Pronto Tax Blog
How Does the SALT Deduction Work For Los Angeles High Earners?
Quick Answer: In 2026, the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction allows you to write off up to $40,400 on Schedule A, but a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) over $505,000 triggers a 30% phaseout that reduces the cap down to a $10,000 floor. To legally bypass...
How 529 Plans Are Taxed for Los Angeles Families
Quick Answer: Contributions to a 529 plan are made with post-tax dollars, allowing your investment to compound shielded from federal and state capital gains taxes during the growth phase. Withdrawals are 100% tax-free when used for qualified education expenses,...
What Happens If You Don’t Pay Payroll Taxes, Los Angeles Business Owners
Quick Answer: If your business falls behind on payroll taxes, the IRS has the legal authority to look past your corporation or LLC shield and hold you personally liable for the employee's withheld portion under the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. Because these...
How Does the Lifetime Learning Credit Work for Los Angeles Students, Parents, and Professionals?
Quick Answer: The Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) is a non-refundable federal tax credit worth up to $2,000 per tax return. It’s calculated as 20% of the first $10,000 in qualifying higher education tuition and fees, with no limit on the number of tax years it can...
Should Los Angeles Homeowners Add A Name To A Deed?
Quick Answer: While it’s mechanically simple to add a name to a deed, doing so during your lifetime is a financial mistake that triggers unexpected IRS gift tax reporting and destroys your child's future stepped-up basis tax shield. To safely bypass probate court...
What If I Can’t Pay The IRS What I Owe? Help for Los Angeles Taxpayers
Quick Answer: If you can't pay the IRS what you owe by the notice deadline, the IRS will not immediately seize your paycheck or freeze your bank account. Missing the date does, however, trigger a predictable sequence of automated mail notices. You still...
What Is the US Retirement Age Timeline for Los Angeles Retirees?
Quick Answer: The official US Full Retirement Age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, but true retirement is an 11-to-13-year financial timeline stretching from age 62 to age 73 or 75. Your specific birth year determines where you fall on this milestone spectrum,...
Supporting Los Angeles Charities? How 2026 OBBBA Charitable Giving Contributions Work
Quick Answer: Effective for the 2026 tax year, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) establishes a new universal deduction allowing non-itemizers to deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples) for qualified cash donations directly from their income. And...
How to Stop a Levy on Your Los Angeles Bank Account After an IRS Notice
Quick Answer: You stop an IRS levy or wage garnishment by acting fast, confirming what the IRS is trying to collect, and getting into a formal resolution before more money is taken. Depending on your situation, that can mean requesting a hearing, setting up...
Calculating Crypto Taxes Simplified For Los Angeles Investors
Quick Answer: Crypto taxes are calculated by subtracting your cost basis from your gross proceeds for each taxable sale, swap, or purchase made with cryptocurrency. The IRS treats crypto as property, so selling crypto, trading one token for another, or earning...
How the Secure 2.0 Act Changes Beneficiary IRS Tax Rules For Your Los Angeles Heirs
Quick Answer: Under the SECURE 2.0 beneficiary IRA tax rules, most non-spouse heirs must fully liquidate an inherited IRA within 10 years, with many also facing mandatory annual required minimum distributions (RMDs) if you pass away after age 73. Because the...
Is Student Loan Forgiveness Taxable for Los Angeles Taxpayers in 2026?
Quick AnswerStudent loan forgiveness may count as taxable income in 2026 if the forgiven balance does not qualify for a separate federal exclusion. Long-term income-driven repayment forgiveness is the main area where borrowers may face a tax bill. Public Service...