PFwise.com
Search
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Tools
  • Know-how
    • Insurance 101
    • Annuity 101
    • College Planning
    • Real Estate
    • Retirement Planning
    • Smart Investment
    • Stock Ideas
    • Tax Planning
  • About Us
  • 中文
  • Resources
    • Personal Finance Reading List
    • Financial Aid Resources
    • Personal Finance Calendar
    • Retirement Planning Calendar
    • ETF list
    • Financial Glossary
  • Newsletters Archive

How to Earn Tax Free Income?

7/10/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Q. Is it possible to earn tax-free income?

A. Yes, despite the old saying - you can't avoid tax and death in this world, there are some ways to avoid tax, today we will discuss one of the best known ones:

Own and House

This is probably the best known method to get tax free gain - buy a house, live in there for a few years, then sell it for a profit, for no tax owed!

Specifically, an unmarried seller of a principal residence can exclude (pay no federal income tax on) up to $250,000 of gain, and a married joint-filing couple can exclude up to $500,000 of gain. 

There are some limitations. You must pass the following tests to qualify.
  1. Ownership Test: You must have owned the property for at least two years during the five-year period ending on the sale date.
  2. Use Test: You must have used the property as a principal residence for at least two years during the same five-year period (periods of ownership and use need not overlap).
  3. Joint-Filer $500,000 Exclusion Test: To be eligible for the maximum $500,000 joint-filer exclusion, at least one spouse must pass the ownership test, and both spouses must pass the use test.
  4. Previous Sale Test: If you excluded gain from an earlier principal residence sale, you generally must wait at least two years before taking advantage of the gain exclusion deal again. If you are a married joint filer, the larger $500,000 exclusion is only available if neither you nor your spouse claimed the exclusion privilege for an earlier sale within two years of the later sale.

Prorated Exclusion

If you don’t qualify for the maximum $250,000/$500,000 gain exclusion due to failure to pass all the preceding tests, you may still qualify for a prorated exclusion (reduced) amount if you had to sell your home for job-related or health reasons or for certain other IRS-approved reasons. For instance, say you’re a married joint filer. You and your spouse used a home as your principal residence for only one year before having to move for health reasons. You would qualify for a prorated exclusion of $250,000 (half the $500,000 maximum allowance for a joint-filing couple).



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    PFwise's goal is to help ordinary people make wise personal finance decisions.

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Annuity
    Book Reviews
    College Finance
    Finance In Formula
    Financial Scams
    For Entrepreneurs
    Healthcare
    Insurance
    Investment
    Miscellaneous
    Real Estate
    Retirement
    Savings
    Savings Ideas
    Stock-ideas
    Tax
    Tax-related

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.