It’s Not Too Late to Make a 2016 IRA Contribution

If you haven’t contributed funds to an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) for tax year 2016, or if you’ve put in less than the maximum allowed, you still have time to do so. You can contribute to either a traditional or Roth IRA until the April 18th due date, not including extensions.

Be sure to tell the IRA trustee that the contribution is for 2016. Otherwise, the trustee may report the contribution as being for 2017 when they get your funds.

Generally, you can contribute up to $5,500 of your earnings for tax year 2016 (up to $6,500 if you are age 50 or older in 2016). You can fund a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA (if you qualify), or both, but your total contributions cannot be more than these amounts.

Traditional IRA: You may be able to take a tax deduction for the contributions to a traditional IRA, depending on your income and whether you or your spouse, if filing jointly, are covered by an employer’s pension plan.

Roth IRA: You cannot deduct Roth IRA contributions, but the earnings on a Roth IRA may be tax-free if you meet the conditions for a qualified distribution.

Each year, the IRS announces the cost of living adjustments and limitation for retirement savings plans.

Saving for retirement should be part of everyone’s financial plan and it’s important to review your retirement goals every year in order to maximize savings. If you need help with your retirement plans, give the office a call.

Reminder about Unclaimed Property

California’s Unclaimed Property Law requires banks, insurance companies, corporations, and certain other entities to report and submit their customers’ property to the State Controller’s Office when there has been no activity for a period of time (generally three years). Currently, the state has more than $8 billion in unclaimed property belonging to approximately 32.5 million individuals. Common types of unclaimed property are bank accounts, stocks, bonds, uncashed checks, insurance benefits, wages, and safe deposit box contents.  For claims where the property is worth less than $500 and there is only one listed owner, the process is a simple online form and users could get a check for their unclaimed property within 14 days. For items such as unclaimed money orders, cashier’s checks, royalties, and the contents of safe-deposit boxes, a paper process is required. Check out the CA State Controller website at http://sco.ca.gov/upd_msg.html today and see if you or a relative has any unclaimed property!

IRS Tax Scams 2017: FAQs

As tax season approaches, taxpayers are reminded to be on the lookout for an array of evolving tax scams related to identity theft and refund fraud. Every year scam artists look for new ways to trick taxpayers out of their hard-earned money, sensitive financial information or even access to their computers. It seems that no matter how careful you are there’s always a possibility that identity thieves could steal your personal information and try to cash in by filing fraudulent tax returns in your name.

Here’s what you need to know this year: Read more

Qualifying for a Health Coverage Exemption

With the 2017 tax filing season in full swing, it’s not too early to think about how the health care law affects your taxes. The Affordable Care Act requires you and each member of your family to do at least one of the following:

• Have qualifying health coverage called minimum essential coverage
• Qualify for a health coverage exemption
• Make a shared responsibility payment with your federal income tax return for the months that you did not have coverage or an exemption

Read more

Reminder about Unclaimed Property

California’s Unclaimed Property Law requires banks, insurance companies, corporations, and certain other entities to report and submit their customers’ property to the State Controller’s Office when there has been no activity for a period of time (generally three years). Currently, the state has more than $8 billion in unclaimed property belonging to approximately 32.5 million individuals. Common types of unclaimed property are bank accounts, stocks, bonds, uncashed checks, insurance benefits, wages, and safe deposit box contents.  For claims where the property is worth less than $500 and there is only one listed owner, the process is a simple online form and users could get a check for their unclaimed property within 14 days. For items such as unclaimed money orders, cashier’s checks, royalties, and the contents of safe-deposit boxes, a paper process is required. Check out the CA State Controller website at http://sco.ca.gov/upd_msg.html today and see if you or a relative has any unclaimed property!