Tax Credits and the New Health Care Bill

The health care exchanges are being rolled out on October 1^st and 50 million people will be encouraged to go to the exchanges to obtain coverage. Upon the roll out of the exchanges there are 5 developments that you need to consider:

• What is an exchange? Where do you purchase coverage?

An exchange is an online marketplace where individual and small group consumers will be able to go online to shop for and purchase health insurance plans. Individuals and small business owners can access the exchanges through navigators, government websites, or independent brokers. Many brokers, like Newtek Insurance Agency, are appointed on the exchange and with private markets. This will help line up the coverage options and differences between the exchanges options, and what is available in the private market.

• How do the subsidies work?

If you do not meet certain income requirements then the federal government will give you a tax break / subsidy to purchase health insurance. As a consumer, you can choose one of two ways to accept your tax credits:

• You can accept an estimated credit that will lower your health insurance premiums by a set amount each month. The actual amount of the credit will be settled out when the individual’s taxes are filed.
• You can pay the monthly premium in full, and then deduct the amount of the coverage from your yearend tax return.

• What will the coverage look like?

The plans available on the exchange will have metallic coverage levels consisting of catastrophic, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Please see our next blog post “Understanding Exchange Plan Options” to be posted tomorrow.

• What is not included?

Ancillary lines of coverages are not included. Many people are used to having the option to buy dental, vision, life and disability coverages with their health insurance. These coverages will not be available through the exchange.

• Is there a benefit to the exchange plan?

If you are unable to afford coverage in the private market then the exchange options are a great value. They will provide individuals, the opportunity to purchase some form of health insurance coverage, whom would otherwise not be able to due to cost.

Thank you to Forbes.

Tax Credits for Making Your Home More Energy Efficient. Do you qualify?

Did you remodel last year?  Some of your changes within your home may qualify for a tax break.  the IRS has provided a summary on tax credits for making your home more energy efficient. 

 

If you are doing your own taxes,  or not, you will want to understand these tax credits if you qualify.

 

 

Get Credit for Making Your Home Energy-Efficient

 

If you made your home more energy efficient last year, you may qualify for a tax credit on your 2012 federal income tax return. Here is some basic information about home energy credits that you should know.

Non-Business Energy Property Credit

• You may claim a credit of 10 percent of the cost of certain energy saving property that you added to your main home. This includes the cost of qualified insulation, windows, doors and roofs.
• In some cases, you may be able to claim the actual cost of certain qualified energy-efficient property. Each type of property has a different dollar limit. Examples include the cost of qualified water heaters and qualified heating and air conditioning systems.
• This credit has a maximum lifetime limit of $500. You may only use $200 of this limit for windows.
• Your main home must be located in the U.S. to qualify for the credit.
• Not all energy-efficient improvements qualify, so be sure you have the manufacturer’s credit certification statement. It is usually available on the manufacturer’s website or with the product’s packaging.
• The credit was to expire at the end of 2011. A recent law extended it for two years through the end of 2013.

Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit

• This tax credit is 30 percent of the cost of alternative energy equipment that you installed on or in your home.
• Qualified equipment includes solar hot water heaters, solar electric equipment and wind turbines.
• There is no limit on the amount of credit available for most types of property. If your credit is more than the tax you owe, you can carry forward the unused portion of this credit to next year’s tax return.
• You must install qualifying equipment in connection with your home located in the United States. It does not have to be your main home.
• The credit is available through 2016.

Doing Your Own Taxes; Five Ways to Lower Your 2012 Taxes

 

A tax credit is a good thing and helps to reduce your tax liability.  When preparing your own taxes, the single largest mistake is over looking tax credits which you may qualify for.

 

Below are five tax credits the IRS wants to remind you of. 

 

 

Five Tax Credits that Can Reduce Your Taxes

 

A tax credit reduces the amount of tax you must pay. A refundable tax credit not only reduces the federal tax you owe, but also could result in a refund.

Here are five credits the IRS wants you to consider before filing your 2012 federal income tax return:

1. The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable credit for people who work and don’t earn a lot of money. The maximum credit for 2012 returns is $5,891 for workers with three or more children. Eligibility is determined based on earnings, filing status and eligible children. Workers without children may be eligible for a smaller credit. If you worked and earned less than $50,270, use the EITC Assistant tool on IRS.gov to see if you qualify. For more information, see Publication 596, Earned Income Credit.

 

2. The Child and Dependent Care Credit is for expenses you paid for the care of your qualifying children under age 13, or for a disabled spouse or dependent. The care must enable you to work or look for work. For more information, see Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.

 

3. The Child Tax Credit may apply to you if you have a qualifying child under age 17. The credit may help reduce your federal income tax by up to $1,000 for each qualifying child you claim on your return. You may be required to file the new Schedule 8812, Child Tax Credit, with your tax return to claim the credit. See Publication 972, Child Tax Credit, for more information.

 

4. The Retirement Savings Contributions Credit (Saver’s Credit) helps low-to-moderate income workers save for retirement. You may qualify if your income is below a certain limit and you contribute to an IRA or a retirement plan at work. The credit is in addition to any other tax savings that apply to retirement plans. For more information, see Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).

 

5. The American Opportunity Tax Credit helps offset some of the costs that you pay for higher education. The AOTC applies to the first four years of post-secondary education. The maximum credit is $2,500 per eligible student. Forty percent of the credit, up to $1,000, is refundable. You must file Form 8863, Education Credits, to claim it if you qualify. For more information, see Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.