Web Wealth: Year-end tax planning
Will Congress pass the tax package agreed to by President Obama and the Republicans? Either way, it's a good idea to review your finances and decide if some last-minute tax planning is in order.
Will Congress pass the tax package agreed to by President Obama and the Republicans? Either way, it's a good idea to review your finances and decide if some last-minute tax planning is in order.
Accountants know. Where better to go for the nitty-gritty on taxes, deductions, credits, and the rest of the tax minutiae than to a site for accountants? Accounting Today's article for this year-end includes a discussion of Roth IRA conversions. Congress made 2010 a year in which anyone can convert a traditional IRA, on which taxes are deferred until money is withdrawn, to Roth IRAs. With a Roth, you pay income tax on money when it goes into the account, but not when you're older and making withdrawals. If you "convert," you'll pay tax now, not later.
http://go.philly.com/yearendtax1
Tax center. The federal Small Business Administration's tax page for small business is topped by a "2010 Tax Center" with a tax calendar, news about tax changes, a link to an explanation of the small-business health-care tax credit, and help with filing state and federal tax forms. A nearby audio link describes how to file the federal tax form Schedule C for first-timers.
http://business.sba.gov/manage/taxes
Shifting income. Need to find ways to shift income from 2010 to 2011, or vice versa? Here are some standard year-end tips from About.com.
http://go.philly.com/yearendtax2
More tips for business owners - for example, on whether to buy equipment before the start of 2011, or to put off bill collecting until January - are here at Small Business CEO.
http://go.philly.com/yearendtax3
Tax checklist. Here's a year-end tax checklist from the money folks at Morgan Stanley. It's for individuals and businesses, and even if much of it seems geared for Morgan's rich clients, there are reminders for the rest of us, too, on subjects such as the Roth IRA conversion issue, getting the most out of 401(k) plan contributions. There's also a reminder that, if you are over age 701/2, you must make a minimum withdrawal from a traditional IRA.