Watch out for potential tax pitfalls of donating real estate to charity

Watch out for potential tax pitfalls of donating real estate to charityCharitable giving allows you to help an organization you care about and, in most cases, enjoy a valuable income tax deduction. If you’re considering a large gift, a noncash donation such as appreciated real estate can provide additional benefits. For example, if you’ve held the property for more than one year, you generally will be able to deduct its full fair market value and avoid any capital gains tax you’d owe if you sold the property. There are, however, potential tax pitfalls you must watch out for:

The “manufacturers’ deduction” isn’t just for manufacturers

The “manufacturers’ deduction” isn’t just for manufacturersThe Section 199 deduction is intended to encourage domestic manufacturing. In fact, it’s often referred to as the “manufacturers’ deduction.” But this potentially valuable tax break can be used by many other types of businesses besides manufacturing companies.

What you need to know about estimated tax payments

08_15_16-179068348_ITB_560x292.jpgPaying the proper amount of tax by the annual federal income tax filing deadline isn’t enough to avoid interest and penalties; you must also meet requirements for paying tax throughout the year through withholding and/or quarterly estimated tax payments. If you have income from sources such as self-employment, interest, dividends, alimony, rent, prizes, awards or the sales of assets, you may have to pay estimated tax.