- Prepare your yearly tax return with confidence
- Apply sound strategies to reduce your tax bill
- Discover year-round ways to keep more of your earnings
- Create a tax-savvy financial plan, with or without the help of an advisor
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting Ready to File 5
Chapter 1: Understanding the U.S Tax System 7
Chapter 2: Tax Return Preparation Options and Tools 19
Chapter 3: Getting and Staying Organized 31
Chapter 4: What Kind of Taxpayer Are You? 43
Part 2: Tackling the Main Forms 67
Chapter 5: All The Form 1040s: Income Stuff 69
Chapter 6: Form 1040, Schedule 1, Part I: Additional Income 107
Chapter 7: Form 1040, Schedule 1, Part II: Adjustments to Income Stuff 125
Chapter 8: Form 1040, Schedule 2: Additional Taxes 151
Chapter 9: Form 1040, Schedule 3: Adding Up Your Credits and Payments 165
Chapter 10: Finishing Up the 1040 177
Part 3: Filling Out Schedules and Other Forms 195
Chapter 11: Itemized Deductions: Schedule A 197
Chapter 12: Interest and Dividend Income: Form 1040, Schedule B 235
Chapter 13: Business Tax Schedules: C and F 253
Chapter 14: Capital Gains and Losses: Schedule D and Form 8949 295
Chapter 15: Supplemental Income and Loss: Schedule E 327
Chapter 16: Giving Credits Where Credits Are Due 345
Chapter 17: Other Schedules and Forms to File 361
Part 4: Audits and Errors: Dealing with the IRS 381
Chapter 18: Dreaded Envelopes: IRS Notices, Assessments, and Audits 383
Chapter 19: Fixing Mistakes the IRS Makes 405
Chapter 20: Fixing Your Own Mistakes 421
Part 5: Year-Round Tax Planning 445
Chapter 21: Tax-Wise Personal Finance Decisions 447
Chapter 22: Trimming Taxes with Retirement Accounts 457
Chapter 23: Small-Business Tax Planning 477
Chapter 24: Your Investments and Taxes 495
Chapter 25: Real Estate and Taxes 511
Chapter 26: Children and Taxes 529
Chapter 27: Estate Planning 543
Part 6: The Part of Tens 555
Chapter 28: Ten Tips for Reducing Your Chances of Being Audited 557
Chapter 29: Ten Overlooked Opportunities to Trim Your Taxes 563
Chapter 30: Ten (Plus One) Tax Tips for Military Families 569
Chapter 31: Ten Interview Questions for Tax Advisors 575
Appendix: Glossary 581
Index 595
