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CNSNews remains a go-to source for analyzing information on the U.S. Treasury, tax revenue, and such. Here they are again, scrutinizing tax receipts for FY2016 through the end of February. In a nutshell, the U.S. government continues to run a deficit, and the amount of taxpayer responsibility continues to increase. From CNSNEWS:
The U.S. Treasury hauled in a record of approximately $1,248,371,000,000 in tax revenues in the first five months of fiscal 2016 (Oct. 1, 2015 through Feb. 29, 2016), according to the Monthly Treasury Statement released today.
Despite these record tax revenues in the first five months of the fiscal year, the federal government nonetheless ran a deficit of approximately $353,005,000,000 during the same period.
In February alone, the Treasury ran a deficit of $192,614,000,000.
The record five-month tax haul of $1,248,371,000,000 equaled approximately $8,263 for each of the 151,074,000 people in the country who had either a full or part-time job in February.
The record taxes in the first five months of this fiscal year exceed by about $63,263,220,000 in constant 2016 dollars the then-record $1,185,107,780,000 in tax revenues (in constant 2016 dollars) that the Treasury took in during the first five months of fiscal 2015.
However, even while taking in a record $1,248,371,000,000 in tax revenues from October through February, the Treasury was spending $1,601,375,000,000, according to the Monthly Treasury Statement. Thus, so far this fiscal year, the Treasury has run a deficit of $353,005,000,000.
The largest source of revenue in the first five months of this fiscal year was the individual income tax, which brought the Treasury $597,524,000,000. The second largest source was Social Security and other payroll taxes, which brought in $428,181,000,000.
by | ARTICLES, BLOG, BUSINESS, ECONOMY, FREEDOM, GOVERNMENT, OBAMA, OBAMACARE, POLITICS, TAXES
Based on data from H&R Block as we are halfway through filing season, it is apparent that compliance with the Obamacare penalty is still a difficult task.
This is the second year that the penalty has been levied; for 2014 taxes, the fee was $95 or 1 percent of qualified income — whichever was greater — and for 2015 taxes it is $325 or 2 percent of income, whichever is greater. The average penalty is $383, while last year it was $172, which corresponds roughly to the rise in penalty costs.
However, about 3/5, or 60% of filers “who received advanced tax credits to help them buy private plans on Obamacare’s web-based exchanges must pay a portion back to the IRS because they underestimated their actual income for 2015.” Interestingly, this is an increase from last year’s figure of 52% who had to repay a portion of their advanced subsidy. Thus, compliance and income estimation is getting worse, not better, after two tax seasons.
The average subsidy amount of that Obamacare enrollees must pay back has also increased slightly this year — $579, up from $530 last year.
In contrast, about 33% of taxpayers overstated their income and received additional subsidy funds from the IRS; the average amount was $450. Those that got the number correct and saw no adjustments was a paltry 3%.
The confusion is sure to continue with next year’s filing season. The minimum penalty for no insurance will double again to $695 or 2.5% of income, whichever is higher. H&R Block calculations show that for an average family of four earning $60,000 would pay $975 this tax season (2015), compared to about $400 last year (2014), while next year the penalty would rise to $2,000 (2016).
by | ARTICLES, BLOG, BUSINESS, ECONOMY, GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, TAX TIPS, TAXES
Every year, the various tax agencies calculate how many Americans do not pay a federal income tax. The 2015 tax year number estimates that 77.5 million households, which is 45.3%, according to the research Tax Policy Center. This number is only for federal taxes and does not include state income taxes.
There are two main reasons for the lack of federal taxes: either the household has no taxable income, or their tax liability is reduced and offset by tax breaks.
The research also calculated the various income levels from the richest and the poorest.
“The top 1 percent of taxpayers pay a higher effective income tax rate than any other group (around 23 percent, according to a report released by the Tax Policy Center in 2014) — nearly seven times higher than those in the bottom 50 percent.
On average, those in the bottom 40 percent of the income spectrum end up getting money from the government. Meanwhile, the richest 20 percent of Americans, by far, pay the most in income taxes, forking over nearly 87 percent of all the income tax collected by Uncle Sam.
The top 1 percent of Americans, who have an average income of more than $2.1 million, pay 43.6 percent of all the federal individual income tax in the US; the top 0.1 percent — just 115,000 households, whose average income is more than $9.4 million — pay more than 20 percent of it.”
Federal taxes are not the only taxes that Americans pay. Income, payroll, corporate income, state, local, property taxes, estate taxes, and excise taxes (which include taxes on gasoline, alcohol and cigarettes), are all various forms of taxation that are spread out and paid by households daily.
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Capital Gains and Losses – 10 Helpful Facts to Know
When you sell a capital asset, the sale normally results in a capital gain or loss. A capital asset includes most property you own for personal use or own as an investment. Here are 10 facts that you should know about capital gains and losses:
1. Capital Assets. Capital assets include property such as your home or car, as well as investment property, such as stocks and bonds.
