National taxes

Despite the cooling market, many homeowners made money selling their property in 2022 — and part of that windfall may be taxable.Home sellers made a $112,000 profit on the typical sale in 2022, a 21% increase from 2021, and a 78% jump from two years ago, according to ATTOM, a nationwide property database. While most sellers fall under the thresholds for capital gains taxes, high-dollar home sales or long-term ownership can trigger an unexpected bill, experts say.More from Smart Tax Planning:Here's a look at more…

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questions IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig at a Senate Finance Committee hearing.Tom Williams | Pool | ReutersPresident Joe Biden's nominee to lead the IRS answered questions during a Senate Finance Committee hearing this week, highlighting key issues from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.Daniel Werfel, a former budget official and private sector leader, fielded questions Wednesday about the agency's funding, enforcement, transparency and other priorities.  "I think…

vitapix | E+ | Getty ImagesPlanning to sell some investments this year? It's less likely to affect your 2023 tax bill, experts say.Here's why: The IRS made dozens of inflation adjustments for 2023, including the long-term capital gains brackets, applying to investments held for more than one year.This means you can have more taxable income before reaching the 15% or 20% brackets for investment earnings.More from Smart Tax Planning:Here's a look at more tax-planning news."It's going to be pretty significant," said Tommy…

Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty ImagesThe tax season is underway, and the IRS has issued nearly 8 million refunds worth about $15.7 billion as of Feb. 3, the agency reported.The average refund amount was $1,963, down from last year's payment of $2,201 at the same point in the filing season. Of course, the average may change as the IRS processes millions more returns before the April 18 deadline.While the agency warned refunds may be "somewhat lower" this season, experts say it's still too early to know for sure.More from Smart…

dmphoto | E+ | Getty ImagesTax season is underway, and there's been increased scrutiny of the IRS as it starts deploying part of the nearly $80 billion in funding approved for the agency by Congress in August. While Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said goals include boosting customer service and improving technology, critics have warned the new funding will spark an uptick in IRS audits. "People are scared to death of the IRS," said Karla Dennis, an enrolled agent and founder of Karla Dennis and Associates. "They…

Jeffrey Coolidge | Photodisc | Getty ImagesBlack Americans are roughly three to five times more likely to face an IRS audit than other taxpayers, according to a new study.While there isn't evidence of explicit discrimination from the IRS or its revenue agents, the findings show the disparity stems from a faulty software algorithm used by the agency to pick who gets audited.Based on microdata on roughly 148 million tax returns and 780,000 audits, the study was conducted by economists at Stanford University, the University…

A worsening macroeconomic climate and the collapse of industry giants like FTX and Terra have weighed on bitcoin's price this year.STR | Nurphoto via Getty ImagesCrypto losses can offset investment gainsOne of the silver linings of plummeting assets is the chance to leverage tax-loss harvesting, or using losses to offset gains.If you sold crypto at a loss, you can subtract that from other portfolio profits, and once losses exceed gains, you can trim up to $3,000 from regular income, explained Lisa Greene-Lewis, a…

John Miller | iStock | Getty ImagesA group of House Republicans are revisiting the Fair Tax Act, which would replace certain federal levies with a national sales tax and decentralize the IRS.While the plan may not get a floor vote and wouldn't make it through the Democrat-controlled Senate, policy experts say the plan would make the tax system more regressive, meaning the burden decreases as income gets higher.Introduced in early January, the proposal would eliminate income, payroll, estate and gift taxes, to be replaced…

Bill Oxford | E+ | Getty ImagesIf you're banking on a tax refund, it may be "somewhat lower" than last year's payment, according to the IRS.Typically, you can expect a federal refund if you've overpaid yearly taxes or withheld more than what you owe. One of the big reasons for smaller payments this year is expiring pandemic relief, which was delivered via tax breaks for 2021 returns, experts say.More from Smart Tax Planning:Here's a look at more tax-planning news.Meanwhile, many Americans are still struggling financially,…

Drakula & Co. | Moment | Getty ImagesHow soon to expect a tax refund after filing your returnTypically, you will receive a refund within 21 days if you've filed an accurate, electronic return with direct deposit for the payment, according to the IRS. Paper filings and errors may extend the timeline. You can check the agency's refund portal for status updates. The timeline changes if you're claiming the earned income tax credit — a tax break for low- to moderate-income workers — or the additional child tax credit.…