WASHINGTON ― With another school year now in full swing, the Internal Revenue Service today reminded parents and students that now is a good time to see if they qualify for either of two college tax credits or other education-related tax benefits when they file their 2016 federal income tax returns next year.
 
In general, the American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit is available to taxpayers who pay qualifying expenses for an eligible student. Eligible students include the taxpayer, spouse and dependents. The American Opportunity Tax Credit provides a credit for each eligible student, while the Lifetime Learning Credit provides a maximum credit per tax return.
 
Though a taxpayer often qualifies for both of these credits, he or she can only claim one of them for a particular student in a particular year.  To claim these credits on their tax return, the taxpayer must file Form 1040 or 1040A and complete Form 8863, Education Credits.
The credits apply to eligible students enrolled in an eligible college, university or vocational school, including both nonprofit and for-profit institutions. The credits are subject to income limits that could reduce the amount taxpayers can claim on their tax return.
​ 
To help determine eligibility for these benefits, taxpayers should visit the Education Credits Web page or use the IRS’s Interactive Tax Assistant tool. Both are available on IRS.gov.
 
Normally, a student will receive a Form 1098-T from their institution by Jan. 31, 2017. This form will show information about tuition paid or billed along with other information. However, amounts shown on this form may differ from amounts taxpayers are eligible to claim for these tax credits. Taxpayers should see the instructions to Form 8863 and Publication 970 for details on properly figuring allowable tax benefits.
​ 
Many of those eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student. Students can claim this credit for qualified education expenses paid during the entire tax year for a certain number of years:

• The credit is only available for four tax years per eligible student. 
• The credit is available only if the student has not completed the first four years of postsecondary education before 2016.

 
​Here are some more key features of the credit:

• Qualified education expenses are amounts paid for tuition, fees and other related expenses for an eligible student. Other expenses, such as room and board, are not qualified expenses.
• The credit equals 100 percent of the first $2,000 spent and 25 percent of the next $2,000. That means the full $2,500 credit may be available to a taxpayer who pays $4,000 or more in qualified expenses for an eligible student.
• Forty percent of the American Opportunity Tax Credit is refundable. This means that even people who owe no tax can get a payment of up to $1,000 for each eligible student.
• The full credit can only be claimed by taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $80,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $160,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $180,000 or more and singles, heads of household and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $90,000 or more.

 
The Lifetime Learning Credit of up to $2,000 per tax return is available for both graduate and undergraduate students. Unlike the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the limit on the Lifetime Learning Credit applies to each tax return, rather than to each student. Also, the Lifetime Learning Credit does not provide a benefit to people who owe no tax.
​ 
Though the half-time student requirement does not apply to the lifetime learning credit, the course of study must be either part of a post-secondary degree program or taken by the student to maintain or improve job skills. Other features of the credit include:

• Tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance qualify as do other fees required for the course. Additional expenses do not.
• The credit equals 20 percent of the amount spent on eligible expenses across all students on the return. That means the full $2,000 credit is only available to a taxpayer who pays $10,000 or more in qualifying tuition and fees and has sufficient tax liability.
• Income limits are lower than under the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For 2016, the full credit can be claimed by taxpayers whose MAGI is $55,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $111,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $131,000 or more and singles, heads of household and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $65,000 or more.

 
Eligible parents and students can get the benefit of these credits during the year by having less tax taken out of their paychecks. They can do this by filling out a new Form W-4 with their employer to claim additional withholding allowances.
​  
There are a variety of other education-related tax benefits that can help many taxpayers. They include:

• Scholarship and fellowship grants — generally tax-free if used to pay for tuition, required enrollment fees, books and other course materials, but taxable if used for room, board, research, travel or other expenses.
• Tuition and fees deduction claimed on Form 8917—for some, a worthwhile alternative to the American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit.
• Student loan interest deduction of up to $2,500 per year.
• Savings bonds used to pay for college — though income limits apply, interest is usually tax-free if bonds were purchased after 1989 by a taxpayer who, at time of purchase, was at least 24 years old.
• Qualified tuition programs, also called 529 plans, used by many families to prepay or save for a child’s college education.

