadlines can rush up on your quickly. Fortunately, filing an extension isn't particularly difficult. For individuals, there are two available extensions. How To Claim CHILD TAX CREDIT The Right Way And Add An Extra $2,000 To Your Refund The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that it costs nearly $15,000.00 a year for a middle-class family to raise a child born in 2002 to age 17 (without adjustment for inflation). In recognition of this cots, you can claim a tax credit each year until your child reaches the ago of 17. The credit is currently up to $1,000.00 per child. This credit is in addition to the dependency exemption for the child. Save Money on Taxes - Double Your Income Now With Tax Saving Tips on Deductions Adding Your First Additional Stream of Income The Seven Deadly Tax Sins: Commonly Missed Deductions It's that time again, the April 15 tax deadline is looming large. If youre like most people, you havent gathered all of your tax records, let alone filled your return. Donating Cars To Charity - New Tax Rules On June 3, 2005, the IRS released guidance on charitable deductions for donated vehicles. The American Jobs Creation Act (AJCA) radically changed the amount of the deduction taxpayers can claim for their donated car. Rearrange Your Affairs For Maximum Tax Savings One way to maximize your business profits is by reducing your taxes.Frequently, income and other taxes could be lowered significantly if only the taxpayer were willing to plan ahead. By taking some simple steps to rearrange your affairs, you could save a fortune! Anticipating Your IRS Refund Can Cost You Plenty While accountants are reaching for aspirin, millions of Americans are reaching for some fast cash this tax season. Unfortunately, those who reach for fast cash in the form of a "refund anticipation loan" are getting hit with interest rates and fees that are out of this world. IRS Certifies 2006 Toyota Hybrid for Clean Fuel Deduction The Internal Revenue Service has certified the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid as being eligible for the clean-burning fuel deduction. This certification means that taxpayers who purchase one of these hybrid vehicles new during calendar year 2005 may claim a tax deduction of up to $2000 on Form 1040. E-commerce Taxation The means and types of businesses have transformed with advent of era of e-commerce, resulting in global seller and buyer. The Internet offers consumer choice, business efficiency and recreation. Back To School ? Educators Deduct School Expenses As teachers and students head back to school following a glorious summer, it's time to remind teachers to organize 2004 school expenses. Under a temporary tax code change, teachers can deduct certain school-related expenses from adjusted gross income. Keeping Your Own Money ? NOT Handing It Over To The Taxman Most people trying to make a crust online (or offline for that matter) are so focused on doing just that, they ignore taking simple steps to ensure that they hang on to just as much of it as they can. Instead, they hand over large lumps of their hard-earned money in tax, usually in one of two mistaken beliefs. Either:
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
