Publication 553 |
2000 Tax Year |
2001 Changes
Standard Mileage Rate
If you use your car in your business, you can figure your deduction
for business use based on either your actual costs or the standard
mileage rate. For 2001, the standard mileage rate for the cost of
operating your car, including a van, pickup, or panel truck, is
increased to 34 1/2 cents a mile for all business miles.
Car expenses and use of the standard mileage rate are explained in
chapter 4 of Publication 463,
Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and
Car Expenses.
Lower Capital Gain Tax Rates
After 2000, there will be changes in the capital gain tax rates.
The changed rates apply to gain that is "qualified 5-year gain."
Qualified 5-year gain is long-term capital gain from the sale of
property that you held for more than 5 years and that would otherwise
be subject to the 10% or 20% capital gain rate.
2001.
Beginning in 2001, the 10% capital gain rate will be lowered to 8%
for qualified 5-year gain.
2006.
Beginning in 2006, the 20% capital gain rate will be lowered to 18%
for qualified 5-year gain from property with a holding period that
begins after 2000.
Election to recognize gain on assets held on January 1, 2001.
Taxpayers (other than corporations) can elect to treat certain
assets held on January 1, 2001, as sold and then reacquired on the
same date but they must pay tax for 2001 on any resulting gain. The
purpose of the election is to make any future gain on the asset
eligible for the 18% rate by giving the asset a new holding period.
You can make this election for either of the following types of
assets:
- Readily tradable stock that is a capital asset
that you held on January 1, 2001, and did not sell before
January 2, 2001. If you make the election, you treat this stock as
sold on January 2, 2001, at its closing market price on that date. You
then treat it as reacquired on that date for the same amount.
- Any other capital asset or property used in a trade or
business that you held on January 1, 2001. If you make the
election, you treat this type of asset as sold on January 1, 2001, for
its fair market value on that date. You then treat it as reacquired on
that date for the same amount.
Any gain on a deemed sale resulting from this election must be
recognized. However, any loss is not allowed.
For the election to apply, you cannot dispose of the asset (in a
transaction in which gain or loss is recognized in whole or in part)
within the 1-year period beginning on the date the asset would have
been treated as sold under the election.
How to make the election.
Report the deemed sale on your tax return for the tax year that
includes the date of the deemed sale. If you are a calendar year
taxpayer, this is your 2001 tax return. Attach a statement to the
return stating that you are making an election under section 311 of
the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and specifying the assets for which
you are making the election. Once made, the election is irrevocable.
Environmental Cleanup Cost Deduction
The deduction for qualified environmental cleanup costs was
scheduled to expire for costs paid or incurred after December 31,
2001. It has been extended to include costs you pay or incur before
January 1, 2004. For more information about this deduction, see
Publication 954,
Tax Incentives for Empowerment Zones and Other
Distressed Communities.
Self-Employment Tax
The self-employment tax rate on net earnings remains the same for
calendar year 2001. This rate, 15.3%, is a total of 12.4% for social
security (old-age, survivors, and disability insurance) and 2.9% for
Medicare (hospital insurance).
The maximum amount subject to the social security part for tax
years beginning in 2001 has increased to $80,400. All net earnings of
at least $400 are subject to the Medicare part.
Employment Taxes
Social security and Medicare taxes.
For 2001, the employer and employee will continue to pay:
- 6.2% each for social security tax (old-age, survivors, and
disability insurance), and
- 1.45% each for Medicare tax (hospital insurance).
Wage limit.
For social security tax, the maximum amount of 2001 wages subject
to the tax has increased to $80,400. For Medicare tax, all covered
2001 wages are subject to the tax. There is no wage base limit. For
information about these taxes, see Publication 15, Circular E,
Employer's Tax Guide.
Household employees.
The $1,200 social security and Medicare wage threshold for
household employees has been increased to $1,300 for 2001. This means
that if you pay a household employee cash wages of less than $1,300 in
2001, you do not have to report and pay social security and Medicare
taxes on that employee's 2001 wages. For more information on household
employment taxes, see Publication 926,
Household Employer's Tax
Guide.
Deposit rules.
Beginning in 2001, the threshold for depositing employment taxes
increases from $1,000 to $2,500. If your tax liability is less than
$2,500, you are not required to make deposits and you can pay the
taxes with Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return,
or Form 943, Employer's Annual Tax Return for Agricultural
Employees. For information on depositing employment taxes, see
Publication 15, Circular E, Employer's Tax Guide, or
Publication 51,
Circular A, Agricultural Employer's Tax
Guide.
New publication on fringe benefits.
Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe
Benefits (For Benefits Provided in 2001), supplements
Publication 15, Circular E, Employer's Tax Guide, and
Publication 15-A, Employer's Supplemental Tax Guide.
It contains specialized and detailed information on the
employment tax treatment of fringe benefits that was previously
covered in chapters 3,
4, and 5 of Publication 535,
Business
Expenses.
When Publication 15-B (November 2000) was prepared for print,
Congress was considering legislation that could have affected the
amounts of pay used in that publication to define highly compensated
employees, key employees, control employees, and qualified employees
for 2001. Legislation was enacted, but it did not require a change in
those amounts for 2001. The amounts of pay shown in Publication 15-B are the correct amounts for 2001.
Fringe benefit parking exclusion.
You can generally exclude a limited amount of the value of
qualified parking you provide to an employee from the employee's wages
subject to employment taxes. In 2000, you could exclude up to $175 per
month. For 2001, the maximum amount you can exclude is increased to
$180 per month. For more information on this exclusion, see
Transportation (Commuting) Benefits in Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits (For Benefits
Provided in 2001).
Tax Incentives for Empowerment
Zones and Renewal Communities
The Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 generally extends
empowerment zone status for existing zones through 2009, provides new
or enhanced tax benefits to businesses in empowerment zones, and
authorizes up to nine new zones. The Act also authorizes up to 40
renewal communities in which businesses will be eligible for tax
incentives such as a 15% credit on the first $10,000 of the wages of
certain employees, special cost recovery for commercial revitalization
expenses, an increased section 179 deduction, and paying no tax on any
capital gain from the sale of certain qualifying assets. In addition,
the Act creates a New Markets tax credit for equity investments in
qualified community development entities. For more information, see
Publication 954,
Tax Incentives for Empowerment Zones and Other
Distressed Communities. A new edition of Publication 954,
reflecting the new law, will be available early in 2001.
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