Affordable Care Act

Income levels to qualify for health premium credit

Asked Monday, October 31, 2016 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

The Income levels to qualify for health premium credit have increased. For fillers with household incomes ranging from 100% to 400% of the 2015 poverty level: $11,770 to $47,080 for singles and $24,250 to $97,000 for a family of four.
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Reinstatement of 2013 Tax Law

Energy tax incentives

Asked Wednesday, December 17, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

Various energy tax provisions extended through 2014 include: The credit for energy-efficient new homes;
The incentives for biodiesel and renewable diesel;
The credit for nonbusiness energy property;
The credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property;
The second-generation biofuel producer credit;
The production credit for Indian coal facilities placed in service before 2009;
The credits with respect to facilities producing energy from certain renewable resources;
The special allowance for second-generation biofuel plant property;
The deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings;
The special rule for sales or dispositions to implement Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or state electric restructuring policy for qualified electric utilities;
The excise tax credits relating to certain fuels.
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Reinstatement of 2013 Tax Law

2014 reinstated tax laws that expired 12/31/13 for business

Asked Wednesday, December 17, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

Business tax incentives extended through 2014 include: The increased expensing limitations and treatment of certain real property as Sec. 179 property;
The provision allowing 15-year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements, qualified restaurant buildings and improvements, and qualified retail improvements;
The bonus first-year depreciation (for certain property with longer production periods, the property must be placed in service before Jan. 1, 2016);
The exclusion of 100% of gain on certain small business stock;
The allowance for basis adjustments to stock of S corporations making charitable contributions of property;
The reduction in S corporation recognition period for built-in gains tax;
The work opportunity tax credit;
The Research & Development credit;
The temporary minimum low-income housing tax credit rate for non-federally subsidized buildings;
The empowerment zone tax incentives;
The military housing allowance exclusion for determining whether a tenant in certain counties qualifies as low-income under the Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008,
The Indian employment tax credit;
The new markets tax credit (and carryovers of the unused limitation are extended through 2019);
The railroad track maintenance credit;
The mine rescue team training credit;
The employer wage credit for employees who are active duty members of the uniformed services;
The provision classifying certain race horses as three-year property;
The provision allowing a seven-year recovery period for motorsports entertainment complexes;
The provision allowing accelerated depreciation for business property on an Indian reservation;
The election to accelerate the alternative minimum tax credit in lieu of bonus depreciation (and special rules were added for round 4 extension property);
The enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of food inventory;
The election to expense mine safety equipment;
The special expensing rules for certain film and television productions;
The deduction allowable with respect to income attributable to domestic production activities in Puerto Rico;
The modification of tax treatment of certain payments to controlling exempt organizations;
The treatment of certain dividends of regulated investment companies (RICs);
The treatment of RICs as qualified investment entities under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act,
The subpart F exception for active financing income;
The look-through treatment of payments between related controlled foreign corporations under foreign personal holding company rules;
The temporary increase in the limit on cover over of rum excise taxes to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands;
The American Samoa economic development credit under the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006.
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Reinstatement of 2013 Tax Law

2014 reinstated tax laws that expired 12/31/13 for individuals

Asked Wednesday, December 17, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

Tax incentives for individuals that are extended through 2014 include: The deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers;
The above-the-line deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses;
The treatment of mortgage insurance premiums as qualified residence interest;
The exclusion from gross income of discharge of qualified principal residence indebtedness;
The provision providing parity between employer-provided mass transit and parking benefits;
The deduction for state and local general sales taxes;
The special rule for contributions of capital gain real property made for conservation purposes;
The provision allowing tax-free distributions from individual retirement plans for charitable purposes.
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Mileage Rate Deductions

Standard Mileage Rates - 2016

Asked Wednesday, December 10, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

In 2016, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck is 54 cents per mile for business use, 19 cents a mile for medical or moving purposes and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.
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Affordable Care Act

Phone assistance

Asked Tuesday, November 25, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

If you need help you can call the federal Health Insurance Marketplace at 800-318-2596.
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Affordable Care Act

Penalty for not having coverage

Asked Tuesday, November 25, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

In 2016, the penalty for not having health care coverage is the higher of 2.5 percent of your income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child with a maximum penalty per family of $2,085
The penalty will be reported on your 2016 tax return.
In 2015, the penalty for not having health care coverage is the higher of 2 percent of your income or $325 per adult and $162.50 per child with a maximum penalty per family of $975.
The penalty will be reported on your 2015 tax return.
The penalty for not having health care coverage in 2014 was the higher of 1 percent of your income or $95 per adult and $47.50 per child with a maximum penalty per family of $285.
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Affordable Care Act

Maximum out of pocket cap

Asked Tuesday, November 25, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

The maximum out of pocket cap for 2016 will increase to $6,850 for an individual and $13,700 for a family policy.
The maximum out of pocket cap for 2017 will increase to $7,150 for an individual and $14,300 for a family policy.
The maximum out of pocket cap for 2015 will increase to $6,600 for an individual and $13,200 for a family policy.
The 2014 maximum out of pocket cap was $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family policy.
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ObamaCare & Form 1040

Form 1095-A - Health Insurance Marketplace Statement

Asked Monday, November 24, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

If you or a family member enrolled in health insurance coverage through a health insurance marketplace, the marketplace must issue a Form 1095-A.
This form provides the required information on a monthly or annual basis to complete IRS Form 8962.
Form 8962 is used to calculate a Premium Tax Credit or a Repayment on your current year's tax return.
The marketplace has also reported this information to the IRS.
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ObamaCare & Form 1040

Shared Responsibility Penalty Payments

Asked Monday, November 24, 2014 by an anonymous user

CPA Answer:

If you do not have health insurance coverage for all 12 months in 2016 you may have to make a penalty payment with your tax return unless certain other conditions exist.
Individuals for whom coverage is too expensive are exempt from the penalty payment. Also individuals may qualify for a coverage exemption. A coverage exemption can be granted from your marketplace or you may qualify for a coverage exemption based on your household income or gross income being below certain threshold amounts.
Individuals may also qualify for certain hardship coverage exemptions based on their family circumstances. The Shared Responsibility Penalty Payment will be reported on Form 1040, line 61. The coverage exemptions being claimed are reported on new IRS Form 8965.
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