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2020 saw a huge increase in taxpayers working from home. A good internet connection can allow taxpayers in many industries to work almost anywhere. Whether it is because the typical workspace has closed or there’s a need to be home to care for a family member, the shift to working from home can come with substantial tax savings. Claiming the home office deduction allows the taxpayer to take a typically non-deductible expense and make it deductible, reducing the amount of income subject to tax.

The most important item to note is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) suspended this deduction for employees until 2025. However, this deduction is still available to taxpayers who are self-employed or independent contractors. (Some states may still allow a deduction for an employee).

While it’s not as easy as claiming the expenses and calling it a day, home office deductions provide fantastic ways to get a tax deduction for amounts you ordinarily would spend but are not eligible as write-offs. Keep reading to learn the details and how to deduct things like your homeowner’s association dues, security systems, and other home improvements.

Considering hiring your kids to work in your business or renting property you own to your business to save money on taxes? Both of these strategies can work (and work well), but often those promoting them (the mainstream media, social media, etc.) hold forth heavily on the benefits of the strategies without considering the nuances and fine print that can end up costing money rather than saving it if you end up on the bad side of an audit.

Keep reading for how to maximize tax savings on summer homes and summer jobs without getting burned.

As cryptocurrency grows in popularity, so do the complications of tax reporting. At present, there is no consistent 1099 reporting for crypto transactions.

This is primarily because no 1099 form currently exists to adequately report cryptocurrency. The IRS has yet to issue third party reporting requirements to exchanges, so companies must determine on their own what information to report to the IRS and how they will report it.

Some exchanges will attempt to report transactions on a traditional 1099-B, but the easily accessible transferability of crypto makes it nearly impossible for an exchange to correctly report basis information.

Incorrect reporting can result in the IRS sending an unnecessary CP2000 notice, which can be both expensive and time-consuming for the taxpayer to resolve.

Other exchanges issue a 1099-Misc for certain transactions, but again this doesn’t reflect the full picture. Some exchanges choose to issue a 1099-K to customers, showing only the gross proceeds of crypto transactions and also doesn’t show the full picture.

Here’s what to do to avoid getting a dreaded notice from the IRS.