Reporting Foreign Income on Your Federal Tax Return

Reporting Foreign Income on Your Federal Tax Return

By law, U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad must file a U.S. income tax return and report any worldwide income. Some key tax benefits, such as the foreign earned income exclusion, are only available to those who file U.S. returns. As such, if you are living or working outside the United States and Puerto Rico, you generally must file and pay your tax the same way as people living in the U.S. This includes people with dual citizenship. Here’s what taxpayers need to know about reporting foreign income:

read more
Social Security Benefits: Are They Taxable?

Social Security Benefits: Are They Taxable?

Social Security benefits include monthly retirement, survivor, and disability benefits; they do not include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, which are not taxable. Generally, you pay federal income taxes on your Social Security benefits only if you have other substantial income in addition to your benefits. Your income and filing status affect whether you must pay taxes on your Social Security. About 40 percent of people who get Social Security must pay income taxes on their benefits.

read more
Refundable vs. Non-refundable Tax Credits

Refundable vs. Non-refundable Tax Credits

Tax credits can reduce your tax bill or give you a bigger refund, but not all tax credits are created equal. While most tax credits are refundable, some credits are nonrefundable. Still, before we look at the difference between refundable and nonrefundable tax credits, it’s important to understand the difference between a tax credit and a tax deduction.

read more
What To Do if You’re Missing Important Tax Documents

What To Do if You’re Missing Important Tax Documents

As the April 18th tax deadline quickly approaches, last-minute tax filers should make sure they have all their documents before filing a tax return. You should have received a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, from each of your employers for use in preparing your federal tax return. Employers must furnish this record of 2022 earnings and withheld taxes no later than January 31, 2023

read more