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Scroll through the list of terms below or click a letter to jump directly to that section of the glossary.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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A

AARP

American Association of Retired Persons

 

Accrual method

Accounting method that reports income when earned (not necessarily received) and expenses when incurred (not necessarily paid), as opposed to the cash method.

 

Active Participation

When a taxpayer makes significant rental or business management decisions, such as approving rental terms, repairs, expenditures, and new tenants (versus passive activity). Taxpayers who use a leasing agent or property manager are still considered active participants if they retain final management rights.

 

Active Pay

The military income a service member receives while on active duty (versus retirement or retainer pay).

 

Actual Expense Method

One of two methods for calculating business automobile expenses. For the actual expense method, the taxpayer determines the business portion of expenses for fuel, auto maintenance, parking fees and tolls, and auto loan interest. (The other method is the standard mileage method).

 

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

Total income reduced by certain amounts such as contributions made to a traditional IRA or for student loan interest payments.

 

Allocated Tips

Tips an employer assigns to an employee. They are in addition to the tips the employee reported to the employer.

 

Annuity

A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.

 

At-Risk Rule

One of two restrictions on how much a loss from passive activity can offset other sources of income. Taxpayers are restricted from claiming a loss for more than they could actually lose from the activity; they can claim a loss only up to the amount for which they are personally at-risk in the activity. (The other restriction is the passive activity rule.)

 

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B

BAH

Basic allowance for housing, a type of excludable military income.

 

BAS

Basic allowance for subsistence, a type of excludable military income.

 

Blocked income

Blocked income is when a taxpayer cannot convert foreign currency to U.S. dollars due to local law or local government policy. Special tax rules allow taxpayers with blocked income to delay reporting part of their income.

 

Bona Fide Residence Test

To meet the bona fide residence test for the foreign earned income exclusion, taxpayers must show that they have set up permanent quarters in a foreign country for an entire, uninterrupted tax year.

 

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C

Capital Gain Distributions

Capital gains passed to investors typically by Mutual funds (regulated investment companies) and real estate investment trusts (REITs)

 

Capital Gains

See Capital Gain Distributions

 

Cash Method

Accounting method that reports income when constructively received (not earned) and expenses when paid (not incurred), as opposed to the accrual method.

 

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

This is a program designed to help working families obtain affordable and much-needed health insurance for their children.

 

Child and Dependent Care Credit

A nonrefundable credit that allows taxpayers to claim a credit for paying someone to care for their qualifying Dependents under the age of 13 or Spouses or dependents who are unable to care for themselves.

 

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

This is a program designed to help working families obtain affordable and much-needed health insurance for their children.

 

Citizen or Resident Test

The second of the five dependency tests: Is the potential dependent a U.S. citizen or resident, or resident of Canada or Mexico?

 

Combat Zone

Any area (1) the President of the United States designates by Executive Order as an area in which the U.S. Armed Forces are engaging or have engaged in combat, (2) the Department of Defense has certified for combat zone tax benefits due to its direct support of military operations, or (3) a Qualified Hazardous Duty Area established by statute where the service member receives imminent danger pay. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces who serve in a combat zone may exclude military pay from their taxable income.

 

Compensation

Wages, salaries, commissions, tips, bonuses, professional fees, earnings from self-employment, and alimony.

 

Constructive Receipt of Income

When an amount is credited to the taxpayer's account or made available to the taxpayer (or taxpayer's agent) without restriction.

 

Credit

A direct reduction of the taxpayer's liability. Credits are allowed for such purposes as child care expenses, higher education costs, qualifying children, and earned income of low-income taxpayers.

 

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D

Date of Transaction

Either the date on a check made payable to the taxpayer or the date money is credited to the taxpayer's account. When converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars, the date of transaction is the date determines the exchange rate to use.

 

Dependent

An individual who may be claimed as a dependent on another person's tax return; that is, someone who is supported by another taxpayer and who meets all five dependency tests.

 

Dependency Exemptions

Exemptions allowed to taxpayers whose qualifying dependents meet the criteria of five dependency tests.

 

Dependency Tests

Five sets of criteria that determine whether an individual qualifies for dependent status. The five dependency tests are: Member of Household or Relationship test, Citizen or Resident test, Joint Return test, Support test, and Gross Income test.

