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sometimesmommy
Always in my heart.....
Member since 11/06 6686 total posts
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Nurses Tax Question
My MIL is a newly certified RN in a nursing home. She just did her taxes and came out oweing 10k however after her "new" accountant compiled some deductions that she claims are standard for nurses her amount owed to the IRS was then reduced to 5k out of pocket. My question is how is it possible-she claims the accountant told her she can claim uniforms, cell phone, etc (which I think she can) but I just want to make sure that she doesnt end up getting audited as to me just becuase you may have 5k in itemized deductions it doesnt equal a 5k decrease in the amount you owe..am I reading into this too much  Also she barely has any receipts ughhh
Message edited 2/18/2008 3:43:57 PM.
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Posted 2/17/08 10:09 PM  |
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Karen
Just chillin'!!
Member since 1/06 9690 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
in order for the amount she owed to go down by $5k, the accountant had to find a boatload of deductions.
nursing uniforms are definitely a valid deduction. the cell phone - kinda iffy. she is going to have to prove her business usage if she gets audited.
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| Posted 2/17/08 10:13 PM |
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sometimesmommy
Always in my heart.....
Member since 11/06 6686 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by Karen
in order for the amount she owed to go down by $5k, the accountant had to find a boatload of deductions.
nursing uniforms are definitely a valid deduction. the cell phone - kinda iffy. she is going to have to prove her business usage if she gets audited.
Thats exactly what I have been telling her but she knows it all She is looking at the bottom line and not how that woman got her the deductions.
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| Posted 2/18/08 5:31 AM |
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bomb-blast
bye bye
Member since 11/06 1327 total posts
Name:
Leo
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
The official rule is that uniforms are deductible only if 1. they're required as a condition of employment AND 2. they are not adaptable to general wear.
Unreimbursed employee expenses are deductible as itemized deductions only inasmuch as they exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. So the higher your AGI, the less you'll be able to deduct as unreimbursed expenses.
Finally, itemized deductions reduce your taxable income, and not your tax, so for her tax to go down by $5,000, that accountant must've done some serious searching!
FYI, if you file a fraudulent tax return there is not statute of limitations and the IRS can come after you any time they want.
BTW, the IRS is very thankful when you report anyone who you suspect of filing fraudlulent tax returns. LOL 
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| Posted 2/18/08 1:10 PM |
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sometimesmommy
Always in my heart.....
Member since 11/06 6686 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by bomb-blast
The official rule is that uniforms are deductible only if 1. they're required as a condition of employment AND 2. they are not adaptable to general wear.
Unreimbursed employee expenses are deductible as itemized deductions only inasmuch as they exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income. So the higher your AGI, the less you'll be able to deduct as unreimbursed expenses.
Finally, itemized deductions reduce your taxable income, and not your tax, so for her tax to go down by $5,000, that accountant must've done some serious searching!
FYI, if you file a fraudulent tax return there is not statute of limitations and the IRS can come after you any time they want.
BTW, the IRS is very thankful when you report anyone who you suspect of filing fraudlulent tax returns. LOL
She makes lik 100k Gross so she definitely doesnt fit the bill then.
lol nah I wont report her as long as she stays on my goodside
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| Posted 2/18/08 1:20 PM |
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Jessica
I'm a mommy :)
Member since 1/06 7322 total posts
Name:
~Jess~
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by sometimesmommy
She makes lik 100k Gross so she definitely doesnt fit the bill then.
lol nah I wont report her as long as she stays on my goodside
Where does your mom work
My moms an RN and does not make close to that
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| Posted 2/18/08 1:42 PM |
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sometimesmommy
Always in my heart.....
Member since 11/06 6686 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by Jessica
Posted by sometimesmommy
She makes lik 100k Gross so she definitely doesnt fit the bill then.
lol nah I wont report her as long as she stays on my goodside
Where does your mom work
My moms an RN and does not make close to that
She is a Supervisor at a pretty big nursing home. She works OT sometimes on the weekend as well. Shes been there for almost 18 years as a CNA and they paid for her school so its about time she made some $$. I know alot of RNs who make 35 plus an hour and they are new grads too.
