Tag: child

  • Many Parents Will Receive Advance Tax Credit Payments Beginning July 15

    Many Parents Will Receive Advance Tax Credit Payments Beginning July 15

    Eligible parents will soon begin receiving payments from the federal government. The IRS announced that the 2021 advance child tax credit (CTC) payments, which were created in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), will begin being made on July 15, 2021. How have child tax credits changed? The ARPA temporarily expanded and made CTCs refundable…

  • New Law Tax Break May Make Child Care Less Expensive

    New Law Tax Break May Make Child Care Less Expensive

    The new American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides eligible families with an enhanced child and dependent care credit for 2021. This is the credit available for expenses a taxpayer pays for the care of qualifying children under the age of 13 so that the taxpayer can be gainfully employed. Note that a credit reduces your…

  • Parents and Other Eligible Americans to Receive Direct Payments

    Parents and Other Eligible Americans to Receive Direct Payments

    The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law on March 11, provides a variety of tax and financial relief to help mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the many initiatives are direct payments that will be made to eligible individuals. And parents under certain income thresholds will also receive additional payments in the…

  • What Is Your Taxpayer Filing Status?

    What Is Your Taxpayer Filing Status?

    For tax purposes, December 31 means more than New Year’s Eve celebrations. It affects the filing status box that will be checked on your tax return for the year. When you file your return, you do so with one of five filing statuses, which depend in part on whether you’re married or unmarried on December…

  • Take Advantage of the Gift Tax Exclusion Rules

    Take Advantage of the Gift Tax Exclusion Rules

    As we head toward the gift-giving season, you may be considering giving gifts of cash or securities to your loved ones. Taxpayers can transfer substantial amounts free of gift taxes to their children and others each year through the use of the annual federal gift tax exclusion. The amount is adjusted for inflation annually. For…

  • The “Kiddie Tax” Hurts Families More Than Ever

    The “Kiddie Tax” Hurts Families More Than Ever

    Years ago, Congress enacted the “kiddie tax” rules to prevent parents and grandparents in high tax brackets from shifting income (especially from investments) to children in lower tax brackets. And while the tax caused some families pain in the past, it’s worse today. That’s because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made changes to…

  • Hire Your Children This Summer:  Everyone Wins

    Hire Your Children This Summer: Everyone Wins

    If you’re a business owner and you hire your children (or grandchildren) this summer, you can obtain tax breaks and other non-tax benefits. The kids can gain on-the-job experience, save for college and learn how to manage money. And you may be able to: Shift your high-taxed income into tax-free or low-taxed income, Realize payroll…

  • Stretch Your College Student’s Spending Money with the Dependent Tax Credit

    Stretch Your College Student’s Spending Money with the Dependent Tax Credit

    If you’re the parent of a child who is age 17 to 23, and you pay all (or most) of his or her expenses, you may be surprised to learn you’re not eligible for the child tax credit. But there’s a dependent tax credit that may be available to you. It’s not as valuable as…