Use Standard End-of-Year Tips to Decrease 2011 Tax Bill
Fewer Tax Code Changes Call for Reminder of the Basics From H&R Block
(firmenpresse) - KANSAS CITY, MO -- (Marketwire) -- 11/29/11 -- Compared to this time last year, discussion about immediate changes for individual income taxes is pretty quiet. No uproar this year over the Bush tax cuts ending makes end-of-year tax planning a little easier. (NYSE: HRB), just as it has for the past 55-plus years, is advising taxpayers how to lower their tax liability as the year comes to an end.
"Managing financial health is like so many other things; it's not where you start, but where you finish," said Kathy Pickering, executive director of . "The end of the year is right around the corner, but there are ways for taxpayers to take actions now that will help reduce their taxable income and tax liability."
As taxpayers are left to wonder if the 2-percent payroll tax holiday will expire Dec. 31 or whether Congress will make any tax law changes as part of a plan to reduce the federal deficit, taxpayers can make the following money-saving moves now to potentially decrease their 2011 tax bill.
Charitable functions and gift giving take center stage this time of year. It's important for taxpayers to remember for charitable donations to be tax-deductible, they must be made to qualified, tax-exempt organizations (IRS-approved nonprofit religious, educational or charitable groups), and claimed as itemized deductions on tax returns. The or can be used to estimate the value of non-cash items.
After the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a 30-month high Jan. 1, it was a roller coaster ride with investments losing and gaining again and again throughout the rest of the year. Even with those market fluctuations, there is some good news:
Those with a large net capital gain in 2011 could reduce their tax liability by selling stock before Dec. 31 if it would generate a loss.
Capital losses don't just offset capital gains. If capital losses exceed capital gains, up to $3,000 of capital losses can be used to offset ordinary income, such as wages.
Taxpayers who have not contributed the maximum to their may consider increasing contributions for the remainder of the year; contributions are made pre-tax, which reduces taxable income and potentially the overall tax bill.
Also, taxpayers eligible to deduct contributions can make traditional IRA contributions to decrease 2011 income until April 17, 2012, and thus reduce tax liability on 2011 tax returns.
Those who haven't taken full advantage of the American Opportunity Credit should consider paying spring college tuition before Dec. 31 to benefit from the tax break on their 2011 returns. Also, taxpayers could pre-pay their December mortgage payment due in early January or make an additional student loan payment to claim the highest possible interest deduction (up to $2,500) on the 2011 tax return.
are eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent of the cost, with a $500 lifetime maximum. This includes windows and doors, insulation, roofing, HVAC and non-solar water heaters meeting . The maximum lifetime credit for external windows is $200.
Taxpayers can claim a credit for the purchase of a neighborhood vehicle (e.g., low-speed four-wheel vehicle), a conversion kit, or a plug-in electric drive vehicle, such as the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf.
Taxpayers in a who sustained disaster-related casualty losses (e.g., damaged or lost property) can claim their losses on a tax return for the year the disaster occurred or on the prior year's return. H&R Block can help you determine which year would result in the greatest tax savings.
Use service to get access to W-2s before the Feb. 1 distribution deadline. Approximately 90 million taxpayers whose employers are among the 200,000 companies participating can file their tax returns sooner and get refunds up to three weeks faster using this service. The new e-mail notification feature, available now, notifies the clients or tax professionals (if the client selects to have information sent directly to an H&R Block tax office) when W-2s are ready to download.
For more information about last-minute ways to improve tax outlook, contact a local . To find the nearest year-round H&R Block office, visit or call 800-HRBLOCK.
, a suite of easy-to-use, do-it-yourself tax preparation tools, now has faster set-up and easier navigation, giving taxpayers step-by-step guidance in plain English. These tax solutions can be downloaded from H&R Block's redesigned website or purchased at , and .
H&R Block provides guaranteed, income tax return preparation services through its and offices, and the . For an online tutorial, join H&R Block's tax forum, and visit its and pages.
The Tax Institute at H&R Block is the go-to source for objective insights on federal and state tax laws affecting the individual. It provides nonpartisan information and analysis on the real world implications of tax policies and proposals to policymakers, journalists, experts and tax preparers. The Institute's experts include CPAs, Enrolled Agents, attorneys and former IRS agents who draw from years of experience and H&R Block's extensive network of resources. For more information visit our press center at .
H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB) has prepared more than 575 million tax returns worldwide since 1955, making it the country's largest tax services provider. In fiscal 2011, H&R Block had annual revenues of $3.8 billion and prepared more than 24.5 million tax returns worldwide, including Canada and Australia. Tax return preparation services are provided in and retail tax offices by approximately 100,000 professional tax preparers, and through H&R Block At Home™ digital products. The H&R Block Bank provides affordable banking products and services, and McGladrey is a top provider of tax, accounting and wealth management services to mid-sized businesses. For more information, visit the .
Gene King
816-854-4287
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Datum: 29.11.2011 - 14:00 Uhr
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