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Qualified tuition and related expenses paid with student loans are considered in the same manner as cash payments when calculation the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits.

Cost basis is the value of an asset used to calculate capital gain or loss for tax purposes.
For most positions, cost basis is purchase price plus commissions plus disallowed wash sales plus reinvested capital during the time before the sale.

Losses from Wash Sales are disallowed by the IRS and the amount of the loss is added to the cost basis of the repurchased shares on a per share basis.
The holding period is also adjusted to include the days the security was held before the original sale.
When an investor sells shares at a loss and then repurchases substantially identical shares within 61-day window (30 days before and/or after the date of sale, it is called a wash sale.

Category A = Covered = Cost basis is reported to the IRS
Category B = Non-Covered = Cost basis is Not reported to the IRS
Category C = Supplemental = Proceeds Not reported to the IRS
Stock Options fall into Category C which is supplemental information that is supplied to customers when available, but is not reported to the IRS.

Sorry- you cannot deduct the value of your time for the services you provided. . However you may deduct the actual travel expenses incurred or use a mileage allowance of 14 cents a mile. This can be taken on Schedule A as a non-cash contribution.

Gifts are not deductions on an income tax return. People misunderstand what the $15,000 gift exclusion represents. The $15,000 gift exclusion is the maximum amount you are allowed to gift to one individual without being required to file a gift tax return.

Generally the answer is no. There are various tests that must be met for someone to be claimed as a dependent. One of the tests is the "relationship"test. If the person was a qualifying relative that you provided 50% support and they lived with you all the entire year and made less than $4,050 of earned income, then the answer could be yes.

Contributions to a 529 Plan for your child's education are not deductible on the federal return. However, some states like NY do allow a deduction for contributions to a 529 plan. The advantage of making contributions to a 529 plan are that the earnings in the plan will not be taxed if the distributions are made for qualified educational purposes.

No- Unfortunately burial and funeral costs are not a deduction on your income tax return

No- That was an old rule than has not existed since the 1980s. Currently, if you are single and live in your home for 2 out of the last 5 years, you can exclude up to $250,000 of the gain. A married couple filing jointly can exclude up to $500,000 of the gain. Any gains that exceed these amounts would be taxed at the capital gains rate.