Bill Nemeth and Merry Brodie join me to talk about recent trends and hot topics in personal finance on the Ilyce Glink Show on noon CST Nov. 11 on WSB Radio.

For today’s episode Bill and Merry give us some insight into the 2012 Tax Review and information about the looming 2013 Fiscal Cliff.

Bill and Merry are now partners in a new joint venture called Tax Audit Guardian along with some heavy duty retired IRS folks who are also attorneys and CPAs.

They do tax problem resolution from the standard “I haven’t filed in years” to the serious criminal cases. As Enrolled Agents, they are licensed by the IRS to work on behalf of their clients at both the federal and all 50 state levels.

You can contact Bill at  [email protected] and Merry at [email protected].

2012 – The GOOD Tax News
Education- Related Credits – AOC and Lifetime Learning Credit (expires in 2013)
Individual Income Tax Rates – NO Change
Long-Term Capital Gains & Dividend Tax Rates No Change – 15%
IRA Contribution Amounts – No Change
($5,000; $6,000 for taxpayers 50 and above)
Mortgage forgiveness on Primary Residence
(Last year for this provision)
Earned Income Credit for up to 3 children
Child Tax Credit remains at $1,000

2012 – The BAD Tax News
$4,000 Tuition and Fees Deduction eliminated
$250 Teachers Classroom Supplies Deduction eliminated
No Residential Energy Credits

Itemized Deductions – Schedule A
Sales Tax Deduction goes away (Impacts taxpayers in the 9 states without a state income tax)
Private Mortgage Insurance no longer deductible for homeowners
Deduction for direct IRA Payout to charity
70 ½ or older taxpayer could direct up to $100,000 of their IRA distribution directly to charity and exclude the donated amount from taxable income.

2012 – The UGLY Tax News
AMT Patch – Income Thresholds drop dramatically (to 2001 levels) – AMT invades the middle class. 31 Million Taxpayers exposed to higher AMT this year.
AMT – Tuition and dependent-care credits were allowed to offset AMT liability
FBAR – Must report Foreign Bank Accounts over $10,000
FATCA – Must report foreign accounts over which the taxpayer has signature authority
Tax Return Identity Theft – Up 20% for 2012 filing season

VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT – Student Aid
When the IRS determines that a tax filer has been, or likely was, a victim of identity theft, it will not allow that tax filer to obtain tax information through the use of the IRS DRT or to receive an IRS Tax Return Transcript until the matter has been resolved by the IRS. Resolution could take up to a year, depending on the complexity of the case. Therefore, in instances when the tax filer has been the victim of identity theft, the institution may accept for verification purposes a signed copy of the paper IRS income tax return that was filed with the IRS along with additional documentation as follows.

2013 – The GOOD News gone BAD
Bush Tax Cuts Expire – Tax Rates return to 2001 levels of 15 to 39.6%
Payroll Tax Holiday goes away (FICA Tax restored to 6.2% for W-2 Workers, 12.4% for SE Workers)
Child tax credit reverts to $500 per child with increased income thresholds
Earned Income Credit drops to 2 children max
Dividends taxed at ordinary rates
No Generous AOC Education Credit
NO Mortgage forgiveness on Primary Residence
The adoption credit will revert back to $5,000, or $6,000 if a special needs child is adopted
Long Term Capital Gains taxed at 20% (up from 15%)
For higher income individuals, Medicare Taxes will be increased to 3.8% & expanded to cover both wage income and investment income.
AMT Thresholds may continue at 2001 levels