 
Taxpayers with qualifying children who are students up to age 24 may be able to claim a dependent exemption and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
​ 
The general comparison table in Publication 970 is a useful guide to taxpayers in determining eligibility for these benefits. Details can also be found in the Tax Benefits for Education Information Center on IRS.gov.

IRS Reminds Extension Filers of the Oct. 17 Deadline
Millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes every year. If you are one of them, then you should know that Monday, Oct. 17 is the extension deadline in 2016. This is so because Oct. 15 falls on a Saturday. If you have not yet filed, here are some things to keep in mind about the extension deadline and your taxes:

• Try IRS Free File or e-file. You can still e-file your tax return for free through IRS Free File. The program is available only on IRS.gov through Oct. 17. IRS e-file is easy, safe and the most accurate way to file your taxes.
• Use Direct Deposit. If you are due a refund, the fastest way to get it is to combine direct deposit and e-file. Direct deposit has a proven track record; eight out of 10 taxpayers who get a refund choose it.
• Use IRS Online Payment Options. If you owe taxes, the best way to pay them is with IRS Direct Pay. It’s the simple, quick and free way to pay from your checking or savings account. You also have other online payment options. Check them out by clicking on the “Payments” tab on the IRS.gov home page.
• Refunds. As you prepare to file your 2015 return, keep in mind next year’s taxes. IRS is urging taxpayers to check their tax withholding as the year winds down. New factors may delay tax refunds in 2017. For more on what you can do now, see our Aug. 31 news release.
• Don’t Overlook Tax Benefits. Be sure to claim all the tax breaks you are entitled to. These may include the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Saver’s Credit. The American Opportunity Tax Credit can help offset college costs.
• Keep a Copy of Your Return. Be sure to keep a copy of your tax return and supporting documents for at least three years. Among other things, this will make filing next year’s return easier. When you e-file your 2016 return, for example, you will often need the adjusted gross income (AGI) amount from your 2015 return.
• File On Time. If you owe taxes, file on time to avoid a potential late filing penalty. If you owe and can’t pay all of your taxes, pay as much as you can to reduce interest and penalties for late payment. You might also consider an installment agreement where you can pay over time.
• More Time for the Military. Military members and those serving in a combat zone generally get more time to file. If this applies to you, you typically have until at least 180 days after you leave the combat zone to both file returns and pay any taxes due.
• More Time in Disaster Areas. If you have an extension and live or work in a disaster area, you often have more time to file. Currently, taxpayers in parts of Louisiana and West Virginia have additional extensions beyond Oct. 17. See the disaster relief page on IRS.gov for details.

Today's release from the IRS explains that they will be hiring debt collection agencies to help collect some past due taxes.  In the midst of the many phishing scams that go on where people pretend to be IRS collection agents, please remember that the IRS and their collection agents will never ask for a credit card payment over the phone and will only ask for payment to be made to the IRS, not the collection agent.  When in doubt, hang up and call the IRS yourself.  My office is here if you need help establishing a payment plan or filing an offer in compromise. 

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it plans to begin private collection of certain overdue federal tax debts next spring and has selected four contractors to implement the new program.

  The new program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress last December, enables these designated contractors to collect, on the government’s behalf, outstanding inactive tax receivables. As a condition of receiving a contract, these agencies must respect taxpayer rights including, among other things, abiding by the consumer protection provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The IRS has selected the following contractors to carry out this program:

• CBE Group 1309 Technology Pkwy Cedar Falls, IA 50613
• Conserve 200 CrossKeys Office park Fairport, NY 14450
• Performant 333 N Canyons Pkwy Livermore, CA 94551
• Pioneer 325 Daniel Zenker Dr Horseheads, NY 14845

These private collection agencies will work on accounts where taxpayers owe money, but the IRS is no longer actively working their accounts. Several factors contribute to the IRS assigning these accounts to private collection agencies, including older, overdue tax accounts or lack of resources preventing the IRS from working the cases.
 
