Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

Taxes

Q&A: Paying taxes with plastic

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Dear Liz: I am selling a rental property that I have owned for several years. I know I could do a 1031 exchange, which would allow me to put off the tax bill by investing in another commercial property. But I just want out. I’ll pay the capital gains tax and invest the rest of the proceeds. I am considering paying the taxes by credit card and taking on the 3% premium to get rewards points offered through the card issuer. Is this a dumb idea, or does it have some merit?

Answer: The companies that process federal tax payments have processing fees of just under 2%, not 3%. You’ll still want to make sure you get more value from your rewards than you pay in fees, and that’s not a given. If your card offers only 1.5% cash back, for example, charging your taxes doesn’t make a lot of sense. But the math changes if you can get more than 2% in rewards, or if you could use the charge to help you meet the minimum spending requirements for a new credit card with a generous sign-up bonus.

If you do charge your taxes, you’ll obviously want to pay the balance in full before incurring any interest.

Q&A: Don’t file an amended return after the stimulus tax break. The IRS is begging you

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Dear Liz: You might want to inform your readers that they do not need to file an amended return if they filed before Congress passed its most recent stimulus plan, which excludes the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits. The IRS will automatically recalculate their taxes and refund the taxes paid on that amount of benefits.

Answer: In fact, the IRS is begging people not to file amended returns. (An exception, the IRS has said, is for those who the tax reduction would make newly eligible for the earned income tax credit or other tax breaks for lower income people.) The agency is still processing a backlog of returns and correspondence while issuing a third wave of stimulus payments and gearing up to send monthly child credit payments to millions of families.

You may need patience, however. The IRS has promised to refund any taxes paid on the first $10,200 of unemployment benefits earned last year, but has said the money will go out “this spring and summer.”

If you need to find tax help, try DIY first

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Getting help from the IRS this tax season is going to be a challenge.

The IRS has finally opened the 23.4 million pieces of mail that piled up after the pandemic shuttered its processing centers last spring. But the agency still has a backlog of paperwork from last year even as it ingests this year’s returns, issues a third round of relief payments and gears up to send monthly child tax credit payments to millions of families.

The tax deadline has been moved from April 15 to May 17, giving people more time to file. Getting help is another matter. Callers face long wait times with no guarantee they’ll reach a human being. Meanwhile, many tax help sites are closed or working at reduced capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions.

In my latest for the Associated Press, common questions and answers that could save you some time or point you to resources that will help.

Q&A: IRAs and tax considerations

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Dear Liz: I’ve been researching the backdoor Roth IRA and I am finding some conflicting information regarding taxes owed on the conversions. I have two sizable rollover IRAs and one small ($1,600) traditional IRA. Can I make an after-tax contribution to the traditional IRA and convert that to a Roth and pay tax only on that IRA or do I have to consider all three IRAs?

Answer: Sorry, but you have to consider all three. The tax on your conversion will be based on the pre-tax portion of all your IRAs combined, not just the IRA where you make your contribution.

Backdoor Roths allow people to get money into a Roth when their incomes are too high to make a direct contribution. Instead, they contribute to a traditional IRA and convert that to a Roth because conversions don’t have income limits. Conversions require paying taxes proportionately on your pre-tax contributions and earnings, however, so the technique may not be advisable when you have sizable pre-tax IRAs that will trigger a large tax bill.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Start early to get your house retirement-ready. Also in the news: Why these federal student loan borrowers are out of luck, 5 options for people who can’t afford their tax bills, and why big tax refunds aren’t as great as they seem.

Start Early to Get Your House Retirement-Ready
Most homes aren’t ready for “aging in place,” but you could take steps now to make your home better for retirement.

These Federal Student Loan Borrowers Aren’t Getting Relief
FFEL borrowers are out of luck.

5 Options for People Who Can’t Afford Their Tax Bills
If you can’t afford your tax bill, consider an installment plan or an offer in compromise if you qualify.

Why Big Tax Refunds Aren’t As Great as They Seem
You’re giving the IRS a loan.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

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Today’s top story: Ready player two? How couples maximize their credit card rewards. Also in the news: The new stimulus package helps ore college students, common tools that can save you time and money on taxes, and how to qualify for 100% subsidized COBRA payments.

Ready Player Two? How Couples Maximize Their Credit Card Rewards
These couples work together to double their rewards by engaging a “two-player” credit card strategy.

This Time, the Stimulus Package Helps More College Students
Things are different for the third round of payments.

Common Tools Can Save You Time, Money on Taxes
Some of these tools are already on your phone.

How to Qualify for 100% Subsidized COBRA Premiums
Find out what you need to qualify.