John Concrane May 26, 2020

Tax services top companies in Houston, TX? Which receipts you’ll need to provide depends on whether you itemize your deductions or claim the standard deduction. You’ll want to choose whichever produces the greater write-off, but the only way to know for sure is to add up your itemized deductions and compare that with your standard deduction. For the 2019 tax year, the standard deduction for single taxpayers is $12,200 and for married couples filing jointly it is $24,400. For 2020, these amounts rise to $12,400 for single taxpayers and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly.

The more money you make, the more complicated your taxes are going to be. So, if you have a higher income than most people, it’s important to work with a skilled accountant to figure out how to reduce the amount of income taxes you pay. In addition to taking your standard deduction and other deductions, there are many things you can do to lower the amount you pay. Let’s start with an overview of tax rules for high income earners. For the sake of this post, we’ll consider anybody in the top three tax brackets as a high income earner. That means that if you earn more than $163,301 in gross income as a single earner and $326,601 if you’re married filing jointly, you are a high income earner.

Consult a tax professional before making any decisions that can affect your business tax return or spending money for the sole purpose of saving on taxes. Make sure you select someone who can help you all year, not just at tax time. Consider hiring an expert who can represent you before the IRS in case you’re ever audited. An enrolled agent might be your best bet. These professionals are designated by the IRS because they’ve passed a strenuous, three-part test, or because they actually worked for the IRS at some point. Note: These tips are not intended to be tax advice, but only to give you some tax-saving ideas to discuss with your tax professional. Every business is unique, and tax laws change frequently. Read extra information on https://greentree.tax/tax-preparation-service-in-houston/.

Flipping Houses as a Business. If you buy and sell property frequently, the IRS could decide that you are in the business of flipping houses and aren’t just an investor. If so, you’ll have to pay self-employment taxes of up to 15.3% on your profits, in addition to income taxes. Buying and Selling Stuff Can Be Taxable Too. If you scout out bargains at flea markets and then sell the furniture and other finds on eBay (or a similar site), you’ll end up paying income taxes on the profits. If you do that just occasionally, you may not have to report the sale on your tax return. However, if you do it frequently, the IRS will consider you to be in a self-employed business since one of the requirements of owning your own business and claiming the income is if you are engaged in the business activity on a regular basis for a profit.