All you need to know about cutting your taxes...this year and every year! *The truth about maximizing all your legal deductions and credits*The truth about smart tax planning for today and for the long term*The truth about avoiding IRS audits and costly tax penalties Simply the best thinking THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH This book reveals 52 PROVEN bite-size, easy tax savings techniques that work. "Kay Bell's blog aims to provide tax and personal-finance tips and advice that will put more money in your bank account, not the government treasury." The Wall Street Journal Introduction vii Part I: The Truth About Filing Requirements Truth 1: Not everyone has to file 1 Truth 2: Figuring out your filing status 5 Truth 3: Filling out the right form 9 Truth 4: Meeting filing deadlines 13 Part II: The Truth About Taxable Income Truth 5: Determining what's taxable 17 Truth 6: Earned versus unearned income 21 Truth 7: The alternative minimum tax 25 Truth 8: Our progressive tax system 29 Part III: The Truth About Credits and Deductions Truth 9: Why credits are better 33 Truth 10: Standard versus itemized deductions 39 Truth 11: Dealing with deduction limitations 43 Truth 12: Maximizing charitable deductions 47 Truth 13: Deducting without itemizing 51 Part IV: The Truth About Taxes and Your Family Truth 14: Marriage and taxes 55 Truth 15: Innocent and injured spouse issues 59 Truth 16: Tax implications of divorce 63 Truth 17: Claiming exemptions and dependents 67 Truth 18: Adoption assistance 71 Truth 19: Child and additional child tax credits 75 Truth 20: Tax help in caring for your kids (and others) 79 Truth 21: Tax-favored college savings options 83 Truth 22: When a child has to file 87 Truth 23: Taking tax-smart care of a parent 91 Part V: The Truth About Taxes and Your Employment Truth 24: Getting your withholding right 95 Truth 25: Tax-favored employer-provided benefits 99 Truth 26: Recouping employee business expenses 103 Truth 27: Writing off job-hunting costs 107 Truth 28: Tax help in paying work-related moving costs 111 Truth 29: Self-employment tax considerations 115 Part VI: The Truth About Taxes and Your Home Truth 30: Mortgage interest deduction 119 Truth 31: Writing off your property taxes 123 Truth 32: Increasing your home's tax basis 127 Truth 33: Home-sale tax exclusion 131 Part VII: The Truth About Investment Taxes Truth 34: Capital gains rules and rates 135 Truth 35: How bad investments can pay off 139 Truth 36: Reporting investment income 143 Truth 37: Wash sale rules 147 Truth 38: Accounting for the kiddie tax 151 Part VIII: The Truth About Retirement Taxes Truth 39: Individual retirement accounts 155 Truth 40: Company retirement plans 159 Truth 41: Retirement saver's credit 163 Truth 42: Retirement plan rollovers 167 Truth 43: Taxable Social Security benefits 171 Truth 44: Required minimum distributions 175 Truth 45: Estate taxes, or leaving it to your heirs, not the IRS 179 Part IX: The Truth About Tax Compliance Truth 46: The trouble with tax protests 183 Truth 47: Payment options 187 Truth 48: Tax penalties 191 Part X: The Truth About Audits Truth 49: Minimizing audit risks 195 Truth 50: Preparing for an audit 199 Part XI: The Truth About Special Tax Situations Truth 51: Taxpayers abroad and military filers 203 Truth 52: Tax help in disastrous times 207 Epilogue 211 About the Author 212