All those investors out there know that come tax time, those investments they have made can all of a sudden become a painful reality. We have a few tips for actually saving taxes while investing...more
Investment Interest Vs. Margin Interest
Investment/margin interest can be written off if it exceeds your client's investment income. This means that the money they make the gain on their investments if more than the amount of interest that they paid on their loans to make the investment is deductible. Find out more!
Paying Taxes on Annuity Fees & Expenses
The reason many investment industry experts dislike annuities are for their high fees and expenses. The two types of annuities are the fixed annuity and the variable annuity. The variable annuity carries with it higher fees and expenses because it contains more features. Find out more!
Turning an Investment Loss into a Tax Gain
The IRS knows that the only way they will make money is if your client makes money. They offer numerous deductions and credits to help your client invest and reinvest their income. But what happens if your clientÕs investments lose money for them? Find out why it may not be as bad as it seems.
What Can I Claim as Capital Assets?
Many of us are under the impression that we know what our clientÕs capital assets are. Many of us will be in for a surprise when we read the following list of what is not considered a capital asset!
Walking on Thin Ice with Dividends
A common mistake that the most eligible and efficient tax professionals can make is in the reporting of dividends. The IRS is very strict in this area. Lea how to report your client?s dividends correctly and avoid getting that notice from the IRS!
How to Report Your Child's Investment Income?
If your client chooses to report the investment interest of their child under the age of 14 on their return, they could unknowingly increase their taxes and become ineligible for certain deductions and credits that they could normally claim. Is it a wiser choice for your client to file their child?s return separately?
Imporatnce of Capital Gains and Losses
It is of great importance for your client to understand and calculate his cost basis correctly. While the value of his equity is the price he paid for his stocks, it is not the number you should report on his tax return.
Understanding Capital Gains Tax Rates
A hot area of interest for investors when it comes to tax time is capital gains tax rates. This article will help you figure the rate out for your clientÕs tax bracket and includes some helpful advise on how to lessen their tax load.
Sometimes Overlooked Investment Expense Deductions
All of your clients who are investors out there, take heed! There are many investment-related expenses that can be deducted from their taxes that people commonly overlook or forget about. Your clients need to know what they are!
Calculating Capital Gains & Losses on Schedule D
Short term gains and losses, long term gains and losses. Figuring your clientÕs tax rate when they have just one type may be easy, but what happens when they have a combination of them?
Managing Capital Loss Carryovers
Capital losses that exceed the amount of capital gains for the current year can be carried forward to offset the following years capital gains until your capital losses have been used up.
Whether your client is a part-time investor with a full-time job outside of investing, a part-time investor who is self-employed and works in his home or an active investor with no other job, you may be able to deduct costs associated with his investing.
Although there are no substantial restrictions imposed by the federal government on foreign investments in the US, a few industries do impose restrictions. Find out more.
The wash rule comes in to play when your client sells a stock in order to be able to deduct the loss for tax purposes but then buys it back right away. Under the tax law, you are not allowed to deduct the loss on their tax return if they buy replacement stock shortly before or after the sale of their initial stock.
Investing in small business stock can be a good idea. This is because if one realizes a capital gain after holding the stock for more than five years, you may exclude 50% of the gain from your client's tax return when he sells or exchanges the stock.
