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 978-1-118-34670-9
ISBN 978-0-133-36013-4
Seventy-Sixth Edition
How To Use Your Income Tax 2013
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 2012 return. |
Planning Reminder | A Planning Reminder highlights year-end tax strategies for 2012 or planning opportunities for 2013 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 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 2013 edition of Your Income Tax our 76 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 vxxiii , 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 2012.
Pages xxv-xxvii alert you to tax developments that may affect your 2012 tax return.
Key Tax Numbers for 2012.
Pages xxviii-xxx .
Looking Ahead to 2013.
Page xxxi .
Filing tax basics.
Pages 18 alert you to filing requirements, filing addresses for IRS Service Centers, and a calendar with 2012 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 2013 at www.jklasser.com . The e-Supplement will provide an update on tax developments from the IRS and Congress, including a look ahead to 2013.
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. You will also find links to IRS and state tax forms.
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Whats New for 2012
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 2012
Item | Highlight |
Extenders legislation delayed | Numerous tax breaks that expired at the end of 2011 had still not been extended to 2012 when this book went to press, with legislation on hold until Congress returns to a lame duck session following the 2012 elections. For individuals, affected tax breaks include the state sales tax deduction in lieu of state income taxes (16.3) , above-the-line deductions for tuition/fees (33.12) and educator expenses (12.2) , tax-free transfers from IRAs to charities by those age 70 or older (8.8) , the deduction for mortgage insurance premium (15.6) , parity for transit passes/van pooling fringe benefits with parking benefits (3.8) , the exclusion for cancelled principal residence indebtedness (11.8) , and the credit for home insulation and other energy improvements (25.19) . Extension legislation is likely to include many, but not all, of these personal tax breaks.
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