 

Dependent Care Benefits

These benefits include amounts employers pay to a taxpayer or directly to the care provider.

 

Depreciation

An annual deduction that allows taxpayers to recover the cost of property used in a trade or business or held for the production of income. The amount of depreciation depends on the basis of the property, its recovery period, and the depreciation method.

 

Disability Income

This income comes from an employer's disability insurance, health plan, or pension plan. The payments replace wages for the time the taxpayer missed work because of the disability. The plan must provide for disability retirement for the payments to be considered disability income.

 

Disability Pension

Generally paid to a taxpayer who retires because of a disability before the minimum retirement age (set by the employer). The disability pension is considered regular pension income when the taxpayer reaches the minimum retirement age.

 

DITY Move

Do-it-yourself move. The most common form of military move is the partial DITY move, where the military provides a moving company to transport some of the service member's goods. Service members who receive DITY payments must include them in their gross income.

 

Dividends

A corporation's distributions to its shareholders from its earnings and profits.

 

Domicile

A taxpayer's legal, permanent residence. It is not always where the person presently lives.

 

Dual Status Alien

An alien who is both a nonresident and resident alien during the same tax year. The most common dual-status tax years are the years of arrival and departure.

 

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E

Earned Income

Includes wages, salaries, tips, and other employee compensation when the amounts are includible in gross income. Also, net earnings from self-employment and other income received for personal services.

 

Earned Income Credit

A credit that can be paid to low-income workers, even if no income tax was withheld from the worker's pay. To receive the credit, a taxpayer must file a tax return.

 

EIC

Earned income credit.

 

EITC

Earned Income Tax Credit. See EIC.

 

ESA

Coverdell Education Savings Account

 

Excludable Income

Income that is not included in the taxpayer's gross income and therefore exempt from federal income tax.

 

Exempt (from withholding)

Free from withholding of federal income tax. Must meet certain income, tax liability, and dependency criteria. Does not exempt a person from other kinds of tax withholding, such as social security tax.

 

Exemption/Exemption Amount

The dollar amount that can be deducted from an individual's total income, thereby reducing the taxable income.

 

Exemptions (Personal or Dependency)

Amount that taxpayers can claim for themselves, their spouses, and eligible dependents. The total is subtracted from adjusted gross income before tax is figured on the remaining income (taxable income).

 

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F

Filing statuses

Five taxpayer categories that determine the amount of tax and/or tax credits that apply to different taxpayers. The five filing statuses are (from lowest to highest tax): Married Filing Jointly; Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child; Head of Household; Single; Married Filing Separately.

 

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

The foreign earned income exclusion allows eligible taxpayers to avoid paying federal income tax on their foreign earned income.

 

Foreign Tax Credit

U.S. tax credit used to offset any foreign income tax taxpayers have paid on qualified income that is also subject to U.S. federal income tax.

 

Form 1040

Tax return used to report income from wages, salaries, and tips; qualified tuition program earnings; Alaska Permanent Fund dividends; taxable scholarships and fellowship grants; interest of $1,500 or less; and unemployment compensation.

 

Form 1040 Schedule A

Itemized Deductions

 

Form 1040 Schedule B

Interest and Ordinary Dividends

 

Form 1040 Schedule C-EZ

Net Profit from Business

 

Form 1040 Schedule D

Capital Gains and Losses

 

Form 1040 Schedule E

Supplemental Income and Loss

 

Form 1040 Schedule SE

Self-Employment Tax

 

Form 1040A

Tax return used to report all Form 1040A items, plus all other forms of income.

 

Form 1040A Schedule 1

Interest and Ordinary Dividends for Form 1040A Filers

 

Form 1040A Schedule 2

Child and Dependent Care Expenses for Form 1040A Filers

 

Form 1040ES

Estimated Tax for Individuals. This is a package used primarily for first-time filers of estimated taxes.

 

Form 1040EZ

Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers with No Dependents, used to report income from wages, salaries, and tips, plus income from dividends and interest greater than $1,500; capital gain distributions; IRA, pension, and annuity income; and social security and railroad retirement benefits.

 

Form 1040NR

U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return.

 

Form 1040X

Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. used to modify a previously filed tax return.

