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Just FYI - even if you missed the window to amend your 2018-2019 returns, current homeowners should keep an eye on this deduction. Congress has extended it several times in the past, and there's always a possibility they'll reinstate it again for future tax years. I make a habit of checking every January to see what deductions have been extended. The mortgage insurance premium deduction can be worth hundreds of dollars if you itemize.
Do you know any good resources to keep track of these changing tax provisions? I always seem to find out about extensions after I've already filed.
I usually check the IRS website directly in January before tax season starts. They publish updates on extended provisions. The other resource I've found helpful is following the IRS newsroom (https://www.irs.gov/newsroom) which announces major tax law changes. Tax software usually updates quickly too, but if you file early in the season, sometimes they haven't incorporated the latest extensions that Congress passes at the last minute. That's why I generally wait until at least mid-February to file if I think I might benefit from typically extended provisions like the mortgage insurance premium deduction.
Anyone know if PMI on a refinanced mortgage qualifies for this deduction? I refinanced in 2018 and had to keep paying PMI even though I only pulled out a small amount of extra cash.
Yes, PMI on a refinanced mortgage would qualify for the deduction in 2018-2019, as long as the loan was primarily for home acquisition debt (buying, building, or substantially improving your home). If you took out some cash but it was minor compared to the refinance amount, the PMI should still be deductible. The key factor is that the insurance contract needed to be issued after 2006 and the loan had to be for your primary or second home, not an investment property.
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Lilah Brooks
One thing nobody's mentioned yet - check if you qualify for any deductions or credits you might have missed! At your income levels, you probably can't take full advantage of many credits, but you might still qualify for: - Mortgage interest deduction if you own a home - State and local tax deductions (capped at $10k) - HSA contributions if you have eligible health insurance - Student loan interest deduction (though this phases out at higher incomes) - Charitable contributions Even if it doesn't eliminate the whole bill, finding an extra thousand in deductions could help take the edge off! Just make sure whatever software you're using is checking for all possible deductions.
We do own a home, so I'll make sure the mortgage interest is included. I think we've got about $8k in state taxes too. Do you know if student loan interest is still deductible if we file MFS for the IDR benefits?
Lilah Brooks
ā¢Unfortunately, one of the major downsides of filing MFS is that you cannot deduct student loan interest. This is one of several tax benefits you lose when filing separately. The student loan interest deduction starts phasing out at $75,000 for single filers and $155,000 for joint filers, and is eliminated completely at $90,000 and $185,000 respectively. You should definitely make sure you're capturing the mortgage interest and state/local taxes (SALT). Keep in mind that the standard deduction for MFJ is $27,700 for 2023, so your itemized deductions would need to exceed that amount to be worthwhile. For MFS, each of you would have a $13,850 standard deduction.
Don't forget to check your actual W-2s to make sure the withholding amounts look right! I had a situation where my employer messed up my withholding for half the year and that's why I ended up with a huge tax bill. Box 2 on both your W-2s should show federal income tax withheld. Add those numbers up and compare to what you're supposed to owe. If your total combined withholding is way less than $10k, that's definitely the problem. At your income levels (about $300k combined), your effective tax rate should be around 15-20% depending on deductions, so you should have had roughly $45-60k withheld throughout the year.
Good point about checking the W-2s. Another thing to check is if either of your employers did any special bonus payouts. Those are often withheld at a flat 22% rate, which can be too low if you're in a higher tax bracket. This happens to me every year with my annual bonus.
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Jay Lincoln
One tip nobody's mentioned - if you expect to make more than $400 in profit from your side business, you need to pay self-employment tax. Make sure you're setting aside roughly 30% of your profits for taxes (15.3% for self-employment tax plus your regular income tax rate). Also - keep ALL your receipts and track everything meticulously. I'd recommend a separate business bank account and credit card just for your side business expenses to make things super clear at tax time.
Ryan Vasquez
ā¢The 30% rule of thumb is helpful! Do you think it's worth using accounting software like QuickBooks Self-Employed at my income level, or is that overkill?
Jay Lincoln
ā¢For your income level ($10-15K), I think a simple spreadsheet might be sufficient if you're organized, but QuickBooks Self-Employed is actually pretty reasonably priced and automates a lot. The time you save categorizing expenses and calculating quarterly taxes might be worth the subscription cost. What I like about dedicated accounting software is that it lets you snap photos of receipts on the go and automatically categorizes transactions. It also helps track mileage if you're driving for business purposes. Plus, when your business grows, you'll already have a system in place rather than trying to transition later.
Can someone explain how business mileage deductions work for a side business? I drive to clients sometimes but don't know if I can deduct that.
For 2025, you can deduct 67 cents per mile for business travel (the rate is adjusted annually). So if you drive 100 miles for business, that's a $67 deduction. You need to track your starting mileage, ending mileage, date, and business purpose for each trip. There are apps that can help track this automatically.
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4 Regarding your wholesale business question - make sure you're tracking inventory properly. Cost of goods sold is definitely deductible, but the IRS has specific rules about inventory accounting for wholesale businesses. You need to be consistent in how you value inventory from year to year. I learned this the hard way when I got audited for my small retail business.
1 Thanks for this info. I'm actually not sure I'm doing this correctly. Do you use specific inventory tracking software or do you have another system? My business is fairly small but growing, and I've mostly been tracking things in spreadsheets so far.
4 I started with spreadsheets too, but as my business grew, I invested in QuickBooks Online with their inventory add-on. It was a game-changer for tracking cost of goods sold properly. The key thing the IRS looks for is consistency in your inventory methods - whether you're using FIFO (first in, first out) or another approved method. For a smaller business, good spreadsheets can work fine as long as you're methodical. Just make sure you're tracking: 1) Beginning inventory value 2) Purchases made throughout the year 3) Ending inventory value. The formula is: Beginning inventory + Purchases - Ending inventory = Cost of Goods Sold for the year.
11 One thing nobody mentioned - if you're giving money to help your friend with specific expenses like medical bills or tuition, you could potentially pay those directly instead of giving cash. Direct payments to educational institutions or medical providers on someone's behalf aren't subject to gift tax limits at all! Might be worth considering if your friend has those specific needs.
19 Is this really true? So I could pay someone's entire college tuition directly to the school and it wouldn't count against the gift tax limit at all?
Emma Bianchi
My wife is
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Lucas Kowalski
ā¢Where did you find Excel-themed jewelry? My girlfriend is an accountant and that sounds perfect for her birthday coming up!
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Emma Bianchi
ā¢I found it on Etsy! There are several artists who make spreadsheet-inspired necklaces and earrings. Some use the actual Excel icon, while others create pendants that look like spreadsheet formulas or functions. Search for "excel jewelry" or "spreadsheet jewelry" and you'll find plenty of options. There's also a shop that makes custom formula bracelets where you can put in your own Excel formula (my wife loves VLOOKUP so I got her that one). They're surprisingly elegant looking while still being a perfect inside joke for spreadsheet lovers.
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Olivia Martinez
Forget the mugs and t-shirts - those are overdone. My accountant friend absolutely lost it when I got him a custom bobblehead that looked like him sitting at a desk surrounded by tiny tax forms and a calculator. Cost about $75 and was 100% worth it. There are several companies online that make custom bobbleheads from photos. Just saying, nothing beats a personalized gift that shows you put some thought into it.
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Charlie Yang
ā¢Omg that's actually brilliant! Did it really look like your friend? I'm worried it might come out looking creepy rather than funny.
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