The IRS will give each taxpayer and their representative written notice that their account is being transferred to a private collection agency. The agency will then send a second, separate letter to the taxpayer and their representative confirming this transfer.
 
Private collection agencies will be able to identify themselves as contractors of the IRS collecting taxes. Employees of these collection agencies must follow the provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and must be courteous and respect taxpayer rights.
  
​The IRS will do everything it can to help taxpayers avoid confusion and understand their rights and tax responsibilities, particularly in light of continual phone scams where callers impersonate IRS agents and request immediate payment.
    
​
Private collection agencies will not ask for payment on a prepaid debit card. Taxpayers will be informed about electronic payment options for taxpayers on IRS.gov/Pay Your Tax Bill. Payment by check should be payable to the U.S. Treasury and sent directly to IRS, not the private collection agency. 
  

The IRS will continue to keep taxpayers informed about scams and provide tips for protecting themselves. The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov for information including the “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” page.
For more information visit the Private Debt Collection page on IRS.gov.
​

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and its Security Summit partners today issued an alert to taxpayers and tax professionals to be on guard against fake emails purporting to contain an IRS tax bill related to the Affordable Care Act.

The IRS has received numerous reports around the country of scammers sending a fraudulent version of CP2000 notices for tax year 2015. Generally, the scam involves an email that includes the fake CP2000 as an attachment. The issue has been reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for investigation.

The CP2000 is a notice commonly mailed to taxpayers through the United States Postal Service. It is never sent as part of an email to taxpayers. The indicators are:

• These notices are being sent electronically, even though the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or through social media platforms;
• The CP 2000 notices appear to be issued from an Austin, Texas, address;
• The underreported issue is related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requesting information regarding 2014 coverage;
• The payment voucher lists the letter number as 105C.

The fraudulent CP2000 notice included a payment request that taxpayers mail a check made out to “I.R.S.” to the “Austin Processing Center” at a Post Office Box address. This is in addition to a “payment” link within the email itself.

IRS impersonation scams take many forms: threatening telephone calls, phishing emails and demanding letters. Learn more at Reporting Phishing and Online Scams.

Taxpayers or tax professionals who receive this scam email should forward it to phishing@irs.gov  and then delete it from their email account.

Taxpayers and tax professionals generally can do a keyword search on IRS.gov for any notice they receive. Taxpayers who receive a notice or letter can view explanations and images of common correspondence on IRS.gov at Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter.
To determine if a CP2000 notice you received in the mail is real, see the Understanding Your CP2000 Notice, which includes an image of a real notice.

A CP2000 is generated by the IRS Automated Underreporter Program when income reported from third-party sources such as an employer does not match the income reported on the tax return. It provides extensive instructions to taxpayers about what to do if they agree or disagree that additional tax is owed.

It also requests that a check be made out to “United States Treasury” if the taxpayer agrees additional tax is owed. Or, if taxpayers are unable to pay, it provides instructions for payment options such as installment payments.

The IRS and its Security Summit partners – the state tax agencies and the private-sector tax industry – are conducting a campaign to raise awareness among taxpayer and tax professionals about increasing their security and becoming familiar with various tax-related scams. Learn more at Taxes. Security. Together. or Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself.

Taxpayers and tax professional should always beware of any unsolicited email purported to be from the IRS or any unknown source. They should never open an attachment or click on a link within an email sent by sources they do not know.

Remember the IRS will always mail you a notice rather than contact you via email or social media.  When in doubt, call the IRS or contact L&F Tax & Bookkeeping Services for assistance

Two parts of the Affordable Care Act apply only to applicable large employers. These are the employer shared responsibility provisions and the employer information reporting provisions for offers of minimum essential coverage.   Whether an employer is an ALE is determined each calendar year, and generally depends on the average size of an employer’s workforce during the prior year.  

How to Determine Workforce Size
To determine your workforce size for a year, you add your total number of full-time employees for each month of the prior calendar year to the total number of full-time equivalent employees for each calendar month of the prior calendar year and divide that total number by 12. If the result is 50 or more employees, you are an applicable large employer.

