Category: Government Rebates and Payments

[Update - No New Taxes with Tax Extensions Approved] President Obama has now signed into law a bill that covers a temporary extension of all the bush-era tax cuts. The new bill also contains extensions to some of the 2008 stimulus tax breaks, and even has some new tax cuts. With…

To tackle America’s growing national debt problem, President Obama put together a task force earlier this year to look at options on how to cut government spending, implement tax reform and improve the effectiveness of federal entitlement programs. The deficit reduction commission co-chairs (Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson) put forward…

[Update Jan 2013] Congress and the Obama administration have reached an agreement that will extend a number of small business tax breaks through 2013 following the fiscal cliff deal which was legislated through the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. You can see details of the extended tax breaks in this article. [Update Sep-Oct 2010] Obama's Small Jobs…

Mortgage interest rates are at their lowest point in decades (about 4.5%) and the housing credit has been in effect for more than three years, yet the housing market is tepid at best, with foreclosures at record highs and government housing institutions having to put more distressed assets on their…

A $26 billion state aid package was approved by Congress (and will be signed by the President) that saves thousands of state teaching and government worker jobs. The package provides $16.1 billion to extend (for six months) Medicaid funding for states, known as FMAP. The measure also provides $10 billion…

While not as generous as in previous years, there are several energy efficient tax credits and breaks available for 2022, which can be claimed when filing returns in 2023. This includes the residential energy efficient property credit, which allows for a credit equal to the applicable percent of the cost…

See this article on a potential 4th economic stimulus check. _____________________________ In a recent town hall, following the approval of yet another home buyer credit extension, the President said his economic stimulus programs did their job by staving off another Great Depression. The administration often touts that the stimulus package…

The home buyer credit, extended and expanded over the last 3 years is set to expire at the end of this month with Congress still unable to approve the extension as part of HR 4213. However, recently released data for May 2010 shows worrying trends of sharply declining sales of…

As many readers of this site await to hear about a possible extension to the home buyer credit closing date, part of the latest Jobs and Tax Bill (HR4213), it was worrying to read some of the recently released IRS statistics on fraud surrounding the credit. The IRS  doled out…

Congress and the Obama administration's fiscal cliff deal means that 2013 federal tax rates will remain fixed for nearly 99% of the population. Only those earning $450,000/$400,000 (married/single) AGI will have a higher marginal tax rate in 2013, relative to 2012 levels. Below are the likely 2013 tax rates and inflation…

I have posted updates to a number of articles covering the spectrum of government stimulus funded tax credits and deductions. Here is a summary of the updates with a link to the detailed articles for more detailed information, qualification criteria and latest status. If you haven’t already, join 6000 plus…

The recently introduced American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (Bill: HR 4213) includes important tax cuts to put more money back into the pockets of American families and workers. This new bill extends critical tax cuts through the end of 2010 so families and workers can receive the full…

[Update July 2010] - This bill - HR4213 - was passed by Congress and is expected to signed into law by the President. The bill, also known as the American Jobs and Closing Loopholes Act of 2010 originally contained a provision to extend unemployment benefits, as well as a number…