Top status tax office companies in Houston, TX

Income tax top services from Houston, Texas? The more money you make, the more complicated your taxes are going to be. So, if you have a higher income than most people, it’s important to work with a skilled accountant to figure out how to reduce the amount of income taxes you pay. In addition to taking your standard deduction and other deductions, there are many things you can do to lower the amount you pay. Let’s start with an overview of tax rules for high income earners. For the sake of this post, we’ll consider anybody in the top three tax brackets as a high income earner. That means that if you earn more than $163,301 in gross income as a single earner and $326,601 if you’re married filing jointly, you are a high income earner.

If you don’t have a tax preparer yet, a good way to find one is to ask friends and advisors (such as an attorney you know) for referrals. Be sure that the person you choose has a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) showing that they are authorized to prepare federal income tax returns. You should also inquire about fees, which are likely to depend on the complexity of your return. Avoid using a firm that intends to take a percentage of your refund. The IRS website has tips for choosing a preparer and a link to the IRS directory of preparers, which you can search according to their credentials and location.

The Internal Revenue Code is set up to provide numerous tax breaks to individuals and businesses alike. Even the IRS acknowledges that you must keep some money to live on and with which to run your enterprise. Some small business tax savings strategies, like timing income and expenses, must be accomplished before the end of the tax year. But others, such as funding a retirement plan, can be done at any time before you file your tax return. Find even more details on tax preparation service in Houston.

Hold Off on Mutual Fund Purchases: People should be wary of buying mutual funds at this time of year if they will be held in a taxable account. You could get hit with a tax bill for year-end dividends even if you just purchased shares. “That’s how mutual funds work, but people don’t realize it,” says Joanna Powell, managing director in the Boston office of accounting firm CBIZ MHM. To avoid paying additional taxes, consult with a broker before making a purchase to find out when distributions are made.

Keep Communicating. Even if the debtor can’t pay right away, it is always important to keep communications going. He may be able to pay in the future, and by talking to the debtor and really listening to what he has to say, you may be able to help him figure out a way to start paying sooner. While the older a debt becomes, the harder it is to collect, sometimes circumstances change and payment may become possible.

Sec. 1031 Exchange Rules. The only way you can avoid current tax when you sell investment property is through a “1031 exchange”, where you involve a third party, called an accommodator, to hold the money and buy a new property for you. But there are some rules you have to comply with: You can’t touch the money. You have to identify the new like-kind real property within 45 days after property being given up is transferred and close within 180 days. The new property has to cost at least as much as the old one. You can’t be relieved of debt (so you can’t use the proceeds from the sale to buy a new property for all cash if the old property had debt tied to it). You will pay hefty fees to the accommodator to handle all this for you. Read more info at greentree.tax.