Bear’s Blog

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers today that the cost of home testing for COVID-19 is an eligible medical expense that can be paid or reimbursed under health flexible spending arrangements (health FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), or Archer medical savings accounts (Archer...

Every year the IRS mails letters or notices to taxpayers for many different reasons. Typically, it’s about a specific issue with a taxpayer’s federal tax return or tax account. A notice may tell them about changes to their account or ask for more information. It could also tell them they need to make a payment. This year, people might have also...

The IRS and its Security Summit partners recently kicked off their annual summer campaign. This year's theme, Boost Security Immunity: Fight Against Identity Theft, urges tax pros to step up their efforts to protect client data. An IP PIN is a valuable tool that can help in this effort and it is now available to anyone who can verify their...

Tax credits and deductions can mean more money in a taxpayer’s pocket. Most people only think about this when they file their tax return, but early planning can help make filing their 2021 tax return easier. Taxpayers should be prepared to claim tax credits and deductions. Here are a few facts about credits and deductions that can help a taxpayer...

Tax transcripts are used for a variety of things, like applying for a mortgage or a student loan. Taxpayers order a tax transcript on IRS.gov. They can also learn about the different types of transcripts available from the IRS. Order a tax transcript Taxpayers can request a transcript, either online or by mail at Get Transcript on IRS.gov....

The Internal Revenue Service today announced that interest rates will remain the same for the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2021. The rates will be: 3% for overpayments (two (2) % in the case of a corporation), 0.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000, 3% for underpayments and 5% for large corporate underpayments....

The IRS, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they have disbursed more than 2.3 million additional Economic Impact Payments under the American Rescue Plan. The most recent two weeks of the effort brings the total payments disbursed to more than 169 million – representing a total value of...

The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers who pay estimated taxes that they have until June 15 to pay their estimated tax payment for the second quarter of tax year 2021 without penalty. Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that isn’t subject to withholding. This includes income from self-employment, interest, dividends,...

The Internal Revenue Service has started sending letters to more than 36 million American families who, based on tax returns filed with the agency, may be eligible to receive monthly Child Tax Credit payments starting in July. The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. The...

This is the first of two tax tips providing an overview of how the American Rescue Plan may affect some individual’s 2021 taxes. Child and dependent care credit increased for 2021 only The new law increases the amount of the credit and the percentage of employment-related expenses for qualifying care considered in calculating the credit, modifies...

Thieves are actively working to steal the taxpayer information and identities. Everyone should do everything they can to prevent identity theft. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses a taxpayer's stolen personal information, such as a Social Security number, to file a tax return claiming a false refund. The IRS and its partners are...

The premium tax credit helps pay for health insurance coverage bought from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Eligible people can choose to have all, some, or none of the estimated credit paid in advance directly to their insurance company on their behalf. These payments – which are called advance payments of the premium tax credit, advance credit...

The May 17 deadline for individuals to file and pay their federal income tax is fast approaching. While paying taxes is not optional, people do have options when it comes to how they pay taxes. The IRS offers a variety of ways to pay taxes. Some taxpayers must make quarterly estimated tax payments throughout the year. This includes sole...

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today issued Notice 2021-25 providing guidance under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020. The Act added a temporary exception to the 50% limit on the amount that businesses may deduct for food or beverages. The temporary exception allows a 100% deduction for food or...

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded self-employed individuals, retirees, investors, businesses, corporations and others who pay their taxes quarterly that the payment for the first quarter of 2021 is due Thursday, April 15, 2021. The extension to May 17, 2021 for individuals to file their 2020 federal income taxes does not apply to...

To help taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will take steps to automatically refund money this spring and summer to people who filed their tax return reporting unemployment compensation before the recent changes made by the American Rescue Plan. The legislation, signed on March 11, allows taxpayers who earned less than...

Tracking the status of a tax refund is easy with the Where's My Refund? tool. It’s conveniently accessible at IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received. Refund timing Where's My Refund provides a personalized date after the return is processed and a...

The IRS announced on Wednesday that it is postponing the deadline for all individual tax returns. Returns otherwise due April 15 will not have to be filed until May 17 this year. The IRS says it will issue formal guidance in the near future. The postponement applies only to individual taxpayers, who can postpone their federal income tax returns...

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the third round of Economic Impact Payments will begin reaching Americans over the next week. Following approval of the American Rescue Plan Act, the first batch of payments will be sent by direct deposit, which some recipients will start receiving as early as this weekend, and with more receiving...