J.K. Lassers Your Income Tax 2018: For Preparing Your 2017 Tax Return

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Easy–to–Use Format Explains Complex Tax Laws

FILING TIPS and FILING INSTRUCTIONS help you prepare your 2017 return PLANNING REMINDERS highlight year–end tax strategies for 2017 and planning opportunities for 2018 and later years CAUTIONS point out potential pitfalls to avoid and areas where you might expect IRS opposition LAW ALERTS indicate recent changes in the tax law and pending legislation before Congress COURT DECISIONS highlight key rulings from the Tax Court and other federal courts IRS ALERTS highlight key rulings and announcements from the IRS

Basics of Filing (Chap. 1) including:

Which form to file Chap. 1
Filing as Head of Household Chap. 1
Filing for your children Chap. 1
Filing for married couples Chap. 1

What Must You Report as Income? (Chaps. 2 11) including:

Fringe benefits Chap. 3
Capital gains & losses Chap. 5
Traditional & Roth IRAs Chap. 8
Rental Income Chap. 9

What Deductions Can You Claim? (Chaps. 12 21) including:

Moving expenses Chap. 12
Charitable deductions Chap. 14
Casualty loss Chap. 18
Who is a dependent? Chap. 21

How Much Tax Do You Owe? (Chaps. 22 28) including:

The AMT Chap. 23
Your child′s tax Chap. 24
Personal tax credits Chap. 25
Estimated taxes Chap. 27

Strategies to Save You Taxes (Chaps. 29 39) including:

Tax–free residence sales Chap. 29
Investing in securities Chap. 30
Tax credits for education Chap. 33
Armed forces rules Chap. 35

Planning Ideas for Your Business (Chaps. 40 45) including:

Home office deduction Chap. 40
Keogh, Simple, or SEP Chap. 41
Auto expenses Chap. 43
Self–employment tax Chap.45

Now That You′re Done (Chaps. 46 48)including:

Electronic filing Chap. 46
Filing extensions Chap. 46
IRS Audits Chap. 48
Amended returns Chap. 47

FILING BASICS 1

Filing Status 9

REPORTING YOUR INCOME 33

Wages, Salary, and Other Compensation 35

Fringe Benefi ts 52

Dividend and Interest Income 75

Reporting Property Sales 101

Tax–Free Exchanges of Property 146

Retirement and Annuity Income 161

IRAs 197

Income From Real Estate Rentals and Royalties 243

Loss Restrictions: Passive Activities and At–Risk Limits 260

Other Income 288

CLAIMING DEDUCTIONS 311

Deductions Allowed in Figuring Adjusted Gross Income 313

Claiming the Standard Deduction or Itemized Deductions 322

Charitable Contribution Deductions 330

Itemized Deduction for Interest Expenses 354

Deductions for Taxes 371

Medical and Dental Expense Deductions 378

Casualty and Theft Losses and Involuntary Conversions 396

Deducting Job Costs and Other Miscellaneous Expenses 421

Travel and Entertainment Expense Deductions 435

Personal Exemptions 461

PERSONAL TAX COMPUTATIONS 475

Figuring Your Regular Income Tax Liability 477

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) 481

Computing the Kiddie Tax on Your Child s Investment Income 489

Personal Tax Credits Reduce Your Tax Liability 495

Tax Withholdings 516

Estimated Tax Payments 523

Additional Medicare Tax and Net Investment Income Tax 529

TAX PLANNING 535

Tax Savings for Residence Sales 537

Tax Rules for Investors in Securities 552

Tax Savings for Investors in Real Estate 568

Tax Rules for Investors in Mutual Funds 581

Educational Tax Benefi ts 590

Savings Account (ESA) 599

Home To Take Courses 607

Special Tax Rules for Senior Citizens and the Disabled 609

Members of the Armed Forces 621

How To Treat Foreign Earned Income 628

Planning Alimony and Marital Settlements 639

Other Taxes 646

Gift and Estate Tax Planning Basics 654

BUSINESS TAX PLANNING 663

Income or Loss From Your Business or Profession 665

Retirement and Medical Plans for Self–Employed 693

Claiming Depreciation Deductions 703

Deducting Car and Truck Expenses 720

Sales of Business Property 734

Figuring Self–Employment Tax 741

FILING YOUR RETURN AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU FILE 749

Filing Your Return 751

Filing Refund Claims, and Amended Returns 759

If the IRS Examines Your Return 763

2017 SAMPLE TAX FORMS 775

2017 Form 1040 777

Schedule A 779

Schedule B 780

Schedule C 781

Schedule D 783

J.K. Lasser Institute has been the premier publisher of consumer tax guides since 1939, when Jacob Kay Lasser first published Your Income Tax. Since then, the guide has been published continuously for over seventy years and read by over 39,000,000 people. The J.K. Lasser Institute also publishes personal finance books such as Small Business Taxes and 1001 Deductions and Tax Breaks. J.K. Lasser Institute spokespeople are regularly sought after as media tax experts. They regularly appear on such broadcast programs as CNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg TV. They are also often featured in numerous periodicals, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Self Magazine, The New York Times, Newsweek and Reader′s Digest.