Message edited 2/18/2008 3:44:19 PM.
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| Posted 2/18/08 2:54 PM |
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imagin916
LIF Adult
Member since 6/05 1826 total posts
Name:
Valerie
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
I wound up getting back a lot of money this year, but I claim 0, and I only deduct uniforms, professional journals and memberships. Claiming a cell phone is really iffy unless you are a home health nurse where you are traveling a lot.
The nurses that I know that owed a lot of money to the IRS were those that had 2 jobs. For instance, at my place where we are working staff, we are also able to work through the agency for a higher rate of pay when we do our overtime. Some people make an extra $20-30k working overtime, which is really like a second income. So they are making $70k as staff paid thru the hospital, $30k as agency paid through them. The amount of tax taken out of your check doesnt add up to what someone making 100k paid my one employer, so these nurses wind up owing big bucks at the end of the year. This is why I do not owrk through the agency anymore, only once in a blue moon. Since your mom has 2 jobs, and may not claim 0, this is my guess why she owes so much money, but I am no tax expert.
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| Posted 2/18/08 6:22 PM |
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sometimesmommy
Always in my heart.....
Member since 11/06 6686 total posts
Name:
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by imagin916
I wound up getting back a lot of money this year, but I claim 0, and I only deduct uniforms, professional journals and memberships. Claiming a cell phone is really iffy unless you are a home health nurse where you are traveling a lot.
The nurses that I know that owed a lot of money to the IRS were those that had 2 jobs. For instance, at my place where we are working staff, we are also able to work through the agency for a higher rate of pay when we do our overtime. Some people make an extra $20-30k working overtime, which is really like a second income. So they are making $70k as staff paid thru the hospital, $30k as agency paid through them. The amount of tax taken out of your check doesnt add up to what someone making 100k paid my one employer, so these nurses wind up owing big bucks at the end of the year. This is why I do not owrk through the agency anymore, only once in a blue moon. Since your mom has 2 jobs, and may not claim 0, this is my guess why she owes so much money, but I am no tax expert.
She works 1 job bt does O/T quite often. She claimed 1 but this year is going down to 0. This makes so much sense-My worry is the deductions-it had to be a b*ttload that that accountant came up with and I know it cant be legit.
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| Posted 2/19/08 9:22 AM |
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imagin916
LIF Adult
Member since 6/05 1826 total posts
Name:
Valerie
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Re: Nurses Tax Question
Posted by sometimesmommy
Posted by imagin916
I wound up getting back a lot of money this year, but I claim 0, and I only deduct uniforms, professional journals and memberships. Claiming a cell phone is really iffy unless you are a home health nurse where you are traveling a lot.
The nurses that I know that owed a lot of money to the IRS were those that had 2 jobs. For instance, at my place where we are working staff, we are also able to work through the agency for a higher rate of pay when we do our overtime. Some people make an extra $20-30k working overtime, which is really like a second income. So they are making $70k as staff paid thru the hospital, $30k as agency paid through them. The amount of tax taken out of your check doesnt add up to what someone making 100k paid my one employer, so these nurses wind up owing big bucks at the end of the year. This is why I do not owrk through the agency anymore, only once in a blue moon. Since your mom has 2 jobs, and may not claim 0, this is my guess why she owes so much money, but I am no tax expert.
She works 1 job bt does O/T quite often. She claimed 1 but this year is going down to 0. This makes so much sense-My worry is the deductions-it had to be a b*ttload that that accountant came up with and I know it cant be legit.
Next year she can go to a different accountant and straighten everything out. I have a friend that is a nurse who gets back like 10k a year in deductions, has no real deductions like kids or house. I do not know how they stretch her numbers, but I won't go to this guy who she goes to because I know that he has to be doing something shady. Nobody else I know who is single with no big deductions gets back that much. She has been doing this every year and hasn't been audited yet, so if your mom straightens everythign out for next year, I'm sure she will be ok.
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| Posted 2/19/08 10:11 AM |
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