 

Form 1098

Statement showing Mortgage Interest

 

Form 1098-E

Statement showing Student Loan Interest

 

Form 1099-B

Proceeds From Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions

 

Form 1099-DIV

Statement showing Dividends and Distributions

 

Form 1099-G

Statement showing certain government payments (such as Unemployment Compensation Income)

 

Form 1099-INT

Statement showing Interest Income

 

Form 1099-LTC

Long-term Care and Accelerated Death Benefits

 

Form 1099-MISC

Statement showing miscellaneous income (such as rents, royalties, fishing boat proceeds, non-employee compensation, medical and healthcare payments, substitute payments in lieu of dividends or interest, crop insurance proceeds, gross proceeds paid to an attorney, excess golden parachute payments, and other miscellaneous income)

 

Form 1099-OID

Statement showing Original Issue Discount

 

Form 1099-R

Statement showing Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc

 

Form 1116

Foreign Tax Credit (Individual, Estate or Trust)

 

Form 1310

Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer

 

Form 2106

Employee Business Expenses

 

Form 2106-EZ

Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses

 

Form 2120

This form allows taxpayers to identify other eligible individuals who paid over 10% of the support of another person.

 

Form 2210

Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individual, Estate of Trust. In most cases, it is not necessary to file Form 2210. The IRS figures out penalties and sends taxpayers bills. Part I explains in detail when this form is required.

 

Form 2441

This allows taxpayers to itemize child and dependent care expenses.

 

Form 2555

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

 

Form 2555-EZ

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

 

Form 2688

Application for Additional Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return

 

Form 2848

Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative

 

Form 3909

Moving Expenses

 

Form 4137

Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income, is used to report unreported tip income.

 

Form 4506

Request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form

 

Form 4852

Substitute for Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, or Form 1099-R, Distributions from Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRA's, Insurance Contracts, Etc., used by taxpayers who have been unable to obtain (or have received incorrect) wage or distribution statements.

 

Form 4868

Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

 

Form 4952

Form to report Investment Interest Expense Deduction

 

Form 5329

Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (including IRAs) and Other Tax Favored Accounts

 

Form 8332

This form allows a taxpayer who is a custodial parent (and who was married to his or her child's noncustodial parent) to release his or her claim on the child's exemption.

 

Form 8379, Injured Spouse Claim and Allocation

This form allows taxpayers to request relief from a spouse's past due federal debts, including back child support and past due taxes.

 

Form 8453-OL

Income tax declaration used for e-filing

 

Form 8582

Passive Activity Loss Limitations

 

Form 8606

Nondeductible IRAs, reports nondeductible contributions to traditional IRAs and/or distributions taken from certain IRAs. Part I explains in detail when this form is used.

 

Form 8822

Change of Address

 

Form 8828

Recapture of Federal Mortgage Subsidy, is for taxpayers who have homes subject to federally subsidized debt. The form states that recapture tax only applies if the date of the closing of the loan was after January 1, 1991.

 

Form 8857

Request for Innocent Spouse Relief, explains various forms of relief and who may qualify.

 

Form 8863

Education Credits, may be used instead of Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses, if education expenses were the only business expenses.

 

Form 8880

Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions

 

Form 9452

Filing Assistance Program, helps taxpayers determine whether they are required to file a federal income tax return.

 

Form 9465

Installment Agreement Request, used to request a monthly installment plan for making tax payments.

 

Form RRB-1099

Payments by the Railroad Retirement Board

 

Form RRB-1099-R

Annuities or Pensions by the Railroad Retirement Board

 

Form SS-5

Application for a Social Security Card.

 

Form SSA-1099

Social Security Benefit Statement

 

Form W-2

Wages and Tax Statement, issued by employers to report their employees' earned income for the year. Generally, employers should issue Form W-2 to every employee and a copy to the Social Security Administration.

 

Form W-2c

Form used to correct information issued on a W-2.

 

Form W-4

Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, used by an employer to determine how much to withhold from an employee's paycheck for federal income tax purposes.

 

Form W-4P

Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments, filed by taxpayers (or estates) who are recipients of pensions, annuities, including commercial annuities, and certain other deferred compensation. The form allows taxpayers to tell payers the correct amount of federal income tax to withhold from payments.

 

Form W-4V

Voluntary Withholding Request, filed by taxpayers (or estates) who are recipients of social security benefits and want to request withholding from their payments from the Social Security Administration.

