Personal Taxes

The amount of expenses in excess of any state agency reimbursements for caring for a foster child in your home is deductible as a chariable itemized deduction on IRS Schedule A.

If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, SSA deducts $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2012, that limit is $14,640 ($14,160 in 2011).
In the year you reach full retirement age, SSA deducts $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit, but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age. If you will reach full retirement age in 2012, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is$38,880 ($37,680 in 2011).
(If you were born in 1945 or 1946, your full retirement age is 66 years.). Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, you can get your benefits with no limit on your earnings.

The Foreign Per Diem Rates are available on the Internet at: http://www.state.gov/www/perdiems/.

Federal and state agencies refer to the IRS the names and social security numbers of taxpayers who are behind in their support payments, taxes, and loans. Your federal tax refund may not be refunded to you if you are delinquent in child support payments or you have a past due federal debt such as a student loan. Your refund may be used to pay other debts you owe.

If you use a dwelling as a home and rent it for fewer than 15 days during the year you should not report any of the rental income and do not deduct any expenses as rental expenses on IRS Schedule E. You may deduct the mortgage interest and property taxes on IRS Schedule A.

When you complete Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative Form 2848, you must enter the type of tax, the tax form number, and the year or period(s) for which the power is granted for. You can list returns for any number of specified years or periods that have already ended and returns for years or periods that will end no later than three years from the date the form is signed. A general reference to "all years," "all periods," or "all taxes" is not allowable. Form 2848 will be returned to you for correction if you use these general references.

Special telephone assistance is available during normal business hours for hearing impaired individuals through TDD equipment allowing the hearing impaired person to communicate with a tax assistor in either English or Spanish. The toll-free number for this service is 1-800-829-4059. Also, braille materials for the visually impaired are available at regional libraries that have special services for persons with disabilities.

Effective January 1, 2011, the IRS will require all paid tax preparers who sign federal tax returns to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). IRS online registration for tax preparers will start September 1, 2010. Tax preparers will need to register with the IRS and obtain a valid PTIN no later than December 31, 2010. Tax preparers who already have a PTIN will be reissued their current PTIN when they register online. Currently, there is no application fee for PTINs; however, the IRS does plan to charge a PTIN fee (new and renewing applicants) once registration starts September 1, 2010. In addition to the PTIN requirement, paid tax preparers who are not attorneys, certified public accountants or enrolled agents will have to pass an IRS competency exam and complete continuing education requirements. Nonexempt tax preparers will be required to: Obtain a PTIN. Complete 15 hours of continuing education on federal tax laws each year. Renew IRS registration every three years from the date of initial registration. Within three years of initial registration, pass a competency exam from the IRS. Starting January 1, 2011, nonexempt tax preparers who fail to meet the December 31, 2010 registration deadline will have to pass the IRS competency exam before they can be issued a PTIN. Exempt tax preparers (attorneys, certified public accountants and enrolled agents) can still register after December 31, 2010; however, they cannot prepare or sign federal tax returns until they register with the IRS and obtain a valid PTIN.

Yes. A moving expense deduction is permitted in connection with a move outside the US or its possessions. An additional deduction is allowed for foreign moves for reasonable expenses of moving household goods and personal effects to and from storage and of storing them for part or all of the time during which the new place of work abroad continues to be a taxpayers principal place of work.