The IRS has released it's "Dirty Dozen" tax scams for 2021 at IRS.gov.  The IRS changed the format this year by categorizing the scams into four main groupings and then giving more detail on how the scams are executed.  Click here to visit the IRS page with links to each category of scams for more information. 

The IRS has released information about the upcoming Advanced Child Tax Credit Payments (CTC) that will begin in July explaining that more details are still to come.  According to the IRS website, "For tax year 2021, families claiming the CTC will receive up to $3,000 per qualifying child between the ages of 6 and 17 at the end of 2021.  They will receive $3,600 per qualifying child under age 6 at the end of 2021."  An important detail yet to be announced is how eligible taxpayers can opt out of receiving advance payments if they choose.  To read the full IRS release click here.

If you are still checking your mailbox or bank account every day anticipating a stimulus check from the government, the IRS has provided a tool to ease the suspense.  The tool can tell you when your payment was mailed or submitted for deposit or if a payment wasn't issued at all.  If you are due a payment but didn't receive one, you must file a 2020 return to claim the credit and thus have a payment issued to you.  Click here to access the IRS tool.

The IRS has announced a new form to report non-employee compensation named the 1099-NEC.  It's actually an old form being revived to report service providers.  Accountingweb has a summary of the particulars for the form including a different due date than the other 1099 forms.  Click here to view the summary.

Now that Joe Biden is the President-elect, we can surmise what policies he will direct his focus to put his fingerprints on .  Well we can't but Kiplinger can.  Although most are not tax specific, many are tax influencing so we have some some curiosity, correct?  Click here to see what  policies we can expect a focus on according to Kiplinger.

The IRS recently announced the latest tool they are enacting to reach those who have yet to receive their stimulus payment.  The IRS will be sending letters to those they believe may be eligible to receive an Economic Impact Payment but have not received a payment yet.  The announcement stipulates that receiving a letter does not indicate eligibility.  The announcement provides a copy of the letter that will be sent from an IRS address and instructions on how to check your eligibility for a payment using the tool on the IRS website.  Be aware that their is an October 15 deadline to apply for your payment.  Click here to see the announcement.  

Recently, the IRS released it's annual "Dirty Dozen" of methods scammers use to take advantage of the public's apprehension in dealing with the IRS.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers have additional opportunities with the Economic Impact Payments and other pandemic specific tax relief.  Click here to visit the IRS website and prepare yourself to be on guard for these scams.

Our last post identified stumbling blocks in the distribution of stimulus checks and how to overcome those stumbling blocks.  A lot has changed since then and yet the words "stumbling blocks" are still in play.  The IRS help page for the stimulus payments has mushroomed into a seemingly endless collection of FAQs but somehow all the questions have not been answered.  If you have not received your stimulus payment yet, click here to visit the trove of FAQs and hopefully you will find the answer you are searching for.  One last note, the IRS does provide a phone number for questions about the stimulus payments.  That number is (800)919-9835.

If the provisions of the CARES Act including the individual stimulus checks hasn't been anything else, it's been chaotic for sure.  As a result, the IRS is trying to smooth the bumps by developing a dedicated page at IRS.gov to find out the status of your stimulus check and to provide direct deposit information if your check hasn't been sent yet.  Although the button hasn't been made active yet, the fact that it is there gives hope that it will be live soon.  Click here to go straight to the IRS page to check on your stimulus. 

 Soon the first set of Stimulus Payments are set to go out.  These are the payments you have all heard a lot about in the news.  With these payments set to go out I thought it would be good to write and try to separate fact from fiction concerning these payments.  There is a lot of information out there about these, some good, some bad.  I will try to explain what I know about these payments in the bullet points below:

• The amounts of the Stimulus Payments are:

           o   $1,200 for single, head of household and married filing separate taxpayers
           o   $2,400 for married filing joint taxpayers
           o   $500 for each child listed as a dependent who is under 17

• These payments begin to phase out at various income (AGI) levels as follows:

           o   For singles and MFS it begins at $75,000 and total phase out is at $99,000
           o   For head of household it begins at $112,500 and total phase out is at $136,500
           o   For MFJ it begins at $150,000 and total phase out is at $198,000

• You will receive these payments one of two ways:

          o   Direct Deposit:  If the IRS has a bank account on record these payments will be direct deposited into that                               account.  To have a bank account of record you must have had a refund from your 2018 or 2019 Federal Form                         1040 direct deposited.   It is unclear if your banking information used to pay taxes due by EFT qualifies as a                          “bank  of record”. There is currently no clear guidance on that at this time.  Also there are various vendors stating                they can get your bank account set up with the IRS to receive the Stimulus Payment by direct deposit instead of                    paper check.  Use these at your own risk. 
         o   Paper Check:  If the IRS does not have a “bank of record” they will issue a paper check to the address on the                          latest return (2018 or 2019) filed.  If you have changed addresses since then you need to submit a Form 8822 to                    IRS as soon as possible.  You can find this form at www.irs.gov.

• These Stimulus Payments are 2020 Refundable Tax Credits.  They are being sent out now as “advance payments”.  When you file your 2020 return these credits will be “trued up” but ONLY in your favor.  Therefore if you received a reduced payment based on your 2018 or 2019 income level and for 2020 you fall below the phase out level you will receive the remaining portion of the credit when you file your 2020 return.  The same with children, if you had a child in 2019 or 2020 that you did not receive a credit for you will receive this credit when you file your 2020 return.  Currently there is no provision for a “crawl back” meaning if you received a payment based on your 2018 or 2019 return which would be phased out in 2020 you will not be required to pay it back.
• Because these payments are 2020 Tax Credits we will need to report this on your 2020 tax return.  NO, IT WILL NOT BE TAXABLE INCOME but will be reported.  You will receive a letter from the IRS within two weeks of them either making the direct deposit or mailing you a check.  This letter will report the amount of your payment.  Please keep this letter with your 2020 tax information.  If possible please go ahead and send us a copy when you receive it and we will place it in your file. 
• If you receive social security benefits and were not required to file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 you will still receive the Stimulus Payment.  The IRS will use records obtained from the Social Security Administration.  These payments will be direct deposited just as your social security benefits are.

 
As always know we are here for you should you have any questions.   Take care and stay safe.  This will be over soon.
 
J. Alan Hayes, CPA