Tag: 2014

This article provides updates on the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) over the last few years and predictions for the coming year. You can see more on the final 2025 COLA (2.5%) below. COLA is particularly significant for over 71 million Americans, especially retirees, as it directly affects their Social Security and…

[Updated with latest details per the IRS] The savers credit helps middle to lower income earners save for retirement by providing a tax credit offset to retirement plan (401k and IRA) contributions. But a lot of people don't know about or take advantage of this little known credit, officially referred to by…

Given the low inflation environment over the last year, the 2015 IRS Tax Brackets, standard deductions and personal exemptions have only seen a moderate increase over 2014 levels. Federal income tax brackets and related tax items, under the tax code, provide for mandatory annual adjustments based on inflation. This is to prevent…

See this article for the latest Earned Income Credit tables - including eligibility expansions and refund delays (due to PATH act) when claiming this credit in your tax return. _________ [2014 EIC Update] The IRS has released 2014 Earned Income Tax credit (EITC) details which are shown in the table below. There have…

See this article for the latest IRS updates to federal tax brackets and standard deductions. ____________ Below are the 2014 IRS federal tax brackets based on annual inflation adjustments. Given the low inflation environment there were only moderate increases in tax brackets, standard deductions and to the personal exemption. The main changes…

See this updated article for the latest 401(k) and IRA Contribution, Eligibility, Income and Tax Deduction Limits The IRS has released updated 2014 limits for defined contribution (or pension) plans such as 401(k) and IRAs. This was delayed from the usual mid-October release due to the government shutdown. The annual limits…

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program administered by Social Security that provides monthly payments to significantly disabled adults, children and seniors over 65 with low income and limited resources. To be eligible for SSI, a person must be 65 or older, blind, or have a medical condition that prevents…

April 15th 2014, or the 2013 tax filing due date, is not that far away. Which means its time to do some serious tax planning so that by year end you maximize your income while minimizing your taxes dues when filing in 2014.  But first, the official rates and tables…

[Updated November 2013]  Without an extension to the 2009 stimulus funding for the Food Stamp/SNAP program, millions of Americans who rely on this program are going to see a cut in their benefits. The overall cut to the the program is around $5 billon dollars with the CBPP estimating the…

President Obama's signature health care legislation, the Affordable Care Act, is very much in place now and in the next few months a number of Americans are going to see a lot more of the regulations and laws come into place. This includes: Penalties for No Health Insurance. Beginning in…

With the 2012 tax season in the rear view mirror, its time to start thinking about 2013 taxes and strategies that you can put in place to minimize taxes owed in 2014.  But before that take some time to familiarize yourself with the new 2013 tax brackets shown below. But, be careful…

[Updated for 2013-2014 tax filing season] Thanks to the so called fiscal cliff deal reached last year there were a number of impacts to taxes in 2013 which you need to be aware of when filing your 2014 taxes. Changes were in the form of updated federal tax rates, new…

[Updated] Will i still have to pay health insurance penalties (under the Obamacare individual mandate)? This is the question a lot of Americans are asking. The short answer is NO from 2019.  Here is why the individual mandate, a.k.a Obamacare penalty, is no longer in effect from 2019: While Congressional Republicans…