 

Form W-5

Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate, used by taxpayers who have a qualifying child, may be eligible for the earned income credit, and choose to get advance EIC payments.

 

Form W-7

Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

 

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G

General Limitation Income

Wages earned in a foreign country that an individual does not exclude, or excludes only part of, under the foreign earned income exclusion; also, any foreign income that is not either Passive income or High Withholding Tax Interest income.

 

Gross Income

Money, goods, and property received that must generally be reported on a tax return and may be included in taxable income.

 

Gross Income Test

The fifth of the five dependency tests: Did the potential dependent have a gross income of $3,050 or more during the tax year?

 

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H

Head of Household Filing Status

Filing status is generally for unmarried taxpayers who paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for a qualified dependent relative during the tax year.

 

High Withholding Tax Interest

Interest income on which at least 5% foreign gross income tax was withheld.

 

Hospitalization

Hospitalization that qualifies for combat zone benefits and filing extensions means any hospitalization outside the United States and any hospitalization in the United States of not more than five years that is a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving in the combat zone.

 

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I

Includible Income

Income that is included in the taxpayer's gross income and therefore subject to federal income tax.

 

Income Taxes

Taxes on income, both earned (for example, salaries, wages, tips, commissions) and unearned (for example, interest and dividends). Income taxes can be levied both on individuals (personal income tax) and businesses (business and corporate income taxes).

 

Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)

A tax-sheltered savings plan set up by the taxpayer, generally for retirement income.

 

Interest Income

Income a person receives from certain financial accounts or from lending money to someone else.

 

Investment Income

Investment Income includes taxable interest and dividends, tax-exempt interest, capital gain net income, net income from rents and royalties not derived from a trade or business, and net income from passive activities

 

IRA

Individual Retirement Arrangement - A tax-sheltered savings plan set up by the taxpayer, generally for retirement income.

 

ITIN

Individual taxpayer identification number

 

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J

Joint Return Test

The third of the five dependency tests: Did the potential dependent file a joint return for the year? (This test would only be relevant to adults.)

 

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L

Letter of Determination

Document from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sent to discharged service members who qualify for severance pay subject to medical disability, which is nontaxable.

 

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M

MARCS

Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System, a method for calculating a taxpayer's depreciation deduction that uses the property's placed-in-service date, recovery period, and depreciable basis.

 

Married Filing Jointly

Filing status for taxpayers who are married to each other or live together in a common law marriage and combine their income and deductions on the same tax return. The status also applies to taxpayers who are separated but not divorced and to taxpayers whose spouse died during the tax year and has not remarried, as long as one tax return is used for both individuals.

 

Married Filing Separately

Filing status for taxpayers who are married to each other or live together in a common law marriage and report their own incomes and deductions on separate returns.

 

Medical Severance Pay

A type of includable military income given to service members who have been separated from the service for medical reasons

 

Member of Household or Relationship Test

The first of the five dependency tests: Is the potential dependent related to the taxpayer, or a member of the taxpayer's household for the entire year?

 

Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)

The adjusted gross income before consideration of certain deductions.

 

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N

Nonpassive Income

Income that does not come solely from the use of property. Examples of nonpassive income are salaries, wages, commissions, tips, self-employment income, interest, dividends, annuities, and some royalties.

 

Nonrefundable Credit

Occurs when the amount of a credit is greater than the tax owed. However, taxpayers can only reduce their tax to zero; they cannot receive a "refund" for any excess nonrefundable credit.

 

Nontaxable Income

Any income exempt from federal income tax. Although some types of nontaxable income are reported on the return, it is not added into the amount of income subject to tax.

 

Nondeductible Traditional IRA Contributions

Traditional IRA contributions that taxpayers may not deduct from their adjusted gross income because the taxpayers do not meet the requirements; also includes remaining contributions from a partial IRA deduction.

 

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O

OHA

Overseas housing allowance, a type of excludable military income

 

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P

Paid Preparers

Paid preparers are legally liable under federal law for the returns they prepare; volunteers are not.

 

Passive Income

Taxable income that comes from passive activity, such as dividends, interest, royalties, rents, and annuities.

