Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

2026 Retirement Plan Limits Increase Under IRS Notice 2025-67

IRS Notice 2025-67 raises 2026 contribution limits for 401k plans, 403b plans, governmental 457 plans, SIMPLE and SEP IRAs, traditional IRAs, and Roth IRAs. Includes updated catch-ups for ages fifty and sixty through sixty three, new income phase outs, and expanded saver credit limits. Learn how these changes affect tax planning for 2026.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

Young v. Commissioner: When Poor Recordkeeping Destroys a Case

In Young v. Commissioner (T.C. Memo. 2025-95), the Tax Court denied deductions because the taxpayers failed to demonstrate a profit motive and lacked organized records. The ruling highlights that good intentions do not substitute for disciplined accounting and documentation.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

2025 Year-End Tax Planning Checklist

A complete 2025 year-end tax planning checklist to reduce taxes and meet deadlines. Includes RMDs, Roth conversions, charitable giving, gifting, and more.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

IRS Math and Taxpayer Help Act: Clearer Notices and Fewer Taxpayer Headaches

Congress has passed the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help Act (H.R. 998)—a bipartisan reform aimed at improving IRS communication with taxpayers. The bill requires the IRS to make math and clerical error notices clear, specific, and easy to understand. This legislation benefits taxpayers by reducing confusion, helping them respond accurately, and avoiding unnecessary penalties.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

Are Mortgage Points Deductible? Rules for Your Home, Rental, and Vacation Property

Mortgage points—sometimes called discount points—are fees paid to a lender at closing to obtain a lower interest rate. Each point equals 1% of the loan principal.

Points can represent either:

  • Prepaid interest, which may be deductible, or

  • Origination or service fees, which are not deductible.

The tax treatment depends on how the property is used and the purpose of the loan.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

Harvesting Losses Without Losing Position: Understanding Wash Sales and Correlated Stock Strategies

The wash sale rule under Internal Revenue Code §1091 limits when capital losses can be deducted, but investors can still maintain market exposure through correlated securities. This article explains how to use substitution strategies to harvest losses responsibly, outlines the benefits and risks, and reviews current crypto exceptions and proposed legislation.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

Two Tax Court Decisions That Clarify What Counts as Taxable Income

Tax law reaches into almost every corner of life, from settlements that compensate someone for an injury to retirement accounts that are lost through legal action. I find that reading about unusual cases is one of the best ways to understand how the Internal Revenue Code defines income. Two recent decisions highlight that definition in very different ways.

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Steven Cashiola Steven Cashiola

Why a Health Savings Account Deserves a Place in Your Financial Plan This Enrollment Season

As annual open enrollment season approaches, it is an ideal time to review your health coverage options and consider the financial advantages of a Health Savings Account (HSA). Among the many tax-favored benefits available to individuals, the HSA remains one of the most flexible and powerful tools in the tax code. It can be used by nearly every taxpayer, provided that one important requirement is met.

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