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The Good Tax Guide

The Good Tax Guide

Free Information and Tips on Tax Issues

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Welcome to The Good Tax Guide

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Tax Guide

We hope that you will get the most comprehensive information available for tax issues which you may be concerned about. All tax information and tips on this site are free. You are advised to consult your tax agent before acting on any of the information and tips here to ensure the accuracy and reliability.

Is it necessary to pay tax on savings and loan association dividends?

It is essential to put the savings and loan association dividends in the tax return. All interest that one receives comes under the category of taxable income. So, it should be reported on the tax return. Dividends include dividends on share accounts, deposits in banks, credit unions, mutual savings, and federal savings and loan associations. One who pays the interest income of yours must be provided with your security number. Otherwise it can result in a tax penalty. In such a case one may have to pay extra tax. Also it is necessary to receive a tax statement from the paying institution. The tax document can be Form 1099-INT and Form 1099-OID. A similar tax document is also acceptable. In case if you did not receive any such tax statements also you have to report the dividend on tax returns. If the interest paid is above 10$ then it should be reported. The payer also has to submit the tax returns along with the necessary documents showing these. So if the dividend receiver tries to hide the dividend he will be caught with the help of a matching process done by the computer. In such a case you will be charged with penalties by the IRS.

Is it possible to deduct the lifetime learning credit for college expenses on tax return?

As everyone knows the cost of education is increasing day by day. So, nowadays more money is required to meet the educational expenses. So parents are trying to save more money to put their children through college. The cost will be double if the chosen college is a private one. The cost includes different things like tuition fee, cost of the study books, travel expenses and hostel expenses if he is staying in hostel. But the Lifetime Learning credit is available for the tuition only. Other related expense like the travel charge will not be included in that. There is also a limit for this amount. Deductions can be availed only up to that limit and not beyond that. This facility is available for both graduates as well as for under graduates also. But there are certain exemptions also in this case. The loan expenses paid related to the studies are eligible for Lifetime Learning credit. If your income level is above a certain specified limit then you won’t be eligible to receive this facility. Also this Lifetime Learning credit cannot be claimed by both the father and the student son simultaneously. This condition is applicable if the student is dependent.

Properties for which you can take depreciation tax deduction on one’s tax return

There is a list of properties for which a depreciation tax deduction can be made. The properties that they mention in the list include those properties which are used in trade or business or other income generating activity. No depreciation in tax return can be obtained if the property is used by the person for his own interest. An example of it is the personal residence. The properties include equipment, machinery, vehicles, furniture and buildings. But tax depreciation is a difficult task. There is a system which generates the depreciation percentage tax deduction. It is called as the Accelerated Cost Recovery System. It will show the percentage and the eligibility criterion for obtaining the depreciated tax reduction. There are some items listed for which you cannot get the depreciation on tax. The things for which depreciated tax return is applicable include land and farmlands. Also property and other inventory which are made for sale are not eligible for obtaining the depreciated tax deduction. So, all properties are not eligible for depreciated tax return. So before applying for the depreciation tax deduction on tax return one has to make sure that he is eligible for that. The depreciation percentage should be found out. The Good Tax Guide.

Is it possible to deduct an earned income credit on my tax return?

The special credit applicable to the lower income workers who can deduct on their tax return is called as the earned income credit. In most of the cases this earned income credit can be claimed by worker people with certain number of children. But under special circumstances this facility can also be utilised by the people without children also. It can help you to reduce some amount of the tax you pay. By using this facility one can cop up with the increasing cost of living and social security tax. The most advantageous thing of the earned income credit is that it is directly deducted from the amount of tax you owe. So, more discounts can be obtained for the lower income workers. Also if you do not owe any tax also you may get some money back as it is a refundable credit. The tax form has clearly mentioned the requirements for getting the earned income credit. A person is not eligible for the earned income credit if he is getting an income greater than $2,800. It comes under the disqualified income category. Also one must have at least one child in order to get qualified for the earned income credit.

*This post was featured on Don’t Mess With Taxes