ROBERT D. FLACH, LLC

WHAT'S NEW FOR 2007

ROBERT D. FLACH TAX PLANNING INSTITUTE
TAX HISTORY
SPEAKING OF TAXES
ROBERT D. FLACH, LLC HOMEPAGE

 
Here is what is new in federal taxation for tax year 2007 -
 
(Additional information will be added as it becomes available)
 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE 2007 FEDERAL TAX RATE SCHEDULES

-------------------------

The AMT exemption amounts are:

Married Filing Jointly: $66,250
Single: $44,350
Married Filing Separately: $33,125

Most personal credits will be allowed against ATM (except the credit for hybrid vehicles).

-------------------------

The deduction for each Personal Exemption is $3,400
 
-------------------------
 
The phase-out ranges for deducting Personal Exemptions are:
  • AGI of $156,400 to $278,900 for Single
  • AGI of $234,600 to $357,100 for Married Filing Joint and Qualifying Widow(er)
  • AGI of $195,500 to $318,000 for Head of Household
  • AGI of $117,300 to $178,550 for Married Filing Separate

-------------------------

The Standard Deduction amounts are:

  • $ 5,350 for Single
  • $10,700 for Married Filing Joint and Qualifying Widow(er)
  • $ 7,850 for Head of Household
  • $ 5,350 for Married Filing Separate

The additional Standard Deduction amounts for age 65 or older and/or blind are:

  • $1,300 for Single and Head of Household
  • $1,050 for Married (Joint and Separate) and Qualifying Widow(er)

The Standard Deduction for a dependent is the greater of $850 or the sum of $300 and the dependent's earned income, not to exceed $5,350 (plus $1,300 if age 65 or blind).

-------------------------

The reduction for Itemized Deductions for all filers except Married Filing Separate begins with AGI of $156,400.  For Married Filing Separate the reduction begins at AGI of $78,200.

-------------------------

The phase-out ranges for the exclusion of interest earned on US Savings Bonds used for higher education are:

  • Modified AGI of $65,600 to $80,600 for Single and Head of Household
  • Modified AGI of $98,400 to $128,400 for Married Filing Joint and Qualifying Widow(er)

-------------------------

The Standard Mileage Allowance rates are -

  • 48.5 cents per mile for business travel
  • 20 cents per mile for medical travel
  • 20 cents per mile for travel related to deductible moving expenses reported on Form 3903
  • 14 cents per mile for charitable travel

-------------------------

The maximum Section 179 deduction for first-year expensing of business assets is $125,000.

The dollar-for-dollar phase-out of Section 179 expensing begins when a taxpayer places more than $500,000 of qualifying assets in service.

-------------------------

The Standard Meal Allowance rates for family day care providers are:

  • Breakfast = $1.06
  • Lunch/Dinner = $1.97
  • Snack = $0.58 

Special rates exist for family day care providers in Alaska and Hawaii.

Alaska:

  • Breakfast = $1.69
  • Lunch/Dinner = $3.20
  • Snack = $0.95 

Hawaii:

  • Breakfast = $1.24
  • Lunch/Dinner = $2.31
  • Snack = $0.69

A family day care provider can use these rates for up to one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner, and three (3) snacks per child per day.  The rates include beverages, but do not include non-food supplies such as containers, paper products, or utensils.

 

-------------------------

 

The annual contribution limits for retirement plans are:

  • $15,500 (plus an additional $5,000 if age 50 or older at the end of 2007) for 401(k) and 403(b) plans
  • $15,500 (plus an additional $5,000 if age 50 or older at the end of 2007) for 457 Plans (Deferred Compensation for state and local government employees)
  • $10,500 (plus an additional $2,500 if age 50 or older at the end of 2007) for SIMPLE plans
  • $45,000 for Defined Contribution KEOGH plans
  • $45,000 for Self-Employed SEP plans (allowable contribution equal to 25% of net earnings of up to $225,000, which translates to 20% multiplied by the total of "net earnings from self-employment" from Schedule C, Schedule C-EZ or Form K-1 less the deduction for 50% of self-employment tax)
  • $4,000 (plus an additional $1,000 if age 50 or older at the end of 2007) for traditional and ROTH Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)

The compensation limit for participation in a SEP is $500.00.

 

-------------------------

 

The limits for qualified transportation fringe benefits are:

  • $215 per month for qualified parking
  • $110 per month for transit passes and transportation in a commuter highway vehicle 

-------------------------

 

A non-spouse beneficiary of the qualified retirement plan, government plan or tax-sheltered annuity of a deceased taxpayer can roll over the funds from these plans into an IRA and continue to defer tax on the monies until they are withdrawn from the rollover IRA.

 

-------------------------

 

The earnings base for Social Security withholding on wages and the Social Security portion of Self-Employment Tax is $97,500.

The maximum amount of Social Security tax to be withheld from wages for 2007 is $6,045.  The maximum Social Security portion of self-employment tax is $12,090.

The Medicare Part B monthly premium will vary depending on the taxpayers’ income as shown on their 2005 income tax returns and their filing status.  If the 2006 income is lower than the 2005 AND the taxpayer meets certain criteria, the taxpayer can request the premiums be based on the 2006 income.  The premium amounts based on income and filing status are:

SINGLE:
Premiums - - - - Income of:
$  93.50 - - - $80,000 or less
$105.80 - - - $80,001-$100,000
$124.40 - - - $100,001-$150,000
$142.90 - - - $150,001-$200,000
$161.40 - - - Above $200,000

MARRIED FILING JOINT:
Premiums - - - - Income of:
$  93.50 - - - $160,000 or less
$105.80 - - - $160,001-$200,000
$124.40 - - - $200,001-$300,000
$142.90 - - - $300,001-$400,000
$161.40 - - - Above $400,000

MARRIED FILING SEPARATE:
Premiums - - - - Income of:
$  93.50 - - - $80,000 or less
$142.90 - - - $80,001-$120,000
$161.40 - - - Above $120,000

The earnings limitations are:

1) Under Full Retirement Age - $12,960.00 per year or $1,080.00 per month ($1.00 in benefits lost for every $2.00 in earnings above the limit).