 

Passive Activity

When a taxpayer receives income mainly from the use of property rather than for services. Passive activity means the taxpayer is not involved in making significant rental or business management decisions (versus active participation). Because rental activities are generally considered passive activities, rental losses are not fully deductible.

 

Passive Activity Law

One of two restrictions on how much a loss from passive activity can offset other sources of income. Passive activity losses can be deducted only from passive activity income; losses that exceed rental income are not deductible. (The other restriction is the at-risk rule.)

 

PCS

Permanent change of station for a military service member.

 

Pension

A series of definitely determinable payments made to an employee or survivor (the beneficiary of a deceased employee's pension) after the employee retires from work.

 

Period of Stay

Amount of time a taxpayer stays in a foreign country, which is one of the factors used to determine whether the taxpayer is eligible for the foreign earned income exclusion. To meet the period of stay requirement, the taxpayer must meet either the Bona Fide Residency test or the Physical Presence test.

 

Physical Presence Test

To meet the physical presence test for the foreign earned income exclusion, a taxpayer must be physically present in a foreign country 330 full days during a period of twelve consecutive months.

 

Property Taxes

Taxes on property, especially real estate. It can also be levied on boats, automobiles (often paid along with license fees), recreational vehicles, and business inventories.

 

Publication 3

Armed Forces Tax Guide

 

Publication 17

Tax Guides for Individuals

 

Publication 54

Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad

 

Publication 463

Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses

 

Publication 519

U.S. Tax Guides for Aliens

 

Publication 521

Moving Expenses

 

Publication 527

Residential Rental Property

 

Publication 523

Selling Your Home

 

Publication 551

Basis of Assets

 

Publication 552

Recordkeeping for Individuals

 

Publication 555

Community Property

 

Publication 575

Pension and Annuity Income

 

Publication 590

Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)

 

Publication 594

The IRS Collection Process

 

Publication 915

Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits

 

Publication 925

Passive Activity and At-Risk Rules

 

Publication 939

General Rules for Pensions and Annuities

 

Publication 946

How to Depreciate Property

 

Publication 947

Practice Before the IRS and Power of Attorney

 

Publication 970

Tax Benefits for Education

 

Publication 971

Innocent Spouse Relief, addresses how one spouse may request relief from past taxes due solely based on the other spouse's debt.

 

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Q

QTP

Qualified tuition program.

 

Qualified 5-Year Gain

Long term capital gain from property held more than five years and sold or otherwise disposed of before May 6, 2003.

 

Qualifying Widow(er) With Dependent Child

Filing status is for widow or widower with one or more dependent children.

 

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R

Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRBs)

Benefits paid to railroad employees working in jobs that are covered by the Railroad Retirement Act. The RRA has two components. Tier 1 is the equivalent of social security benefits and Tier 2 is like an employer's pension plan.

 

Regular Method

Most common method for computing self-employment tax. Under the regular method, the net self-employment income entered on Schedule SE is the sum of net self-employment earnings from the taxpayer's Schedules C, C-EZ, F, and K-1. (Taxpayers should consult a paid preparer or a military legal assistance officer if they use a different method or require Schedule C, F, or K-1.)

 

Resident Alien

An individual is considered to be a U.S. resident alien if he or she meets either the Green Card Test or the Substantial Presence Test.

 

Refundable Credit

Occurs when the amount of a credit is greater than the tax owed. Taxpayers not only can have their tax reduced to zero; they can also receive a "refund" of excess credit.

 

Relative

Someone related to the taxpayer by blood, marriage, or adoption, including the following:

  • Child, grandchild, great grandchild
  • Stepchild, stepbrother, stepsister
  • Brother, sister
  • Half-brother, half sister
  • Parent, grandparent, or other direct ancestor (but not foster parent)
  • Stepmother or stepfather
  • Brother or sister of one's father or mother
  • Son or daughter of one's brother or sister
  • Father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law.

Rental Expenses

Ordinary and necessary expenses attributable to the production of rental income and maintenance of the rental property, such as advertising, cleaning and repairs, insurance premiums, and property management fees.

 

Rental Income

Payments received by a taxpayer from tenants who rent the taxpayer's property, including regular and advanced rent, payments for breaking a lease, expenses paid by the tenant, and the fair market value of property or services received in lieu of monetary rental payments.

