Janet Berry-Johnson
Janet Berry-Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant. Before leaving the accounting world to focus on freelance writing, she specialized in income tax consulting and compliance for individuals and small businesses. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and son and their rescue dog, Dexter.
What Are Capital Gains & Losses – How to Calculate Tax Rates & Deductions
Whether you’re new to the world of investing or thinking of selling stocks, bonds, or real estate you’ve had for some time, you need to understand how you’ll be taxed on the income you generate.When...
Hobby Loss Rules: How to Preserve Your Side Business Tax Deductions for Expenses
Do you have a talent that provides value to others? If so, you may have considered turning that skill into a money-making venture. But would that venture be a hobby or a business? For...
5 Education-Related Tax Credits & Deductions for College Tuition & Expenses
For people without wealthy parents or a full-ride scholarship, paying for a college education is often a financial challenge. According to The College Board, for the 2018 to 2019 school year, the average annual...
5 Financial Moves to Make Before the End of the Tax Year
At the end of the year, your thoughts are likely on the holidays, spending time with friends and family, and the promise of a new year. The last thing you want to think about...
Married Filing Taxes Jointly vs. Separately – Which Is Better?
Are you married? That seems like an easy question, but the answer can get complicated when it involves the filing status on your federal income tax return. For tax purposes, your marital status is determined...
How to Pay Taxes to the IRS – Online, Check or Credit Card
You've assembled and organized all of your tax documents to meet the April 15th tax filing deadline, and you've discovered that, unfortunately, you didn't have enough tax withheld or make enough estimated payments. As a...
Do I Have to File Taxes and How Much Do I Need to Make?
How do you feel when you think about taxes? Confused? Intimidated? Overwhelmed by the number of rules to follow and forms to complete? What if you could avoid filing a return entirely?No, we’re not...
List of the Most Common Federal IRS Tax Forms
As tax season heats up, your mailbox will be flooded with tax-related forms. While many have familiar names and numbers, there is a slew of new schedules this year. Each has a particular purpose...
Filing Taxes After Divorce – Tax Implications & Claiming Children
Divorce is hard. It can be stressful emotionally, mentally, physically and financially. When you add tax issues — already a confusing subject — divorce doesn't get any easier.Following a complicated divorce, taxes sometimes become even...
Form 1040X Instructions – How to File an Amended Tax Return
There are plenty of common tax filing errors. When you discover an error on your return, alarm bells go off. Will the IRS audit your tax returns for the past decade? Will you be...
Filing Taxes for Kids: Does My Child Have to File a Tax Return?
Did your kids discover the joys of entrepreneurship this year, raking in the dough from lemonade stands, shoveling driveways, or walking the neighbors' dogs? Or maybe generous family members gifted them with stocks and...
How to Choose a Qualified Tax Preparer – 12 Common Tax Scams to Avoid
If you shy away from preparing your own taxes, you're not alone. According to IRS statistics for the 2018 filing season (the 2017 tax year), nearly 60% of Americans who e-filed hired tax professionals to...
