Contents: Chapter by Chapter
Staff for This Book
J.K. Lasser Editorial
Elliott Eiss, Member of the New York Bar, Senior Editor
Barbara Weltman, Member of the New York Bar, Contributing Editor
Angelo C. Jack, Senior Production Editor
William Hamill, Copyediting and Proofreading
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ISBN 978-1-118-73423-0
ISBN 978-1-118-73428-5
How To Use Your Income Tax 2014
Tax alert symbols
Throughout the text of Your Income Tax , these special symbols alert you to advisory tips about filing your federal tax return and tax planning opportunities:
Filing Tip or Filing Instruction | A Filing Tip or Filing Instruction helps you prepare your 2013 return. |
Planning Reminder | A Planning Reminder highlights year-end tax strategies for 2013 or planning opportunities for 2014 and later years. |
Caution | A Caution points out potential pitfalls to avoid and areas where IRS opposition may be expected. |
Law Alert | A Law Alert indicates recent changes in the tax law and pending legislation before Congress. |
Court Decision | A Court Decision highlights key rulings from the Tax Court and other federal courts. |
IRS Alert | An IRS Alert highlights key rulings and announcements from the IRS. |
The federal income tax law, despite efforts at simplification, remains a maze of statutes, regulations, rulings, and court decisions written in technical language covering thousands and thousands of pages. For over 75 years, J.K. Lassers Your Income Tax has aided and guided millions of taxpayers through this complex law. Every effort has been made to provide a direct and easy-to-understand explanation that shows how to comply with the law and at the same time take advantage of tax-saving options and plans.
The 2014 edition of Your Income Tax our 77 th editioncontinues this tradition. To make maximum use of this tax guide, we suggest that you use these aids:
Contents Chapter by Chapter
The contents, on pages vxxiv , lists the chapters in Your Income Tax . References direct you to sections within a particular chapter. Thus a reference to 21.1 directs you to Chapter 21 and then to section 1 within that chapter. Section and page references are provided in the index at the back of the book.
Whats New for 2013
Pages xxv-xxviii alert you to tax developments that may affect your 2013 tax return.
Key Tax Numbers for 2013
Pages xxix-xxx.
Tax-Saving Opportunities
Page xxxi .
Filing tax basics
Pages 18 alert you to filing requirements, filing addresses for IRS Service Centers, and a calendar with 2013 filing deadlines.
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Visit www.jklasser.com for FREE download of e-Supplement
You can download a free e-Supplement to Your Income Tax 2014 at www.jklasser.com . The e-Supplement will provide an update on tax developments from the IRS and Congress, including a look ahead to 2014.
On the homepage at jklasser.com , you will find free tax news, tax tips and tax planning articles, and you can sign up for a free e-newsletter.
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Whats New for 2013
For an update on tax developments and a free download of the e-Supplement to this book, visit us online at www.jklasser.com .
Tax News for 2013
Item | Highlight |
Tax rate brackets and preferential rates for capital gains/qualified dividends | The 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% and 35% brackets for 2013 ordinary income reflect an inflation adjustment, and there is a new top bracket of 39.6% that applies if taxable income exceeds $400,000 for single taxpayers, $425,000 for heads of households, $450,000 for married persons filing jointly and qualifying widows/widowers, and $225,000 for married taxpayers filing separate returns (1.2) . |
Workers with wages and other compensation in excess of $250,000 (joint filers), $125,000 (married filing separately) or $200,000 (all others) are also subject to the new 0.9% additional Medicare tax; see below. |