February 2012
The Tax Gap, A Professional Critique of Mitt Romney's 2011 and 2010 Tax Returns

PAST NEWSLETTERS:

Disclaimer: The information contained in past newsletters was accurate as of the date of publication. Due to frequent tax law changes, information may no longer be accurate. For the latest tax information, please contact a member CPA.

2012 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• January 2012 Money, Payroll Tax Cut Temporarily Extended into 2012, IRS Announces No Increase to Standard Mileage Rate for 2012

2011 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2011 Checklist to Cut Your 2011 Taxes, Newly Revised Form 1099-B Should Simplify Your Capital Gains Calculations, College Websites Must Now Include "Net Price Calculators"
• November 2011 Social Security Max Increases To $110,100 For 2012, Add A Personal Touch To Your Practice With "Send Out Cards", IRS Announces Higher Retirement Plan Limits For 2012
• October 2011 President Obama Recommends Tax Increases For High-Income Taxpayers, Startups and Small Business Capital Gains Exclusion Extended Through 12/31/11, Basics Of Long-Term Care Insurance
• September 2011 A Reader's Rebuttal to "So Who's Paying The Taxes?" - Taxpayer Advocate Service - Per Diem Rates
• August 2011 Inflation - The Tax Code's Secret Weapon, Traveling Abroad To Earn Some Extra Income? If So, The IRS Now Has A New Form For That., Strategies For College On FindAGoodCPA.Com
• July 2011 $7,500! Now That's Electric!, IRS Alerts Public To New Identity Theft Scams, Standard Mileage Rates Increase As Of July 1st
• June 2011 What Is College Financial Planning?, Employment Law Update: U.S. Department Of Labor Launches New Timesheet App, Best Small Business Accounting Software: A Leading Small Business Accountant Examines Quickbooks
• May 2011 Light Remains Green On Tax Credit For Energy Efficient Home Improvements, A Professional Critique of President Obama's 2010 Tax Returns
• April 2011 So Who's Paying The Taxes?, 2011 Tax Season Extended Until April 18th, Three More F'n Days This Year
• March 2011 Deduct a Donation Towards the National Debt; Tax Credit for Household Employers Who Provide Health Insurance For a Nanny; Keep On Converting Into 2011 and Beyond
• February 2011 RX For Higher Taxes
• January 2011 Bush Tax Cuts Extended Through 2012; The 2% Solution?; IRS Announces 2% Increase to Standard Mileage Rate for 2011

2010 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2010 To Complete by December 31st:; Checklist To Cut Your 2010 Taxes
• November 2010 No Increase To Social Security Max For 2011; IRS Announces Few Increases to Retirement Savings Limits For 2011
• October 2010 The "AMT" Could Cushion Blow Of Pending Tax Hikes; Watch Out! The States Have Stepped Up Their Auditing And Collecting Efforts
• September 2010 IRS Offers One-Time Special Filing Relief Program for Small Charities; Oct. 15 Due Date to Preserve Tax-Exempt Status
• August 2010 Roth Reminder -- Clock Is Ticking For $1,500 Tax Credit For Energy Efficient Improvements Made To Your Home
• July 2010 Quick Tax Refunds Available To Individuals Who Suffered A Loss Within A Declared Disaster Area -- July 21st Is Deadline To Apply For Up To $5 Million Grant For Your Biomedical Research Project
• June 2010 New Tax Breaks For Business Owners -- HIRE Act Extends HIGHER 179 Deduction Through 2010
• May 2010 Caveat for Roth Converters -- Spring Cleaning
• April 2010 Increased Taxes As Part Of Health Care Reform
• March 2010 No Documentation Equals No Deduction for Non-Cash Donations -- Show Me The Money
• February 2010 Augment Your Audit Awareness -- Funding Your Child's College Tuition Bill Today
• January 2010 Memo on Roth Conversions -- IRS Announces 9% Decrease to Standard Mileage Rate for 2010

