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Holiday Season Gift Card Scams – Did You Know?Gift cards, both physical and digital, often make perfect holiday presents...
12/15/2025

Holiday Season Gift Card Scams – Did You Know?

Gift cards, both physical and digital, often make perfect holiday presents. Unfortunately, they are also very popular targets for scammers. The IRS recently issued a reminder to all Americans to stay vigilant about gift card fraud throughout this holiday season. Many scammers impersonate the IRS or other government agencies, and threaten people with arrest if they do not immediately obtain gift cards to pay fictitious tax penalties or fines.

Remember, the IRS will never call to demand a specific form of immediate payment such as gift cards, prepaid debit cards or wire transfers. The IRS also does not threaten to dispatch local police or immigration enforcement agencies to arrest someone who does not pay. In many cases, the IRS first sends a bill through the mail, with a letter acknowledging the person's right to appeal the judgment.

If you receive any request from someone you do not know to send gift cards or share the identifying numbers from those cards, do not respond. Hang up or delete the text, voicemail, email or social media message, and do not call back or click on any links.

Giving Tuesday and Charitable Donations - Did You Know?Giving Tuesday is an annual event that highlights charitable givi...
12/02/2025

Giving Tuesday and Charitable Donations - Did You Know?

Giving Tuesday is an annual event that highlights charitable giving after Thanksgiving.

If you are considering charitable donations, you may be able to donate to a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) every two or three years instead of every year. This may qualify you to receive tax benefits now, allow the amount to grow tax-free, and the decision on which qualified charity to fund can be made later.

If you are 70.5 years or older, you may also be able to make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA this year which can allow the donation to be excluded from your taxable income. A tax advisor can help you structure your charitable giving.

The IRS has released a tool to make it easier to get information about qualified charitable organizations. The Exempt Organizations Select Check tool can be found at: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search.

Name Changes - Did You Know?A name change can affect your taxes. As all the names on a tax return must match Social Secu...
11/25/2025

Name Changes - Did You Know?

A name change can affect your taxes. As all the names on a tax return must match Social Security Administration (SSA) records, a name mismatch can delay your tax refund.

Report Name Changes: Got married and now using a new spouse's last name or hyphenate a name? Divorced and now back to using a former last name? In either case, you should notify the SSA of a name change. That way the new name on IRS records will match the SSA records.

Make Dependent's Name Change: Notify the SSA if a dependent had a name change. For example, if you adopted a child and the child's last name changed. If the child does not have a Social Security number, you may use an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number on your tax return. An ATIN is a temporary number. Apply for an ATIN by filing Form W-7A with the IRS.

Get a New SS Card: File Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card. The form is on SSA.gov or by calling 800-772-1213.

Military Combat Pay – Did You Know?Members of the military may generally exclude combat pay from their taxable income up...
11/17/2025

Military Combat Pay – Did You Know?

Members of the military may generally exclude combat pay from their taxable income up to a certain limit. However, if you receive military combat pay, including it as earned income may help you qualify for the Child Tax Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit. In some cases, this can even result in a larger tax refund.

Injured Spouse Relief - Did You Know?If you file a joint tax return and the IRS withholds your refund due to debts owed ...
11/10/2025

Injured Spouse Relief - Did You Know?

If you file a joint tax return and the IRS withholds your refund due to debts owed only by your spouse, you may be able to claim your share of the refund. This program, known as Injured Spouse Relief, may be available to you regardless of whether you live with your spouse.

"No Tax on Car Loan Interest" Deduction – Did You Know?The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) created a...
11/03/2025

"No Tax on Car Loan Interest" Deduction – Did You Know?

The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) created a new tax deduction for interest paid on certain car loans. Eligible people who initiate qualifying auto loans after December 31, 2024 may deduct up to $10,000 per year of loan interest, regardless of whether they itemize deductions on their tax returns.

Eligibility criteria for the deduction include income limits, and a requirement that the vehicle be purchased new for personal (not business) driving purposes. In general, to deduct car loan interest in full, a married couple filing a joint return must have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) under $200,000. For other filing statuses, the MAGI limit for the full deduction is $100,000. The deduction phases out at higher income levels. Other restrictions include a requirement that the vehicle underwent final assembly in the U.S.

