Mortgage News in the Carolinas
Posts tagged IRS
Federal Tax Deadline Extended To April 17, 2012
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by Geoff Brown
in Taxes
Traditionally, federal income taxes must be filed with the IRS on, or before, April 15 each year. The date has become such a part of U.S. culture that many people simply call it “Tax Day”.
This year, however, for the 3rd time in 7 years, your federal income taxes will not be due April 15. Instead, because of a combination of the calendar, a holiday, and tax law, Tax Day 2012 is delayed until Tuesday, April 17.
You will have two extra days to prepare and file your federal income taxes this year.
Here’s why.
First, April 15 is a Sunday and all federal offices are closed on Sundays. This means that that taxes can’t be filed on April 15, as regularly scheduled. Rather, the tax due date should roll over to the first available business day — Monday.
However, Monday, April 16 is Emancipation Day, a holiday in the District of Columbia since 2005.
Emancipation Day honors President Abraham Lincoln’s April 16, 1862 signing of the Compensation Emancipation Act. All of Washington, D.C. is closed for the local holiday — including the offices of the IRS. Taxes can’t be due on this date because there will be nobody at the Internal Revenue Service to receive them.
Therefore, Tax Day rolls over to the next available business day, and that’s Tuesday, April 17. Despite the 2-day change, as a reminder, the deadline to file a federal tax return with extension has not changed. That filing date remains October 15, 2012.
Also, note that most states have chosen to mirror the IRS’ tax deadlines this year even though Emancipation Day is a Washington, D.C-specific. Be sure to check with your accountant to confirm your local filing deadline.
Military Members : You Have 3 Weeks To Buy A Home, Claim Up To $8,000 In Tax Credits
0408 days
by Geoff Brown
in Taxes
If you’re an eligible federal employee or qualified military personnel, you have 3 weeks from this Saturday to use the federal home buyer tax credit, and to claim up to $8,000 in federal income tax credits.
According to the IRS, eligible persons include members and spouses of the uniformed services, members and spouses of the Foreign Service, and intelligence community employees who served at least 90 days of qualified, extended duty service outside of the United States between January 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010, and their spouses.
Eligible persons must be under contract for a new home on or before April 30, 2011, with the home’s closing occurring on or before June 30, 2011.
The federal home buyer tax credit is a true credit, too. Eligible buyers receive a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction equal to 10 percent of the subject home’s purchase price, not to exceed $8,000 for first-time home buyers, and not to exceed $6,500 for repeat home buyers.
Repeat buyers must have lived in their “main home” through 5 of the last 8 years in order to be eligibke.
Furthermore, both the buyer(s) and the subject property must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements:
- The home may not be purchased from a parent, spouse, or child
- The home may not be purchased from an entity in which the seller is a majority owner
- The home may not be acquired by gift or inheritance
- The home sale price may not exceed $800,000
- Buyers may not earn more than $125,000 as single-filers; $225,000 as joint-filers
The complete program description is published on the IRS website.
For additional information regarding your tax credit eligibility, you may want to speak with an accountant or other tax professional. It’s often worth the cost.
Federal Income Tax Deadline Extended To April 18, 2011
0438 days
by Geoff Brown
in Tax Tips
April 15 is the traditional due date for federal income taxes. It’s a deadline so ingrained in the American psyche that the April 15 calendar date is often called, simply, “Tax Day”.
In 2011, however, federal taxes aren’t due April 15. They’re due April 18. It’s because of a combination of holiday, calendars, and tax law.
The change centers on Emancipation Day.
Emancipation Day is a public celebration in the District of Columbia. Named a holiday in 2005, Emancipation Day honors President Abraham Lincoln’s April 16, 1862 signing of the Compensation Emancipation Act.
Emancipation Day is a non-working day in the nation’s capitol but, this year, Emancipation Day falls on a Saturday. The municipality will observe the holiday Friday instead. This means that all of Washington, D.C. will be “closed” Friday, April 15 — the usual tax filing deadline date.
This includes the IRS.
Therefore, to accommodate Emancipation Day, the government is extending this year’s federal tax filing deadline to April 18, 2011. This year marks the second time Emancipation Day has forced the change of federal tax filing deadlines.
Also, as a non-related coincidence, tax filers in Carolinas taking extensions to October 15 will also get a few extra days. October 15 is a Saturday so the extended tax deadline rolls over to the following Monday — October 17, 2011.
Military Personnel Can Still Claim The $8,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit
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For certain members of the military, and for certain federal employees, there’s just 2 months remaining to get use the federal home buyer tax credit.
Eligible persons include members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service, and intelligence community employees who served at least 90 days of qualified, extended duty service outside of the United States between January 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
Spouses of persons meeting the above criteria are eligible as well.
The federal home buyer tax credit ranges up to $8,000 for first-time home buyers, and up to $6,500 for existing homeowners. Existing homeowners must have lived in their “main home” through 5 of the last 8 years to be eligible.
Claiming the federal tax credit is a two-step process. First, eligible persons must be under contract for a new home on or before April 30, 2011. The home’s closing must then occur on or before June 30, 2011.
The IRS does not make date exceptions.
Furthermore, both the buyer(s) and the subject property must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements:
- The home may not be purchased from a parent, spouse, or child
- The home may not be purchased from an entity in which the seller is a majority owner
- The home may not be acquired by gift or inheritance
- Each buyer must meet tax credit eligibility standards
- The home sale price may not exceed $800,000
- Buyers may not earn more than $125,000 as single-filers; $225,000 as joint-filers
The complete program description is published on the IRS website.
Another important note is that the IRS is giving eligible buyers a tax credit as opposed to a deduction. This means that a taxpayer qualifying for the full $8,000, and for whom the “normal” 2011 federal tax liability is $8,000, will have zero federal tax liability in 2011.
For additional information regarding your tax credit eligibility, call an accountant. Speaking with a tax professional is often worth the cost.