2. Gains and Losses. A capital gain or loss is the difference between your basis and the amount you get when you sell an asset. Your basis is usually what you paid for the asset.
3. Net Investment Income Tax. You must include all capital gains in your income and you may be subject to the Net Investment Income Tax if your income is above certain amounts. The rate of this tax is 3.8 percent. For details, visit IRS.gov.
4. Deductible Losses. You can deduct capital losses on the sale of investment property. You cannot deduct losses on the sale of property that you hold for personal use.
5. Limit on Losses. If your capital losses are more than your capital gains, you can deduct the difference as a loss on your tax return. This loss is limited to $3,000 per year, or $1,500 if you are married and file a separate return.
6. Carryover Losses. If your total net capital loss is more than the limit you can deduct, you can carry it over to next year’s tax return.
7. Long and Short Term. Capital gains and losses are treated as either long-term or short-term, depending on how long you held the property. If you held it for one year or less, the gain or loss is short-term.
8. Net Capital Gain. If your long-term gains are more than your long-term losses, the difference between the two is a net long-term capital gain. If your net long-term capital gain is more than your net short-term capital loss, you have a net capital gain.
9. Tax Rate. The tax rate on a net capital gain usually depends on your income. The maximum tax rate on a net capital gain is 20 percent. However, for most taxpayers a zero or 15 percent rate will apply. A 25 or 28 percent tax rate can also apply to certain types of net capital gain.
10. Forms to File. You often will need to file Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets, with your federal tax return to report your gains and losses. You also need to file Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses, with your tax return.
For more information about this topic, see the Schedule D instructions and Publication 550, Investment Income and Expenses. You can visit IRS.gov to view, download or print any tax product you need right away.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
Additional IRS Resources:
Form 8960, Net Investment Income Tax— Individuals, Estates, and Trusts
Capital Gains and Losses
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Free Help Preparing Tax Returns Available Nationwide
IRS YouTube Videos:
Free Help Preparing your Tax Return: English | Spanish | ASL
WASHINGTON –– The Internal Revenue Service reminded taxpayers today that they may be eligible to receive free tax help at more than 12,000 preparation sites available nationwide. The sites, generally located at community and neighborhood centers, provide tax assistance to taxpayers with low- and moderate-incomes and the elderly.
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to individuals who generally make 54,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and individuals with limited English proficiency who need assistance in preparing their taxes. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 and older. VITA and TCE volunteers are trained and certified by the IRS to help with many tax questions, including credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child and Dependent Care Credit.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a significant tax credit for workers who earned $53,267 or less in 2015. Last year, more than 27.5 million eligible workers and families received almost $66.7 billion in EITC, with an average EITC amount of more than $2,400. The maximum EITC amount for 2015 is $6,242 for qualifying families. In order to receive the credit, eligible taxpayers must file a tax return, even if they do not have a filing requirement. The VITA and TCE programs can help answer many EITC questions and help taxpayers claim the credit if they qualify. Taxpayers may also use the IRS.gov EITC Assistant to help them determine their eligibility.
Before visiting a VITA or TCE site, taxpayers should review Publication 3676-B to be aware of the services provided. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, taxpayers can use the VITA and TCE locator tool available on IRS.gov, download the IRS smartphone app IRS2GO or call 800-906-9887.
For assistance preparing a tax return at a VITA or TCE site, taxpayers must bring all required documents and information including:
Proof of identification (photo ID)
Social Security cards for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for those who do not have a Social Security number
Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN
Birth dates for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents
Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers and other payers
Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
All Forms 1095, Health Insurance Statements
Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if received
A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available
Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check
To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms
Total amount paid for daycare services and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number
Form 1095-A, Form 1095-B or Form 1095-C, Affordable Health Care Statements
Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable
The military also partners with the IRS to provide free tax assistance to military personnel and their families. The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) consists of the tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The AFTC oversees the operation of the military tax programs worldwide, and serves as the main conduit for outreach by the IRS to military personnel and their families. Volunteers are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the EITC guidelines.
In addition to free tax return preparation assistance, most sites will file returns electronically for free. Combining e-file with direct deposit is the fastest and most accurate way to file. The IRS issues nine out of 10 refunds in 21 days or less. Paper returns take longer to process. Taxpayers who chose to file electronically and owe, can make a payment by the April 18, 2016 deadline using Direct Pay. This IRS free service allows taxpayers to make secure payments from a checking or savings account.
Taxpayers that prefer to file their own tax returns electronically have the option of using IRS Free File. IRS Free File offers brand-name tax software to taxpayers who earned 62,000 or less in 2015 to file their returns for free. Taxpayers who earned more can use Free Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. IRS Free File is only available through the IRS website by visiting IRS.gov/freefile.
