(Ebook) The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes by S. Kay Bell ISBN 9780137153862, 0137153864

(Ebook) The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes by S. Kay Bell ISBN 9780137153862, 0137153864

All you need to know about cutting your taxes...this year and every year! The truth about maximizing all your legal deductions and credits The truth about smart tax planning for today and for the long term The truth about avoiding IRS audits and costly tax penalties   Simply the best thinking THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH   This book reveals 52 PROVEN bite-size, easy tax savings techniques that work.   “Kay Bell’s blog aims to provide tax and personal-finance tips and advice that will put more money in your bank account, not the government treasury.” The Wall Street Journal   Introduction     vii   Part I: The Truth About Filing Requirements Truth 1: Not everyone has to file     1 Truth 2: Figuring out your filing status     5 Truth 3: Filling out the right form     9 Truth 4: Meeting filing deadlines     13   Part II: The Truth About Taxable Income Truth 5: Determining what's taxable     17 Truth 6: Earned versus unearned income     21 Truth 7: The alternative minimum tax     25 Truth 8: Our progressive tax system     29   Part III: The Truth About Credits and Deductions Truth 9: Why credits are better     33 Truth 10: Standard versus itemized deductions     39 Truth 11: Dealing with deduction limitations     43 Truth 12: Maximizing charitable deductions     47 Truth 13: Deducting without itemizing     51   Part IV: The Truth About Taxes and Your Family Truth 14: Marriage and taxes     55 Truth 15: Innocent and injured spouse issues     59 Truth 16: Tax implications of divorce     63 Truth 17: Claiming exemptions and dependents     67 Truth 18: Adoption assistance     71 Truth 19: Child and additional child tax credits     75 Truth 20: Tax help in caring for your kids (and others)      79 Truth 21: Tax-favored college savings options     83 Truth 22: When a child has to file     87 Truth 23: Taking tax-smart care of a parent     91   Part V: The Truth About Taxes and Your Employment Truth 24: Getting your withholding right     95 Truth 25: Tax-favored employer-provided benefits     99 Truth 26: Recouping employee business expenses     103 Truth 27: Writing off job-hunting costs     107 Truth 28: Tax help in paying work-related moving costs     111 Truth 29: Self-employment tax considerations     115   Part VI: The Truth About Taxes and Your Home Truth 30: Mortgage interest deduction     119 Truth 31: Writing off your property taxes     123 Truth 32: Increasing your home's tax basis     127 Truth 33: Home-sale tax exclusion     131   Part VII: The Truth About Investment Taxes Truth 34: Capital gains rules and rates     135 Truth 35: How bad investments can pay off     139 Truth 36: Reporting investment income     143 Truth 37: Wash sale rules     147 Truth 38: Accounting for the kiddie tax     151   Part VIII: The Truth About Retirement Taxes Truth 39: Individual retirement accounts     155 Truth 40: Company retirement plans     159 Truth 41: Retirement saver's credit     163 Truth 42: Retirement plan rollovers     167 Truth 43: Taxable Social Security benefits     171 Truth 44: Required minimum distributions     175 Truth 45: Estate taxes, or leaving it to your heirs, not the IRS     179   Part IX: The Truth About Tax Compliance Truth 46: The trouble with tax protests     183 Truth 47: Payment options     187 Truth 48: Tax penalties     191   Part X: The Truth About Audits Truth 49: Minimizing audit risks     195 Truth 50: Preparing for an audit     199   Part XI: The Truth About Special Tax Situations Truth 51: Taxpayers abroad and military filers     203 Truth 52: Tax help in disastrous times     207   Epilogue     211 About the Author     212