2009 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2009 Minimize Taxes On 2010 Roth Conversion With IRA Roll Out -- $8k Homebuyer Tax Credit Gets Extended and Expanded -- Checklist to Cut Your 2009 Taxes
• November 2009 No Increase To Social Security Max for 2010 -- IRS Announces Few Increases to Retirement Savings Limits For 2010
• October 2009 Hybrid Vehicle Tax Credit Update -- Energy Star Rating May Not Meet Threshold For Tax Credit
• September 2009 Mortgage Industry Enters Period of Over-Underwriting -- September 23rd Deadline to File FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report) and Avoid Potentially Huge Penalties
• August 2009 Clock Is Ticking To Get $4,500 From Government For Trading In Your Clunker
• July 2009  Government Rewards New Homeowners With $8,000 Bounty Through November 30th -- Victims of Identity Theft Should Also Place Fraud Alert With IRS
• June 2009 Light Turns Green on Tax Credit of Energy Efficient Home Improvements -- Seven Facts About The New Sales Tax Deduction For Vehicle Purchases
• May 2009 Should You Convert to a Roth in 2010? -- 2010 Version of Our Roth IRA Conversion Quiz
• April 2009 What the F? It's Almost April 15th
• March 2009 Tax Breaks Included As Part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -- SkiNH.com Offer Free Skiing For Kids At New Hampshire Mountains
• February 2009 Minimize Your Healthcare Costs and Save Taxes With An HSA --
  A Case Study About Various Deductions
January 2009 RE: 2009 -- Standard Mileage Rate Drops to 55 Cents Per Mile in 2009

2008 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2008 What A Trilemma -- 2008 Year-End Tax Planning Is A Definite Maybe
• November 2008: Social Security Max Increases to $106,800 For 2009 --
  IRS Announces Higher Retirement Plan Limits For 2009
• October 2008: What's The Tax Plan, Man? -- Complying With The Nanny Tax Rules
• September 2008: The Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 -- Tax Breaks For Lost Deposits At IndyMac And Other Banks That Fail
• August 2008: 'Tis the Season -- Track your Professional Expenses
• July 2008: Are High Gas Prices Pushing You To Buy A New Car? -- The IRS' Dirty Dozen
• June 2008: The Relative Value of a Tax Break -- What's Your Stuff Worth?
• May 2008: Were You Surprised On April 15th? -- 5 Reasons Doctors Lose Money On Their First Employment Contract
• April 2008: A Rant About Roths -- Do You Have A Financial Compass?
• March 2008: Ready For A Rebate? -- Is Your Credit Score As High As You Think?
• February 2008: A Tax Dollar Saved Is A Dollar Earned --- Decisions About Deductions
January 2008: What A Relief! --- What's Deductible?

2007 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2007: Tax Saving Opportunities for Self-Employed Individuals -- Checklist to Cut Your 2007 Taxes
• November 2007: Social Security Max Increases to $102,000 For 2008 -- IRS Announces Few Increases to Retirement Savings Limits For 2008
• October 2007: AMT Spells Bad News For Taxpayers in 2007 -- Tax Credit for Honda Hybrids Getting Hit
• September 2007: Real Risks With Rental Real Estate -- Buy or Lease?
• August 2007: Clock is Ticking For Environmentally Friendly Tax Breaks -- Avoid Surprises Next Winter With A Mid-Year Tax Projection
• July 2007: "Kiddie Tax" Increased For Second Time In Two Years -- Understanding the "Hobby Loss" Rules
• June 2007: More People Eligible for a Roth IRA in 2007 -- Student Loan Interest - Valuable Tax Break or Cruel Irony?

• May 2007:  Arbitrage In The Tax Code Equates To Free Money For Your Family -- Spring Cleaning

• April 2007:  Time to File or Extend -- Watch Out - Mutual Funds Are Paying Big Dividends Once Again

• March 2007:  The Re-Emergence of Non-Deductible IRAs -- Cost Seg Studies Can Unlock Valuable Tax Breaks For Real Estate Owners

• February 2007:Inflation - The Tax Code's Secret Weapon -- Additional Benefits of 529 Plans

• January 2007:Become This Year's "Biggest Winner" -- Are You At Risk Of Being Audited?

2006 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2006:Checklist to Cut Your Taxes -- IRS Announces Higher Higher Standard Mileage Rates for 2007

• November 2006:Social Security Max Increases to $97,500 for 2007 -- IRS Announces Higher Retirement Plan Limits for 2007

• October 2006:"Kiddie Tax" Age Jumps to 17 -- Can You Trust The Government Not To Change The Roth Rules?

• September 2006:  More Recent Tax Law Changes -- Big Changes to Charitable Donation Rules

• August 2006:  Two Major Changes to Tax-Free Roth Accounts -- First Quarter Sales Figures for Hybrid Vehicles Announced

• July 2006:  Retirement Plans For the Self-Employed -- How's Your FICO?