If you qualify for the deduction, you will need to document the amount of auto loan interest you paid. You may receive a year-end tax form from the lender providing this information, but for this year, lenders may make the information available to borrowers in other ways. A tax professional can help you determine whether you qualify to deduct auto loan interest, and if so, help you properly report the interest you paid to get the largest deduction possible.

2026 Healthcare Open Enrollment - Did You Know?The 2026 open enrollment period for Marketplace health insurance begins t...
10/28/2025

2026 Healthcare Open Enrollment - Did You Know?

The 2026 open enrollment period for Marketplace health insurance begins this Saturday, November 1, 2025, and ends December 15, 2025 for plans starting January 1, 2026. During this period, you will be able to enroll in, renew, or change health plans for the coming year.

Once the Open Enrollment period is over, you will only be able to enroll if there's a qualifying life event for the Special Enrollment Period.

Enrollment can be done at https://healthcare.gov, and a simple checklist of documents you'll need can be found here: https://marketplace.cms.gov/outreach-and-education/marketplace-application-checklist.pdf.

Flexible Spending Arrangements - Did You Know?Changing jobs? Before leaving your current position, check the balance in ...
10/21/2025

Flexible Spending Arrangements - Did You Know?

Changing jobs? Before leaving your current position, check the balance in your flexible spending arrangement (FSA). FSAs are generally not transferable to a new employer, and unused funds are often forfeited when you leave your job. Some employers may offer a short grace period or allow a small rollover amount, but many do not. To make the most of your pre-tax dollars, use any remaining FSA balance before your last day, such as by scheduling medical appointments or purchasing eligible health items.

Qualified Dividends - Did You Know?If you earn dividend income, take a close look at your year-end Form 1099-DIV to see ...
10/15/2025

Qualified Dividends - Did You Know?

If you earn dividend income, take a close look at your year-end Form 1099-DIV to see whether any of your dividends are reported as “qualified dividends.” Qualified dividends meet certain IRS criteria, such as being paid by a U.S. corporation or qualifying foreign company and meeting specific holding-period requirements. These dividends are taxed at the lower long-term capital gains rates instead of ordinary income rates, which can reduce your overall tax bill.

October 15th Filing Extension DeadlinesTaxpayers who requested an extension to file their 2024 federal income tax return...
10/06/2025

October 15th Filing Extension Deadlines

Taxpayers who requested an extension to file their 2024 federal income tax returns should do so by next Wednesday, October 15, 2025. The same deadline applies to C corporations that received an extension to file their 2024 corporate returns (Form 1120).

In addition, taxpayers with foreign financial accounts exceeding $10,000 at any point in 2024 who are required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) should also do so by the extension deadline of October 15.

IRS Issues New Warning About Tax Credit ScamsThe IRS recently warned all Americans about the growing number of tax scams...
09/29/2025

IRS Issues New Warning About Tax Credit Scams

The IRS recently warned all Americans about the growing number of tax scams getting promoted on the internet and social media. Many of the scams involve fraudulently claiming tax credits like the Fuel Tax Credit and Sick and Family Leave Credit. In reality, the vast majority of people are not eligible for these credits, which can only be claimed by businesses and self-employed people under very specific circumstances.

The consequences of filing a return with improper credit claims may include denial of a refund, a $5,000 civil penalty, and additional tax penalties and interest charges. Over the last few years, IRS penalties assessed in connection with tax credit scams have totaled over $162 million.

Common traits of these scams include claims that "everyone qualifies" for a tax credit, promises of a rapid refund with little or no paperwork, advice to amend past tax returns by adding unusual credit claims, and encouragement to ignore or falsely respond to IRS notices. In reality, no one can determine whether you qualify for a tax credit without reviewing your circumstances. Anyone who says otherwise is almost certainly peddling a scam.

If you receive an IRS letter about a tax credit you claimed, or believe you may have been misled by one of these scams, seek guidance from a reliable source immediately such as a trusted tax professional.

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