Since 1996, when the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was signed into law, same-sex couples have been unable to take advantage of federal couples’ benefits, and they have been unable to file their federal taxes jointly. Even if they live in states where civil unions and marriages are allowed for same-sex couples, the federal filing status and benefits just aren’t there.

But that could change if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to hear arguments against DOMA, and then strikes the law down as unconstitutional. Those hoping to see DOMA struck down are fighting the law based on a couple of grounds: equal protection (Amendment 14), and the Full Faith and Credit Clause (Article IV, Section 1).

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Normally around this time, you usually see a lot of financial publications write about year end tax moves. It’s a common topic and one that’s worth reviewing every year because our tax laws change and what you should be doing year to year might need some adjustment.

This year, it’s a lot trickier than it’s ever been because of the fiscal cliff.

The basic premise behind all year end tax moves is that you should accelerate expenses and delay income. You won’t owe taxes on income you collect on January 1st, 2013 until you do your taxes the following year. You can claim expenses you pay on or before December 31st, 2012 when you file your taxes next year. By claiming deductible expenses early, you reduce your taxable income. By delaying and deferring income, you reduce your taxable income.

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After much wrangling and hand-wringing, and even a review by the Supreme Court, it’s time for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to continue following its timeline. The provisions of the PPACA (also called “Obamacare” informally) were laid out to take place over time, and not all at once. However, there are some changes coming in 2013 that will really start having an impact.

One of these changes is the addition of a Medicare tax. No matter what you think about the healthcare law, it’s been ruled Constitutional in all but one provision, and the Medicare tax is coming.

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A couple of years ago, in an effort to stimulate the economy, Congress passed a payroll tax cut. Even though the tax cut was set to expire at the end of last year, an extension means that the payroll tax cut is good through the end of 2012.

As the end of the year approaches, it is clear that the situation is about to come to a head. Hardly anyone is talking about the upcoming expiration of the payroll tax cut, which reduced the employee side of the FICA/Social Security tax to 4.2% from 6.2%. For many people, that didn’t make a huge difference in a paycheck. For example, someone making $50,000 a year has been saving about $1,000 a year. On average, that amounts to slightly more than $19 per week.

Many workers probably don’t even realize that they are enjoying a tax break right now, and that means that it will come as something of a shock come 2013 when the paycheck is a little bit lower.

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One of the biggest issues of the presidential campaign is taxes. Even though the economy seems to be one of the main focuses of the election, the reality is that voters really want to know how their bottom lines will be affected.

While each candidate has released some of their ideas for tax plans, the truth is that  for any of them to work, they have to get through Congress. However, learning a little bit more about the competing tax plans can provide an idea of the philosophy driving each candidate.

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It took until the new year but we finally have a resolution to the tax headaches created by the fiscal cliff and the results are positive for most taxpayers. Unless you earn more than $400,000 as a single filer or $450,000 as a married filing jointly, your taxes will remain the same for the near future. The Bush era tax cuts were extended for income levels under that threshold and there was a five year extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Earned Income Tax Credit.

Below, you’ll see what the official 2013 IRS tax brackets will be as well as the “pre-fiscal cliff” predictions. I kept them just for history’s sake, I find that it’s useful to see what could’ve been as well as what actually is because it can help us understand what the future might bring.

If you’re looking for the 2012 tax brackets, that is the brackets that will be in effect when you file your taxes, you can find them at here.

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Most of us think of tax time as the time from the end of December through the middle of April. And, while this is the time of year that everyone really starts thinking about gathering documents, and figuring what they owe (or what refund is coming), the truth is that you’re better off keeping things organized throughout the year. It means less work and bother later on.

On top of that, organizing your taxes throughout the year can help keep you on track for better tax efficiency. As summertime draws to a close, now is a great time to make a few tax moves to set you on the right path:
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It’s hard for us to conceive of the idea that celebrities have tax trouble. After all, they have plenty of money. Shouldn’t they be able to pay their taxes? Shouldn’t they be able to hire people who make sure they can pay their taxes? The tax brackets shouldn’t trip them up… they’re usually in the highest one!

Celebrities are people, too, and they have some of the same problems and troubles we have. Maybe you forgot to deposit that million dollar check for appearing in that straight to DVD movie? Maybe you forgot the $50,000 royalty check for your show’s syndication last year… eh, we all have those problems. Right? Of course, these troubles tend to happen on a larger scale — just as celebrity wealth is on a scale beyond what most of us will see in our lifetimes.

Here are some of the most surprising celebrities with tax issues:
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