• June 2006:  Recent Tax Law Changes -- Clock is Ticking for Hybrid Car Tax Credit

• May 2006:  Plan Now to Take Advantage of Expiring Tax Breaks -- Deadline Looms to Consolidate Student Loans at Today's Low Rate

• April 2006:  Filing An Extension Buys You Six Months -- Moonlighters May Face High Tax Bill on April 15

• March 2006:  Student Loan Interest Rates Rising -- Track Your Professional Expenses -- Tax Breaks for Homeowners

• February 2006:  Stealth Tax Update -- End Those Credit Card Soliciations

• January 2006:  RE:2006 -- Home Office Revisited

2005 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2005:  There's No Place Like Home -- Checklist To Cut Your Taxes

• November 2005:  Social Security Max Increases to $94,200 for 2005 -- Three Free Peeks At Your Credit Report

• October 2005:  How To Avoid Paying Taxes When Selling Real Estate -- The New Roth 401(k) and 403(b)

• September 2005:  Recent Tax Law Changes -- Back Into Your Budget

• August 2005:  New Car Donation Rules -- IRS Penalties

• July 2005:  To Incorporate or Not To Incorporate -- Do You Have A Health Care Proxy

• June 2005:  Avoid the 30 Year Car Loan -- Interest Rate Update

• May 2005:  No Match Doesn't Mean No Good -- How To Save $5,000 Annually Through Electronic Health Records 

• April 2005:  The Ubiquitous AMT -- Should You File For an Extension?

• March 2005:  What is "Financial Planning"? -- How To Break the $10,000 Monthly Disability Barrier

• February 2005:  Hot Employment Law Topic: Non-Compete Agreements -- Memo to Moonlighters

• January 2005:  Reset Your Monthly Retirement Savings -- Fads Are Usually Frauds

2004 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2004:  More Recent Tax Law Changes -- 8 Steps to Cut Your 2004 Tax Bill

• November 2004:  Recent Tax Law Changes -- Social Security Max Increase to $90,000 for 2005 

• October 2004:  Benefits of Being Your Own Boss -- Tax Break For Vehicles and Leasehold Improvements Expiring

• September 2004:  Deducting Travel Expenses - Deducting Meals & Entertainment

• August 2004:  Have You Heard About HSA's? -- When $1.00 is Worth $1.55 or More

• July 2004:  Life Insurance: What Kind Should You Buy? -- Andrew Schwartz's S.O.S. for Savings

• June 2004:  College Savings Confusion -- The New Independent 529 Plan

• May 2004:  Invest the Government's Money and Keep the Earnings -- A Tale of Two Taxes 

• April 2004:  Investing in I Bonds -- When April 15th Means April 15th 

• March 2004:  Basic Estate Planning -- Jointly or Separately 

• February 2004:  Ordinary + Necessary = Deductible -- Checklist to Bring Your Great Idea to the Public Market

• January 2004:  Save Taxes Before The Tax Savings Sunset -- Life Settlements: A Secondary Market for Life Insurance

2003 Monthly Tax Newsletters

• December 2003:  What's New? (Home Office Update and Increased Tax Breaks For Students Paying Tuition) -- Checklist to Cut Your Taxes -- Second Major Tax-cut Package in Just Three Years

• November 2003:  Social Security Max Increase to $87,900 for 2004 -- Don't Get On The IRS Radar Screen

• October 2003:  Watch Out For the A.M.T. -- The Return of "Own-Occupation" Disability Insurance

• September 2003:  How to Survive an IRS Audit --  Do You Use a Professional Tax Preparer?

• August 2003:  Is Your I.D.A.P List Up-do-date? -- The Hummer Deduction

• July 2003:  Why Good Tax Planning Backfires -- Good News For Recipients of NIH Loan Repayment Programs -- Are You An Employee Or An Independent Contractor?

• June 2003:  Recent Tax Law Changes -- Disability Insurance: What You Need To Know Before You Buy

• May 2003:  Home Sweet Home  -- How to Avoid Paying Taxes When Selling Real Estate

• April 2003:  Three Reason to File For an Extension -- Unable to Pay Your Taxes by April 15th?

• March 2003:  It's Now Easier to Be Green -- Tax-wise Investing

• February 2003:  Favorite Deductions for Aggressive Taxpayers -- How Aggressive Are You With Your Deductions?

• January 2003:  New Year's Resolutions to Improve Your Finances -- Plan Ahead and Cut Your Taxes -- What's New for 2002?