Did you know that there are several categories of income are not taxable in the eyes of the IRS? 

While Tax Day 2024 is April 15, each year, the IRS extends tax deadlines for taxpayers in certain areas impacted by severe storms and natural disasters.

The IRS announces these tax deadline extensions for various states as disasters occur and these new tax deadlines are usually different for different states. In addition, the individual states may or may not conform their state tax deadlines to the extended federal tax deadlines.

The FBI has issued a warning to Americans that they should exercise caution when scanning QR codes with their smartphones because cybercriminals tamper with the codes to steal login and financial information.

A QR code—the square barcode that people can scan with their smartphone cameras—can provide quick and convenient access to a website or to a direct payment to an intended recipient.

One of the most - I think - was the tax rule concerning those whose join the military was that your state of residence for tax purposes was where you signed up for the military.   So, if you joined the military from a state that has state income tax laws, you had to pay state taxes to to that state - even if you currently live in a state that had no tax.

Congress finally fixed it.

Increased small employer plan start-up credit

Eligible small employers may claim a general business credit of up to $5,000 for the cost of establishing a pension plan, such as a SEP or SIMPLE plan, for eligible employees. An eligible employer is one with 100 or fewer employees who received at least $5,000 in compensation the previous year. The credit is allowed for the year the plan is established and each of the two subsequent years.

For plan years starting after Dec. 31, 2022:

The Internal Revenue Service announced the launch of a new page on IRS.gov explaining the Employer-Provided Childcare Tax Credit, an incentive for businesses to provide child care services to their employees.

Taxpayers for whom using the technology required to comply with electronic filing requirements conflicts with their religious beliefs may claim a religious exemption and file paper forms instead. IRS Notice 2024-18 provides updated guidance on claiming the religious exemption for taxpayers filing business returns such as Form 1120, Form 1120-S, or Form 1065.

The 2023 increases in Social Security benefits could mean that some of the beneficiaries could end up with a higher tax bill for the 2024 tax season.

In 2023, Social Security benefits were raised by 8.7 percent to compensate for the increase in cost of living, with the average retired worker receiving $1,827 a month instead of $1,681, which they got in 2022. Senior citizens who have never paid taxes on their Social Security benefits may now be required to pay taxes as the higher Social Security benefits push them into the taxable category.

Here is why:

The IRS and other agencies and departments have issued guidance on various aspects of clean vehicle credits. The guidance applies to vehicles placed in service starting in 2024. 

We will discuss: 

• battery component and critical mineral requirements for new clean vehicles, 
• dealer time-of-sale reports for new and previously owned clean vehicles, and 
• incremental cost guidance for the commercial clean vehicle credit calculation. 

Acronyms used:

One of the biggest nightmares to straighten out is someone stealing your name and social security number and filing a fake tax return with that information.  It can take up to a year to straighten out the mess and your refund is held until it is done.  But, a very simple added precaution can stop those thieves dead in their tracks.  It is called an IP Pin.  If that pin number is not on your return, (you get a new one each January) then the IRS will not accept your return electronically.  Period.  So they can steal my name/SS# and try to file a return to get tha