 

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S

Self-employment Income

Earned income from a trade, business, farming or profession that is not paid by an employer. For example, seamstresses and lawncare workers who work for themselves (and not for someone else) are considered self-employed.

 

Single Filing Status

Filing status that applies to a taxpayer who (1) has never married, or (2) is legally separated or divorced.

 

Social Security Benefits

Payments made under Title II of the Social Security Act. They include old-age, survivors, disability insurance, and some workers' compensation benefits.

 

SSA

Social Security Administration

 

SSB

Special separation benefits, a type of military severance payment that affects the amount of VA compensation paid.

 

SSN

Social Security Number

 

Standard Deduction

An amount, provided by law and based on filing status, age, blindness, and dependency that taxpayers can deduct from their adjusted gross income before tax is determined.

 

Standard Mileage Method

One of two methods for calculating business automobile expenses. For the standard mileage method, the taxpayer multiplies the business miles by the mileage rate for that tax year. (The other method is the actual expense method).

 

Stock dividends

Stock dividends merely increase the taxpayer's number of shares in the company and generally are not taxable.

 

Student Loan Interest

The interest paid during the year on a loan for qualified higher education expenses that were for the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a person who was the taxpayer's dependent when the loan was obtained.

 

Support Test

The fourth of the five dependency tests: Did the taxpayer provide more than half the potential dependent's total support for the year?

 

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T

TAD

Temporary additional duty for military service members. (See TDY)

 

TANF

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (previously known as AFDC), a state benefit also known as welfare.

 

Tax-exempt Interest

Interest that is exempt from federal income tax such as bonds issued by state and political subdivisions (county or city), District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions and political subdivisions.

 

Tax Forgiveness

For U.S. military personnel who die while serving in a combat zone or as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while so serving, any unpaid tax liability is waived and any forgiven tax liability that has already been paid is refunded.

 

Tax Home

The country in which the taxpayer is permanently or indefinitely engaged to work as an employee or self-employed individual, regardless of where the taxpayer maintains his or her family home. For taxpayers who work abroad, but do not have a regular place of business because of the nature of the work, their tax home is the place where they regularly live.

 

Tax Liability (or total tax bill)

The amount of tax that must be paid. Taxpayers meet (or pay) their federal income tax liability through withholding, estimated tax payments, and payments made with the tax forms they file with the government.

 

Taxable Income

Any income subject to federal income tax. It must be reported on a tax return, unless the amount is so small that the individual is not required to file a return.

 

TDY

Temporary duty for military service members. (See TAD.)

 

Temporary Work Location

A work location is considered temporary if the service member's employment is realistically expected to last (and in fact does last) for one year or less. Service members assigned to temporary work locations can deduct travel expenses.

 

Third-Party Designee

Person authorized by a taxpayer to discuss the taxpayer's return with the IRS, give the IRS information missing from the return, request copies of notices or transcripts related to the return, and respond to certain IRS notices. The taxpayer designates third party by checking the Yes box and entering the person's name, phone number, and personal identification number (PIN) in the "Third party designee" section of the return.

 

TIN see ITIN

Taxpayer Identification Number, same as Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

 

Traditional IRA

IRAs other than Roth IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Coverdell education savings accounts (ESAs). Contributions to the nontraditional IRAs are not deductible as adjustments to income.

 

Transportation Expenses

Expenses service members incur when traveling to locations within their city or general area that is their tax home or post of duty (versus travel expenses).

 

Travel Expenses

Expenses service members incur when traveling away from their tax home or post of duty (versus transportation expenses).

 

TSP

Thrift Savings Account, a retirement savings and investment plan that has been available to civilian employees of the federal government since 1987, and was made available to U.S. service personnel in 2002.

 

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U

Unearned Income

Income other than pay for work performed. Interest and dividends from savings or investments are common types of unearned income.

 

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V

VSI

Voluntary separation incentive, a type of military payment that affects the amount of VA compensation paid.

 

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W

Withholding Allowance

Claimed by an employee on Form W-4. An employer uses the number of allowances claimed, together with income earned and marital status, to determine how much income tax to withhold from wages.

 

Withholding Tax

Money that employers withhold from employees' paychecks. This money is deposited for the government. (It will be credited against the employees' tax liability when they file their returns.) Employers withhold money for federal income taxes, federal social security taxes, and state and local income taxes in some states and localities.

 

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