Fewer than 50 Employees
If you have fewer than 50 full-time employees – including full-time equivalent employees – on average during the prior year, you are not an ALE for the current calendar year. Therefore, you are not subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions or the employer information reporting provisions for the current year.

However, if your organization sponsors a self-insured health plan that provides minimum essential coverage, you do have certain reporting requirements.

You may be eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit and can find more information about how the Affordable Care Act affects you on the ACA Tax Provisions for Small Employers page.

50 or More Employees
If you have at least 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees, on average during the prior year, you are an ALE for the current calendar year. If so, you are therefore subject to the employer shared responsibility provisions and the employer information reporting provisions.​

The IRS is sending letters to taxpayers who received advance payments of the premium tax credit in 2015, but who have not yet filed their tax return. You must file a tax return to reconcile any advance credit payments you received in 2015 and to maintain your eligibility for future premium assistance. If you do not file, you will not be eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit in 2017.
If you receive Letter 5858 or 5862, you are being reminded to file your 2015 federal tax return along with Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit.  The letter encourages you to file within 30 days of the date of the letter to substantially increase your chances of avoiding a gap in receiving assistance with paying Marketplace health insurance coverage in 2017.
Here’s what you need to do if you received a 5858 

• Read your letter carefully.
• Review the situation to see if you agree with the information in the letter.
• Use the Form 1095-A that you received from your Marketplace to complete your return. If you need a copy of your Form 1095-A, log in to your HealthCare.gov or state Marketplace account or call your Marketplace call center.
• File your 2015 tax return with Form 8962 as soon as possible, even if you don’t normally have to file.
• If you have already filed your 2015 tax return with Form 8962, you can disregard the letter.

​​Here's what you need to do if you received a 5862 letter:
​​

• Read your letter carefully.
• Review the situation to see if you agree with the information in the letter.
• Use the Form 1095-A that you received from your Marketplace to complete Form 8962. If you need a copy of your Form 1095-A, log in to your HealthCare.gov or state Marketplace account or call your Marketplace call center.
• File your 2015 tax return with Form 8962 as soon as possible, even though you have an extension until October 17, 2016, to file.
• If you have already filed your 2015 tax return with Form 8962, please disregard this letter. 

If you moved this year or are planning to move, you probably have a list of organizations to notify about your new address – like the U.S. Postal Service, utility companies and even the IRS. If you get health insurance coverage through a Health Insurance Marketplace, you should add one more important notification to your list: your Marketplace.
  
​If you are receiving advance payments of the premium tax credit, it is particularly important that you report changes in circumstances, such as moving to a new address, to the Marketplace. There’s a simple reason. Reporting your move lets the Marketplace update the information used to determine your eligibility for a Marketplace plan, which may in turn affect the appropriate amount of advance payments of the premium tax credit that the government sends to your health insurer.
  
Reporting the changes  promptly will help you get the proper type and amount of financial assistance.  Getting too much premium assistance means you may owe additional money or get a smaller refund when you file your taxes. On the other hand, getting too little could mean missing out on monthly premium assistance that you deserve.
Other changes in circumstances that you should report to the Marketplace include:

• an increase or decrease in your income, including lump sum payments like a lump sum payment of Social Security benefits
• marriage or divorce
• the birth or adoption of a child or other changes affecting the composition of your tax family
• starting a job with health insurance
• gaining or losing your eligibility for other health care coverage  ​​
  
• ​Many of these changes in circumstances – including moving out of the area served by your current Marketplace plan – qualify you for a special enrollment period to change or get insurance through the Marketplace. In most cases, if you qualify for the special enrollment period, you will have sixty days to enroll following the change in circumstances. You can find information about special enrollment periods at HealthCare.gov.

       
The Premium Tax Credit Change Estimator can help you estimate how your premium tax credit will change if you experience a change in circumstance during the year.

For more information contact L&F Tax & Bookkeeping Services.​