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Book Review: Gifts for Baby - Toys, Clothes & Nursery Accents to Make with Love
By Joanne O'Sullivan ©Copyright 2003 128 pages With Christmas fast approaching, there is still time to create a thoughtful gift, for the special baby, in your life. This book includes projects for, both, those who sew and those who enjoy crafts,...
Take Advantage of Your Child's Energy Levels
“Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” -Josh Billings If parents want to be able to make best use of time with their children, then it is crucial for a parent to start becoming alert to the state that their...
The English were always Philistines, Sir Roy!
Sir Roy Strong, the eminent English historian and former director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, has ridiculed the television programme ‘I’m a celebrity… Get me out of Here!’ in a recent article in...
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Are You Eligible For Any Of These Tax Credits?
Taxpayers should consider claiming tax credits for which they might be eligible when completing their federal income tax returns. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of taxes owed. Some credits are refundable – taxes could be reduced to the point that a taxpayer would receive a refund rather than owing any taxes. Below are some of the credits taxpayers could be eligible to claim:
Earned Income Tax Credit
This is a refundable credit for low-income working individuals and families. Income and family size determine the amount of the EITC. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.
Child and Dependent Care Credit
This is for expenses paid for the care of children under age 13, or for a disabled spouse or dependent, to enable the taxpayer to work. There is a limit to the amount of qualifying expenses. The credit is a percentage of those qualifying expenses.
Adoption Credit
Adoptive parents can take a tax credit of up to $10,390 for qualifying expenses paid to adopt an eligible child. A credit of up to $10,390 may be allowed for the adoption of a child with special needs even if you do not have any qualifying expenses. For more information, see Pub. 968, Tax Benefits for Adoption.
Credit for the Elderly and Disabled
This credit is available to individuals who are either age 65 or older or are under age 65 and retired on permanent and total disability, and who are citizens or residents. There are income limitations. For more
information, see Pub.524, Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled.
Education Credits
There are two credits available, the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, for people who pay higher education costs. The Hope Credit is for the payment of the first two years of tuition and related expenses for an eligible student for whom the taxpayer claims an exemption on the tax return. The Lifetime Learning Credit is available for all post-secondary education for an unlimited number of years. A taxpayer cannot claim both credits for the same student in one year. For more information, see Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.
Retirement Savings Contribution Credit
Eligible individuals may be able to claim a credit for a percentage of their qualified retirement savings contributions, such as contributions to a traditional or Roth IRA or salary reduction contributions to a SEP or SIMPLE plan. To be eligible, you must be at least age 18 at the end of the year and not a student or an individual for whom someone else claims a personal exemption. Also, your adjusted gross income (AGI) must be below a certain amount. For more information, see chapter four in Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).
About the Author
Richard Chapo is CEO of Business Tax Recovery - Obtaining tax refunds for small businesses for overpaid taxes. Discovery tax strategies and deductions in our tax articles section.
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