Economic Impact Payments:

The CARES Act provided Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) to taxpayers based on the following:

 

Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals, and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns, will receive the full payment. For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $99,000, and $198,000 for joint filers with no children, are not eligible.

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Taxpayers also received a $500 EIP for each qualifying child, and the IRS issued Notice 1444 within 15 days after the EIP was sent out, showing how the payment was made. The payment is not includible in gross income, and will not reduce a refund or increase the amount owed.  Taxpayers who didn’t get some or all of the EIP they were entitled to will be able to claim the difference as a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2020 tax return. According to the IRS, there is no provision in the law that would require individuals who qualify for a Payment based on their 2018 or 2019 tax returns, to pay back all or part of the payment, if based on the information reported on their 2020 tax returns, they no longer qualify for that amount or would qualify for a lesser amount.

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Paycheck Protection Program Loans:

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides low-interest loans to eligible small business owners and other eligible businesses (including nonprofits) to cover payroll and other expenses (mortgage interest, rent, and utilities) for a 24-week period. The Small Business Administration may forgive these loans, in whole or in part, if PPP funds are spent on eligible expenses during the Loan Forgiveness Covered Period. Lenders are responsible for determining loan forgiveness eligibility.

For tax purposes, loan forgiveness amounts are excluded from gross income, but forgiven expenses are not deductible (IRS Notice 2020-32). Lenders are not supposed to file and report forgiven amounts on Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt (Announcement 2020-12).

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Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC:

To reduce confusion around filing deadlines, Form 1099-MISC (Miscellaneous Income) has been redesigned, and Form 1099-NEC for reporting nonemployee compensation has been reintroduced in tax year 2020. Prior to the change, non-employee compensation on Form 1099-MISC, box 7, needed to be filed with the IRS by Jan. 31, and all other payments on Form 1099-MISC needed to be filed with the IRS by Feb. 28 for paper filers (March 31 for electronic filers).  Beginning in tax year 2020, Form 1099-NEC (Nonemployee Compensation) must be filed with the IRS by Feb. 1, and Form 1099-MISC must be filed with the IRS by March 1 if filing on paper (March 31 if filing electronically). Both Forms 1099-MISC & 1099-NEC must be furnished to the recipient by Feb. 1. Payments of more than $600 in nonemployee compensation, including independent contractors, attorneys, and golden parachute payments, will be reported on Form 1099-NEC, box 1.

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Charitable contributions:

The CARES Act makes the following changes to charitable contributions beginning in tax year 2020:

• A $300 above-the-line charitable contribution deduction is now available for taxpayers who don’t itemize deductions.

• The 60% adjusted gross income (AGI) limit on cash contributions by individuals is disregarded.

• For corporations, the taxable income limit is increased from 10% to 25% on cash charitable contributions.

• The taxable income limit on contributions of food inventory is increased from 15% to 25%.                                                                                                                                        

Required minimum distribution age raised from 70½ to 72:

Prior to 2020, participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans (for example, 401(k) plans), traditional IRAs, and individual retirement annuities needed to begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their plans by April 1 of the year following the year they turned 70½ years old.  Under the SECURE Act and for distributions required to be made after Dec. 31, 2019, the age at which individuals must start taking distributions from these retirement plans has been increased from 70½ to 72. The RMD rules try to get taxpayers to spend retirement savings during their lifetimes instead of transferring wealth to beneficiaries.

Please note: Under the CARES Act, RMDs are not required for 2020. Initially, the provision stated that you may return an RMD within 60 days if you had already taken the distribution. Notice 2020-51 allows you to return the distribution by Aug. 31, 2020.

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Retirement plan distributions:

Under the CARES Act and for 2020 distributions from IRAs and workplace retirement plans, if the taxpayer is impacted by COVID-19, they can take a distribution up to $100,000 and not be subjected to the 10% early withdrawal penalty. The distribution can be included in income ratably over a 3-year period unless the taxpayer elects otherwise. The taxpayer can also contribute the money back to their retirement plan within three years and treat the transaction as a direct rollover.

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Retirement plan loans:

Under the CARES Act and for taxpayers affected by COVID-19, loans from a qualified plan on or after March 27, 2020, and before Sept. 23, 2020, may be made up to the lesser of $100,000 (instead of $50,000) minus loans you have outstanding, or 100% of your non-forfeitable account balance or accrued benefit.

The taxpayer has up to six years (instead of five) to repay the loan. Amounts in IRAs are eligible for COVID-19-related distributions, but you can’t take a loan from an IRA.

For new and existing loans, plans can also suspend loan repayments due between March 27, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020, for up to one year. Typically, at least those repayments originally scheduled for 2021 must resume in January 2021.

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Kiddie tax changes:

Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the net unearned income of a child under 19 years old (or a full-time student under 24) was taxed at the parent’s tax rates, if the parent’s rates were higher than the child’s rates. For tax years beginning after 2017, the TCJA changed the rule so that the unearned income of the child would be taxed at trust and estate tax rates.  However, this change seemed to unfairly increase the tax on certain children. Effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2019, the SECURE Act repeals TCJA rules, and you may elect to apply the pre-TCJA rules in 2018 and 2019. Also, a child’s earned income is taxed at single rates and this has not changed.

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Contribution Limits for 401k:

401K contributions limits have been increased to $19,500 and an additional $6,500 for taxpayers over age 50 making catch-up contributions.

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Contribution Limits for IRA:

IRA contribution limits have also increased to $6,000 with a $1,000 catch-up amount for taxpayers over age 50.

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Contribution Limits for HSA:

HSA account contribution limits have increased to $3,550 self-coverage only and $7,100 for family coverage.

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Standard Deduction Increased:

For the 2020 tax season, the standard deduction amounts will be increased slightly as in previous years. The new amounts for 2019 tax returns are below:

Single:                                  $12,400

Married Filing Separate:    $12,400
Head of Household:            $18,650

Married Filing Joint:           $24,800

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