Tax

Oftentimes, the first house a person buys is an affordable condominium, townhouse, or older single-family dwelling also referred to as a “starter home.” It might be small and lack features they dream about such as new appliances in the kitchen or dual sinks in the bath, to a large yard or a garage. However, the… View Article

On August 7, the U.S. Senate voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The enormous bill—clocking in at 725 pages—contains a wide range of provisions and comes with a nearly $750 billion price tag. “The bill is fighting inflation and has a whole lot of collateral benefits as well,” said former Treasury Secretary Larry… View Article

One of the perennial fears of taxpayers is getting audited by the IRS. Financially, few scenarios strike such fear into hearts. However, taxpayers can probably breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now. This is because the rate at which the IRS is initiating audits of individual taxpayers is dropping like a stone…. View Article

Pennsylvania passed its budget for the 2022 – 23 fiscal year on July 8, 2022. While the main purpose of the annual budget is to allow the state to continue to pay its bills, it is also the primary source of tax law changes in Pennsylvania. The recently passed budget brings a long-sought reduction to… View Article

This article explains the precautions to take when getting a divorce, and several tax concerns that need to be addressed to ensure that taxes are kept to a minimum and important tax-related decisions are properly made. Five issues to consider in the process of divorce include alimony or support payments, child support, personal residence, pension… View Article

The June 15th deadline for return estimated payments for PA-40 and PA-41 is quickly approaching. The RBF tax team wanted to be sure you are aware that estimated payments of $15,000 plus must be paid electronically via myPATH online portal or PA will assess up to a $500 penalty. myPATH stands for “my Pennsylvania Tax Hub,”… View Article

Taxpayers often question how long records must be kept and the amount of time IRS has to audit a return after it is filed. It all depends on the circumstances! In many cases, the federal statute of limitations can be used to help you determine how long to keep records. With certain exceptions, the statute… View Article

If you have a second home in a resort area, or if you have been considering acquiring a second home or vacation home, and with summer just around the corner, you may have questions about how rental income is taxed for a part-time vacation-home rental. The applicable rental rules include some interesting twists that you… View Article

Have you ever wondered how long the IRS has to question and assess additional tax on your tax returns? For most taxpayers who reported all their income, the IRS has three years from the date of filing the returns to examine them. This period is termed the statute of limitations. But wait – as in… View Article

You may hear people use the term “Stepped-Up Basis” that many believe is a tax provision that allows beneficiaries of an inheritance to reduce or even avoid taxes when and if they sell inherited property. When an individual sells property, any gain from the sale of the property is taxable. The tax term “basis” is… View Article