Did you end up deducting your prepaid property taxes for 2018?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. The District of Columbia says the I can.

You know it's not their decision, right?

[Anonymous]

I think I might leave it off and see if people get dinged for it and how it all plays out in he courts. If it seems fine, I’ll file a 1040X.

[Anonymous]

I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

[Anonymous]

Don't give IRS reason to question your return.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but for our second house in Massachusetts where we already had the assessment for the bill due in May 2018. We did not prepay MoCo because it was clear that wasn't going to be deductible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

Could also be banking on the IRS not having the resources for enforcement. If you look at the statistics regarding audits I would say that's a reasonable bet to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but for our second house in Massachusetts where we already had the assessment for the bill due in May 2018. We did not prepay MoCo because it was clear that wasn't going to be deductible.

Smart but how did you know??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

Could also be banking on the IRS not having the resources for enforcement. If you look at the statistics regarding audits I would say that's a reasonable bet to make.

So why shouldn't I falsely claim tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions? How is claiming a deduction for 2018 property taxes different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

Could also be banking on the IRS not having the resources for enforcement. If you look at the statistics regarding audits I would say that's a reasonable bet to make.

So why shouldn't I falsely claim tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions? How is claiming a deduction for 2018 property taxes different?

One is fraud (possible jail time), the other is a mistake (interest and possibly penalties).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

Could also be banking on the IRS not having the resources for enforcement. If you look at the statistics regarding audits I would say that's a reasonable bet to make.

So why shouldn't I falsely claim tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions? How is claiming a deduction for 2018 property taxes different?

Because the former would be fraud and the latter is abiding by the rules that the IRS used every other year until they decided to stick it to the blue states.

[Anonymous]

We prepaid but aren't deducting yet. In part because we use an accountant and he (understandably) isn't comfortable signing his name to it, and in part because we don't want to put the resources into being the IRS test case. If someone else does and the guidance for prepaid taxes changes, we'll file an amended return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, but for our second house in Massachusetts where we already had the assessment for the bill due in May 2018. We did not prepay MoCo because it was clear that wasn't going to be deductible.

Smart but how did you know??

The IRS guidance and our accountant. There was also a lot of discussion on our neighborhood listserv (which happened to include a number of tax lawyers).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you people who are disregarding the IRS's 12/27/17 statement, apparently on the theory that you would win a court case against them, are insane.

Could also be banking on the IRS not having the resources for enforcement. If you look at the statistics regarding audits I would say that's a reasonable bet to make.

So why shouldn't I falsely claim tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions? How is claiming a deduction for 2018 property taxes different?

One is fraud (possible jail time), the other is a mistake (interest and possibly penalties).

Well, making a mistake knowingly is not a "mistake." Just saying...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My accountant said no and said I would not benefit anyway because I am subject to AMT. Virginia

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anybody have an their CPA give guidance that said it was okay?

My CPA siad that it was not ok if the municipality had not assessed the tax, which Arlington didn't. I did not deduct them.