The new 3.8% Medicare surtax on net investment income (NII) appears to be here to stay. If this tax caught you by surprise when you filed your 2013 tax return, you should be better prepared this year. → Here’s how the tax works. If your investment income exceeds certain thresholds, you may owe a 3.8% Medicare tax on the excess. The taxable amount would be the lesser of (a) your net investment income (NII), or (b)

If you hold foreign bank or financial accounts and the total value of your account exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year, you may be required to file a Treasury Department report known as the FBAR. It’s easy to overlook this requirement because it’s separate from your federal income tax filing, with a different deadline and strict rules. FBAR refers to “Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.” That form is new

June 16, 2014, is the due date for making your second installment of 2014 individual estimated tax. Your check to the United States Treasury should be accompanied by Form 1040-ES. June 16 is also the due date for calendar-year corporations to make their second quarter 2014 estimated tax payment.

Tax-exempt organizations are required to file annual reports with the IRS. Those with gross receipts below $50,000 can file an E-postcard rather than a longer version of Form 990. The deadline for nonprofit filings is the 15th day of the fifth month after their year-end. For calendar-year organizations, the filing deadline for 2013 reports is May 15, 2014. Contact us if you need details or filing assistance.

The death of a spouse can be a devastating experience, both emotionally and financially. As the survivor, you’ll have to make important decisions while you’re in what could be the most vulnerable and distracted stage of your life. The suggestions that follow might at least help ease your financial stress. Don’t make major decisions right away. Put off selling your house, moving in with your grown children, giving everything away, liquidating your investments, or buying new

Many taxpayers have income on which there is no withholding, such as interest, dividends, rental or royalty income, or business income. If this is your situation, you’ll want to see if you’re required to make estimated tax payments in 2014 in order to avoid the penalty for underpayment of your taxes. The tax system is “pay as you go” by law. If you have income on which no taxes are withheld, it is up to you

The earlier you start, the easier it will be to get ahead financially. Here are some recommendations for those in their early twenties. Pay yourself first. Every time you get paid, put something aside in a savings or investment account. As a general rule, save 10% of your income. Even smaller amounts add up over time. Watch your plastic. Credit cards are an expensive form of debt, and it’s easy to lose control of them. Try

Take a look at your 2013 tax return after it’s prepared. How close to the edge did you come to losing tax benefits due to tax phase-outs? As you begin your 2014 tax planning, consider the effects of these benefit-limiting provisions, many of which are based on modified adjusted gross income, or MAGI. Knowing how close you are to the “edge” can help you preserve tax breaks for 2014. A caution: Since the definition of MAGI

Tuesday, April 15, is the deadline for filing certain returns and taking certain tax-related actions. Here are the major deadlines. Filing 2013 income tax returns for individuals. If you cannot file your return by this deadline, be sure to file an extension request by April 15. The automatic extension (you don’t need to explain to the IRS why you need more time) gives you until October 15, 2014, to file your return. An extension does not,

Retirement accounts grow tax-deferred until you need the funds. However, in most cases your money cannot remain in these accounts forever. The IRS has rules that dictate when and how much you must withdraw from your retirement accounts. Required withdrawals. The amount you must withdraw each year is called your required minimum distribution (RMD). You can withdraw more than the required minimum distribution from your retirement accounts, but if you fail to take at least the