Mileage Deduction RatesStudies funded by the IRS demonstrate it continues to be more expensive to drive a car. The standard mileage deductions (or reimbursement rates) appear in the following table:
Mileage Deduction Rates 2014
| Category | Rate (January to December) |
| Business Miles | 56.0 cents per mile |
| Charitable Services | 14.0 cents per mile |
| Medical Travel | 23.5 cents per mile |
Source: http://www.money-zine.com/financial-planning/tax-shelter/income-tax-changes-2
Affordable Care Act has provisions for individuals who need to purchase Health Care.New IRS Publication Helps You Find out if You Qualify for a Health Coverage Exemption
Taxpayers who might qualify for an exemption from having qualifying health coverage and making a payment should review a new IRS publication for information about these exemptions. Publication 5172, Health Coverage Exemptions, which includes information about how you get an exemption, is available on IRS.gov/aca.
The Affordable Care Act calls for each individual to have qualifying health insurance coverage for each month of the year, have an exemption, or make an individual shared responsibility payment when filing his or her federal income tax return.
You may be exempt if you:
On IRS.gov/ACA, you can find a comprehensive list of the coverage exemptions.
How you get an exemption depends upon the type of exemption. You can obtain some exemptions only from the Marketplace in the area where you live, others only from the IRS when you file your income tax return, and others from either the Marketplace or the IRS.
Additional information about exemptions is available on the Individual Shared Responsibility Provision web page on IRS.gov. The page includes a link to a chart that shows the types of exemptions available and how to claim them. For additional information about how to get exemptions that may be granted by the Marketplace, visit HealthCare.gov/exemptions.
Consumers are applying and enrolling in quality, affordable health coverage every day using HealthCare.gov and State-based Marketplaces around the country. More than 3 million have enrolled so far, and we hope millions more will do so by March 31, the end of open enrollment.
From Saturday February 15, 2014 at 3:00PM until Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 5:00AM EST, the Social Security Administration will conduct required, regularly scheduled systems maintenance activities over the three day weekend. During this period, verification of Social Security Numbers and other related data via the Data Services Hub will be unavailable. All other services of the Hub will be functioning as normal.
What this means for you:
If you have already completed your application and know what you qualify for: This doesn’t affect you — you can continue shopping and pick a plan to finish your enrollment.
If you want coverage effective March 1, 2014: You generally need to sign up by February 15. But, because of the maintenance window, you won’t be able to find out what you qualify for if you apply after 3pm that day. If you aren’t able to complete your enrollment online by February 15, call us at 1-800-318-2596 starting on February 18 to request coverage beginning on March 1. We will work with you to get you covered.
If you want coverage with a later effective date: You can complete your application during this time but won’t be able to find out what you qualify for during the maintenance period. When you complete your application, you’ll need to save it and return to HealthCare.gov on or after February 18 to find out what you qualify for, pick a plan, and complete your enrollment.
Remember, you have until March 31 to sign up for new coverage during this year’s open enrollment period.
https://www.healthcare.gov/blog/cancelled-plan-you-ve-got-coverage-options/
Federal changed the allowable medical and dental expense deduction amount for federal purposes. A deduction is allowed for unreimbursed allowable medical and dental expenses that exceed 10 percent of federal adjusted gross income (AGI) California allows a deduction for medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of federal AGI. For more information, go to ftb.ca.gov and search for Schedule CA 540.
TRANSLATION: If you have medical and dental expenses that exceed the 7.5% threshold in California, you will be able to claim these expenses under California Tax Law even if you don’t have enough to meet the 10% federal threshold.
Tax information is not tax advice. If you need your questions answered, call 619-589-8680 for an appointment. Pat Michael and his team at US-TaxLaws.com is your best source for professional tax preparation services with more than 30 years experience and thousands of satisfied clients.
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The Affordable Care Act requires employers to report the cost of coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan on an employee’s Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, in Box 12, using Code DD. Many employers are eligible for transition relief for tax-year 2012 and beyond, until the IRS issues final guidance for this reporting requirement.
The amount reported does not affect tax liability, as the value of the employer excludable contribution to health coverage continues to be excludable from an employee’s income, and it is not taxable. This reporting is for informational purposes only, to show employees the value of their health care benefits.
More information about the reporting can be found on Form W-2 Reporting of Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage.
Source: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions
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Small Business Health Care Tax CreditThis credit helps small businesses and small tax-exempt organizations afford the cost of covering their employees and is specifically targeted for those with low- and moderate-income workers.
The credit is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they already have.
In general, the credit is available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees. On Aug. 23, 2013, the Department of Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations which include information on the transition of eligibility for the credit and requiring the purchase of insurance coverage through an Exchange. Additionally, IRS Notice 2014-06 provides transition relief for employers in certain counties in Washington and Wisconsin with no SHOP coverage available. Learn more by browsing our page on the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit for Small Employers.
Source: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions
Related Links: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions-Home
In our last “tax move” post, we suggested taxpayers look at all the options they have for lowering their tax bill due in 2014. Here are some more possibilities:
January house payment – Prepaying your mortgage will give you 12 months of deductible interest. The same for a vacation home. Continue reading
IF YOU WANT TO GET CREDIT FOR CHILD and DEPENDENT CARE, THE IRS NEEDS TO KNOW… If you paid someone to care for your child, spouse, or dependent last year, you may be able to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit on your federal income tax return.
Below are 10 things the IRS wants you to know about claiming a credit for child and dependent care expenses. Continue reading
Questions and Answers: 2013 Changes to the Itemized Deduction for Medical Expenses1. When do changes to the itemized deduction for medical expenses take effect?
The rules are changing if you plan to itemize medical deductions on your 2013 federal tax return that you will file in 2014. The change will not affect income tax returns for the 2012 taxable year that will be filed in 2013. Continue reading
Now is the time to talk with your tax preparer to understand the other 2013 changes to your itemized deductionsThe rules are changing if you plan to itemize medical deductions on your 2013 federal tax return that you will file in 2014. It does not affect income tax returns for the 2012 taxable year filed in 2013.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2013, you can claim deductions for medical expenses not covered by your health insurance that exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income. This change affects your 2013 tax return that you will file in 2014.
There is a temporary exemption from Jan. 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2016 for individuals age 65 and older and their spouses. If you or your spouses are 65 years or older or turned 65 during the tax year you are allowed to deduct unreimbursed medical care expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. The threshold remains at 7.5% of AGI for those taxpayers until Dec. 31, 2016.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2017, all taxpayers may deduct only the amount of the total un reimbursed allowable medical care expenses for the year that exceeds 10% of your adjusted gross income.