How AOTAX helps you get the best Tax Refunds in 2019?

by Mounica Kota | Jun 28, 2019 | tax deductions, tax filing, Tax Planning, Tax Refund, taxes

How AOTAX helps you get the best Tax Refunds in 2019?

Hoping to pay minimal taxes is no crime. Afterall, why should you pay more taxes than you owe to Uncle Sam? If due to some reasons you have overpaid your taxes, tax refunds will help you get the amount back. There are several ways by which you can boost your tax refunds. And at AOTax, we ensure that you have access to some of the best ways to achieve the same.

Smarter Tax Deductions

Not many tax payers are aware of the fact that the miles that you put on your car for charitable donations or even medical purposes, you can claim them as deductions. While the miles that you drive for medical purposes is subject to the AGI threshold, it is calculated at 18 cents per mile. Similarly, miles accumulated for charitable donations is calculated at 14 cents per mile. If you drive about 50-60 miles a week for charity, that accumulates to $450-500 additional deductions.

Of course, it is a good habit to keep track and record of such transactions. Simple details such as the date, purpose, donations made, or market value of any goods that you have donated, would help you while filing taxes.

IRA and HSA contributions

While a lot of taxpayers are aware of IRA or even HSA contributions, there are a few tricks that you can try. For example, did you know that you can contribute for traditional IRA for the previous year during the current financial year? This means, you can make contributions towards your IRA for 2019, till 15^th April 2020. This allows you to claim for deductions for the tax filing of 2019.

If you aren’t already aware, the IRA will reduce your taxable income and thereby the taxes that you owe to the government. If you are 50 years or older, you can make use of catch-up provision to contribute towards IRA. And even though they both quality for deductions, if you qualify you can receive Saver’s credit as well.

Tax Filing Status

Choosing a filing status is one of the first steps to filing your tax returns. And it can affect your tax refund significantly. This is even more significant if you are married. Statistics show that 96% of married couples file their taxes together. Though that is the norm, it isn’t always the most beneficial route selected. Opting for married and filing separately as a status does require some additional effort on your part. However, you can save a considerable amount of money in the form of taxes or even refunds.

For starters, when you opt to file taxes separately, each spouse gets a lower AGI or Adjusted Gross Income. When you file your taxes separately, the Child Tax credit is available for both spouses to avail. Separately calculating taxes will result in higher refunds when it comes to education. At AOTax, we can help you with different calculations and help you get a higher refund as well.

Taxpayers who are not married, can use the filing status as head of the family rather than unmarried. This will allow taxpayers to avail a higher standard deduction as compared to filing as unmarried individuals. Having a dependent parent or child will allow you to benefit from better deductions.

Timing your tax returns properly will also enhance your chances of getting better tax refunds. The easier way to handle such situation is to take help of the expert services at AO Tax. With various services on offer, you can always find help that you are looking for and be stress free about your tax returns.

How to save taxes in 3 ways this summer?

by Mounica Kota | Jun 14, 2019 | tax deductions, Tax Planning, Tax Preparation, tax savings, taxes

How to save taxes in 3 ways this summer?

We are surrounded with a few mundane tasks that we must carry out, irrespective of we like them or not. Tax planning is a prime example of the same. though it is mundane and even borderline boring, it must be done. However, there is an upside to it. If you successfully plan your taxes, you can save a considerable amount of money. If that isn’t a good enough reason to plan for your taxes, nothing else will.

But where do you start from and how do you plan your taxes? To make matters easy for you, here are the top 3 tips by which you can save money on taxes this summer. If you do not want to pay extra to Uncle Sam, the following tips are for you.

Health Savings Account (HSA)

If your employer offers any health insurance plan, you can combine your health savings account along with it. In the event that your employer does not offer any health insurance plans, you can buy a health savings account on your own. The money that you put into a health savings account is pre-tax. You can then use the amount for various expenses such as medical bill for procedures, co-payment, deductibles and even certain expenses that are not covered as a part of medical insurance such as dental care or vision.

Your contributions towards HSA has several tax benefits. For starters, it is deducted pre-tax, the amount that you contribute is non-taxable. The amount that you invest then keeps on growing tax-deferred. And lastly, when you do withdraw the amount it is tax-free.

Flexible Savings Account

A flexile savings account is another smart way of handling your taxes. On the surface, it resembles the Health Savings Account to a great extent. The major difference being, that a flexible savings account is sponsored by employers only for healthcare plans. Per year, you can invest as much as $2,250 pre-tax. You can then use the amount for taking care of expenses such as deductibles. And, you do not have to pay anything on the $2,250, no state taxes or no federal taxes.

Unlike the HSA, you do not get the amount directly. And you must spend the amount by the end of the year. If you fail to do so, the amount will revert to your employer. Though, some companies now offer grace periods where you can use the funds. And in some cases, you can carry forward up to $550 for the next year.

Charitable Donations

When it comes to charitable donations, there aren’t a lot of restrictions. If you wish to donate a significant amount of money to charity, you can consider giving away your stocks or even mutual funds. Specifically, the ones that you have had with yourself for at least a year. Should you consider this option seriously, it is recommended to give away the stocks or mutual funds that are in the green or yielding profit. Charitable donations always consider the fair market value on the day of donation and not at which it was bought. This will boost your donations considerably. This will allow you to quietly walk away without having to pay taxes on your profits. To make the most of this method, you would have to itemize your deductions. But if your stocks or mutual funds are in loss, it is better to sell them off, claim the loses and donate separately.

The above methods will help you save money on taxes considerably. Which you can then spend on doing whatever you wish or invest for better returns in the future.