2) The Year You Reach Full Retirement Age - $34,440.00 per year or $2,870.00 per month (applies only to earnings for months prior to reaching full retirement age - no limit on earnings beginning the month you reach full retirement age; $1.00 in benefits lost for every $3.00 in earnings above the limit).

-------------------------

The phase-out ranges for deducting student loan interest are:

  • Modified AGI of $55,000 to $70,000 for Single, Head of Household and Qualifying Widow(er)
  • Modified AGI of $110,000 to $140,000 for Married Filing Joint

No deduction is allowed for Married Filing Separate.

-------------------------

The phase-out ranges for an IRA deduction by an active participant in an employer plan are:

  • Modified AGI of $50,000 to $60,000 for Single or Head of Household
  • Modified AGI of $80,000 to $100,000 for Married Filing Joint
  • Modified AGI of $0 to $10,000 for Married Filing Separate

-------------------------

The contribution limits for a Health Savings Account is the lessor of the annual deductible or $2,850 for individual coverage or $5,650 for family coverage.

A "high deductible plan" is one that has a deductible of at least $1,100, with a maximum "out of pocket" of $5,500, for individual coverage, and at least $2,200, with a maximum "out of pocket" of $11,000, for family coverage.

-------------------------

For purposes of qualifying for an Archer Medical Savings Account, a "high deductible plan" is one that has a deductible of between $1,900 and $2,850, with a maximum "out-of-pocket" of $3,750, for individual coverage, and between $3,750 and $5,650, with a maximum "out-of-pocket" of $6,900, for family coverage.

-------------------------

The allowable deduction limitations for long-term care insurance premiums, based on the taxpayer's age, are:

  • Age 40 or less = $290
  • Age 41 - 50 = $550
  • Age 51 - 60 = $1,110
  • Age 61 - 70 = $2,950
  • Age 70 and older = $3,680

-------------------------

The deduction for long-term care services is limited to $250.00 per day.

-------------------------

An itemized deduction is allowed for private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums paid on insurance contracts issued in 2007.  The deduction is phased-out as AGI goes from $100,000 to $110,000 (or $50,000 tp $55,000 for Married Filing Separate).

-------------------------

Taxpayers will not be able to deduct a "cash" contribution (i.e. actual cash or a check, money order or credit or debit card charge) to a church or charity unless he/she can provide a cancelled check, a "bank record" (such as a copy of the check on a bank statement or an identifying credit or debit card entry on a bank or credit card statement), or a written receipt from the charity (which states the name of the charity, the amount of the contribution, and the date the contribution was made) to document the contribution.  This applies to all "cash" contributions, regardless of the amount.

-------------------------

 If the total Child Tax Credit exceeds the amount of tax liability, the excess credit is refundable to the extent of the smaller of -

  • The amount of the Child Tax Credit remaining after reducing regular tax or AMT to "0", or
  • 15% of the taxpayer's earned income in excess of $11,750.

-------------------------

The phase-out ranges for the HOPE and Lifetime Learning Credits are:

  • Modified AGI of $47,000 to $57,000 for Single, Head of Household, and Qualifying Widow(er)
  • Modified AGI of $94,000 to $114,000 for Married Filing Joint

-------------------------

The amount of the Retirement Savings Crontribution Credit (aka Saver's Credit), which is calculated on Form 8880, is determined as follows:

SINGLE, QUALIFYING WIDOW(ER), MARRIED FILING SEPARATE-

  • Modified AGI of $0 to $15,500 = 50%
  • Modified AGI of $15,501 to $17,000 = 20%
  • Modified AGI of $17,701 to $26,000 = 10%
  • Modified AGI of over $26,000 = 0%

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD-

  • Modified AGI of $0 to $23,250 = 50%
  • Modified AGI of $23,251 to $25,500 = 20%
  • Modified AGI of $25,501 to $39.000 = 10%
  • Modified AGI of over $39,000 = 0%

MARRIED FILING JOINT-

  • Modified AGI of $0 to $31,000 = 50%
  • Modified AGI of $31,001 to $34,000 = 20%
  • Modified AGI of $34,001 to $52,000 = 10%
  • Modified AGI of over $52,000 = 0%

-------------------------

The maximum amount of the Adoption Credit, and the maximum amount of employer-provided adoption assistance benefits that are excluded from taxable income, is $11,390.

The credit is phased out for modified AGI between $170,820 and $210,820.

-------------------------

In order to be eligible to claim the Earned Income Credit investment income cannot exceed $2,900.

-------------------------

The phase-out ranges for contributions to a ROTH Individual Retirement Account (IRA) are:

  • Modified AGI of $99,000 to $114,000 for Single and Head of Household
  • Modified AGI of $156,000 to $166,000 for Married Filing Joint and Qualifying Widow(er)
  • Modified AGI of $0 to $10,000 for Married Filing Separate

-------------------------

The maximum foreign earned income exclusion is $85,700.
 
The maximum foreign housing deduction/exclusion is $11,998 (14% of $85,700),
 

ENTIRE WEBSITE COPYRIGHT (C) 2004-2007 BY ROBERT D FLACH LLC