gmcnutt's blog

With the celebration of Memorial Day being this week, Bond and Botes would like to personally thank all members of the US Armed Forces that have previously served or are currently serving this wonderful country. We are beneficiaries of the freedoms gained through the sacrifice of great men and woman. Thank you so much for your service.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines the standard mileage rates each year to be used when calculating the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Dating back to the beginning of the year (January 1, 2018) through December 31, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

If you own an Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) you still have until April 17, 2018 to make your contribution to be eligible for a tax credit or deduction on your 2017 tax return. If you are wondering why that particular date, this year’s tax-filing deadline is April 17th. So make sure your file your 2017 tax return or extension on or prior to then as well.

Many of our clients come to see us after they have visited their accountant or tax preparer, believing they were going to receive a nice refund only to find out they owe Uncle Sam money instead. Not only did they think “I have money coming,” they frequently have borrowed thinking “I can pay this right back with my refund." So now, they are doubly in trouble with both a loan to pay back as well as a tax bill. What?

The answer to that question depends on the action, expense, or event which the document records. Generally, you must keep your records that support an item of income, deduction or credit shown on your tax return until the period of limitation runs out for that tax return.

 The IRS will generally issue most refunds in less than twenty (21) calendar days. However, many different factors can affect the timing of your refund after they receive your return. Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than twenty (21) days, it is possible your refund may require additional time to process.

More than half of Millennials, 57 percent, say they have little to no understanding of how out of pocket health costs such as co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance work, according to a new report from consumer credit firm TransUnion. By contrast, about 40 percent of baby boomers admit to limited knowledge about their benefits.

We are a few days from Christmas, and the holiday season is in full bloom. Many people plan on making donations to charitable organizations before the end of the year. However, you want to make sure that organization is a Qualified Charity in order to claim a deduction for the donation on your federal tax return during tax season. Donating to charity is one of the best ways to reduce tax debt--if done properly.

I love my law firm of Bond and Botes, my law partners, my law associates, my employees and the practice of Consumer Bankruptcy very much. It is a great thing to love what you do and who you do it with and I am so blessed to get to do just that every day.

An unsecured debt is an obligation or debt that does not have personal or real property serving as collateral for payment of the debt. If you fail to make payment on an unsecured debt, the creditor cannot take any of your property without first suing you and getting a court judgment. There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as back child support, back taxes or delinquent government backed student loans.