Interactive Tax Assistant Answers Tax Questions

Taxpayers who have tax questions should check out the Interactive Tax Assistant on IRS.gov. This tool provides answers to several tax law questions. It can determine if a type of income is taxable, if you’re eligible to claim certain credits, and if you can deduct expenses on your tax return. It covers a wide range of topics, including what income is taxable, tax credits, filing status and who can be claimed as a dependent on a tax return. There is more tax topic help at MIS Tax Pros.com.

Taxpayers can check out more than three dozen Interactive Tax Assistants sorted by these categories:

• Filing Requirement, Form to Use, Due Date
• Filing Status, Dependents and Exemptions
• Retirement: Pensions, IRAs, Social Security
• Other Income
• Deductions
• Itemized Deductions
• Credits
• Additional Topics

Tax Assistant Categories

Affordable Care Act (Health Care)

• Am I Eligible for a Health Insurance Coverage Exemption or Required to Make an Individual Shared Responsibility Payment under the Affordable Care Act?
• Am I Eligible to Claim the Premium Tax Credit?

Filing Requirement, Form to Use, Due Date

• Do I Need to File a Tax Return?
• How Do I File a Deceased Person’s Tax Return?
• What Is the Simplest Form to Use to File My Taxes?
• What Is the Due Date of My Federal Tax Return or Am I Eligible to Request an Extension?
• Should I File an Amended Return?

Filing Status, Dependents and Exemptions

• Whom May I Claim as a Dependent?
• What Is My Filing Status?
• May I Claim an Exemption for Myself or My Spouse?
• How Much Can I Deduct for Each Exemption I Claim?

Retirement: Pensions, IRAs, Social Security

• Are My Social Security or Railroad Retirement Tier I Benefits Taxable?
• Is My Pension or Annuity Payment Taxable?
• Do I Need to Report the Transfer or Rollover of an IRA or Retirement Plan on My Tax Return?
• Is the Distribution from My Roth Account Taxable?
• Is the Distribution from My Traditional, SEP or SIMPLE IRA Taxable?
• Do I Meet an Exception to the Additional Tax on Early Distributions from IRAs or Retirement Plans?

Other Income

• Do I Include My Scholarship, Fellowship, or Education Grant as Income on My Tax Return?
• How Do I Claim My Gambling Winnings and/or Losses?
• Can I Exclude Income Earned in a Foreign Country?
• Do I Have Income Subject to Self-Employment Tax?
• Is My Residential Rental Income Taxable and/or Are My Expenses Deductible?
• Is My Tip Income Taxable?
• Are Payments I Receive for Being Unemployed Taxable?

Deductions

• How Much Is My Standard Deduction?
• Can I Claim a Deduction for Student Loan Interest?
• Can I Deduct My Moving Expenses?
• How Do I Claim My Gambling Winnings and/or Losses?

Itemized Deductions

• Can I Deduct My Medical and Dental Expenses?
• Can I Deduct My Mortgage-Related Expenses?
• Can I Deduct My Charitable Contributions?
• Can I Claim My Expenses as Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040)?
• Can I Deduct Personal Taxes That I Pay as an Itemized Deduction on Schedule A?
• Are My Work-Related Education Expenses Deductible?

Credits

• Am I Eligible to Claim an Education Credit?
• Is My Child a Qualifying Child for the Child Tax Credit?
• Am I Eligible to Claim the Premium Tax Credit?
• Am I Eligible to Claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit?
• Do I Qualify for the Credit for the Elderly or Disabled?
• Do I Qualify for the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit?
• Am I Eligible to Claim a Credit for Adopting a Child or to Exclude Employer-Provided Adoption Benefits from My Employer?

Additional Topics

• Am I Eligible to Apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number?
• Can I or My Spouse Claim Part of a Refund Being Applied Toward a Debt Owed by the Other Spouse?
• Do I Have Cancellation of Debt Income on My Personal Residence?
• Am I Required to Make Estimated Tax Payments for 2018?

More Information on the Tax Assistant:
Tax Trails