A method for determining when and how much income was earned over a period of time. The ratable accrual method can be used to compute the interest income for tax purposes. This is opposed to the payment method, and could be used to find the accrued market discount of a discount bond traded in the secondary bond market. It can also be used to determine property tax on real estate held over several tax periods. The ratable accrual method usually results in a greater accrual of discount than the other method for determining accrued market discount, which is the constant yield method. However, it also uses a simpler calculation: market discount is divided by the number of days from the bond's maturity date minus the purchase date, multiplied by the number of days the investor actually held the bond. For example if you bought a $20,000 bond for $18,000 with 400 days until expiry, then you sold that bond 300 days later for $19,500. To compute interest income you would multiply the portion of the days held by the increase in value. 300/400 = 0.75. $19,500-$18,000 = $1,500. 0.75 x $1,500 = $1,125 interest income for tax purposes.
A trust that has embedded provisions (usually contained in a will) which allow a surviving spouse to put specific assets under the trust by disclaiming ownership of a portion of the estate. Disclaimed property interests are transferred to the trust, without being taxed.Provisions can be written into the trust that provide for regular payouts from the trust to support survivors. Surviving minor children can also be provided for, as long as the surviving spouse elects to disclaim inherited assets, passing them on to the trust. For example, if an individual passes away and leaves her husband an estate, he may disclaim some interests in the estate, which are then passed directly to the trust as though it were the original beneficiary. Minor children could then benefit from regular payouts from the trust.Disclaimer trusts require that the survivor act according to the wishes of the deceased, and disclaim ownership of some of the assets bequeathed to him by the deceased. In the above example, if the surviving spouse does not disclaim ownership of any portion of the estate, then the deceased's wish to transfer assets to the surviving minor children goes unfulfilled. Because of the legal complexities involved, these trusts should only be set up by qualified professionals.
A transfer of assets from one type of tax-deferred retirement plan or account to another. Direct transfers are not considered to be distributions and are therefore not taxable as income or subject to any penalties for early distribution. This type of transfer is now usually done electronically, without a check being cut from one custodian to another. Direct transfers can be effected by the account or plan owner by filling out the requisite paperwork. Most transfers take several days to complete, although this process is now generally faster in the electronic and computer age than in the past. Direct rollovers from qualified plans are a form of direct transfer.
A federal tax filing status available to widows and widowers for two years after their spouse's death. In the year the spouse dies, the widow or widower can (but is not required to) still file as married filing jointly; he or she could then file as qualifying widow/widower for the two years after that unless he or she remarries during that period. While the surviving spouse cannot continue to claim an exemption for the deceased spouse, he or she can take the same standard deduction as a married couple filing jointly. This filing status can ease the financial sting of losing a spouse. To claim this status, the IRS also requires that the taxpayer have a child who will be claimed as a dependent, that the child live in the home with the widow/widower all year, that the widow/widower will pay over half the cost of keeping up his or her home, and that the widow/widower was eligible to file a joint return in the year the spouse died.
A distribution of eligible rollover assets from a qualified plan, 403(b) plan, or a governmental 457 plan to a Traditional IRA, qualified plan, 403(b) plan, or a governmental 457 plan; or a distribution from an IRA to a qualified plan, 403(b) plan or a governmental 457 plan. Direct rollover assets are made payable to the qualified plan or IRA Custodian/Trustee, never to the individual. A direct rollover is reportable but not taxable.
A payment from the government for an individual's overpaid taxes. An individual in this situation is said to be "over-withholding". Federal income tax refunds are not taxable. A refund occurs when the government owes some of the taxes you paid throughout the year.
A formal document issued by the IRS that decrees whether or not the retirement plan of the addressee is within Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) guidelines. If the plan is determined to be lacking in some respect, the shortcomings and necessary action to be taken will be listed. If the plan meets all of the requirements set forth by ERISA, then the plan becomes certified as a qualified plan and is eligible for all resulting tax benefits. Determination letters must be requested from the local IRS district office of the employer. If a plan is found to be deficient, then after corrections are made a second letter will be issued. This process can repeat itself until the plan is found to be compliant with ERISA guidelines. Determination letters can also be issued pursuant to proposed changes in an existing plan if needed.
A tax credit that is not limited by the amount of an individual's tax liability. Typically a tax credit only reduces an individual's tax liability to zero. Refundable credits go beyond this and so really can be considered the same as a payment. In other words, you'll still get the credit even if you don't owe any tax. The earned income credit is a good example of a refundable credit in the United States.