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How to Get a Copy of Your Federal Income Tax Return

You are applying for a mortgage, and the bank requires copies of your income tax returns for the past two years. You search and search, but to no avail. The good news is that your future life as a homeowner is not doomed. But the bad news is that it might take some time and cost some money.

Taxation of Foster Care Payments

As the provider of foster care, you may be entitled to exclude certain payments for the care of "qualified foster individuals" from your gross income. A qualified foster individual is a person who is living in a foster family home after having been placed there either by a governmental agency or by a qualified foster care agency.

Business Income

The definition of taxable business income is a broad one. To paraphrase the Internal Revenue Code, it includes all income from whatever source it is derived. In general, anything of value received by a business is considered income unless it is specifically excluded by the tax laws.

Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations

Even if a nonprofit organization is granted tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service, it may still be subject to taxation on any unrelated business income. Unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) is defined as income from a trade or business regularly carried on by an exempt organization if the trade or business is not substantially related to the exempt purpose of the organization. In determining whether an activity is "regularly carried on," the Internal Revenue Service looks at the frequency and continuity with which it is pursued, and it is compared to the commercial activities of non-exempt organizations.

Federal Taxation of Workers' Compensation Income

Generally, gross income received by an individual is taxable by the federal government. A notable exception is for workers' compensation income. Workers' compensation, either received by the injured worker or his survivors, is completely exempt from federal taxation as long as it is paid under a Workers' Compensation Act or a statute that operates in the nature of a Workers' Compensation Act by providing income for injuries or illness suffered in the course of the worker's employment. Basically, the statute must restrict the payment of benefits to work-related disabilities.