In IR-2022-25 the Internal Revenue Service explained the latest strategies that fraudsters use to steal identities. With the tax filing season in full swing, taxpayers need to be on guard for strategies that may involve a text message, email, phone call or potential unemployment fraud.

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig stated, "With the filing season underway, this is a prime period for identity thieves to hit people with realistic-looking emails and texts about their tax returns and refunds. Watching out for these common scams can keep people from becoming victims of identity theft, and protect their sensitive personal information that can be used to file tax returns and steal refunds."

1. Text Message Scams -- There has been an uptick in text messages that claim to represent the IRS. The fraudulent messages frequently have links to bogus IRS websites. The IRS emphasizes that it does not use text messages other than the IRS Secure Access service. The IRS also will not send text messages through social media.

If you receive a text message that claims to be from the IRS, you should take a screen shot and send it to phishing@IRS.gov. State the date and time you received the text message and your phone number. You can take a screen shot on an iPhone 13 by simultaneously clicking and releasing the side button and volume button. On other smartphone models, you may click the side button and home button or the top button and home button at the same time. The screen shot may then be accessed through your photos to email to phishing@IRS.gov.

2. Unemployment Fraud -- There is a surge in the efforts by organized crime rings to steal identities and file fraudulent unemployment claims with state agencies. Your state office will then issue IRS Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments to the recipient and the IRS. If you receive a fraudulent or inaccurate Form 1099-G, you should report it to the state agency and obtain a corrected Form 1099-G. For information on unemployment fraud, go to DOL.gov/fraud. If you receive any communication from a state agency about an unemployment claim that you did not file or a notice from your employer about an unemployment claim that is improper, you should also report it on that same fraud page.

3. Email Phishing Scams -- The IRS emphasizes that it does not contact taxpayers through email to request personal or financial information. If you receive an unsolicited email, do not click on any links within it. Send the email as an attachment to phishing@IRS.gov. The Report Phishing and Online Scams webpage at IRS.gov provides additional information.

4. Phone Scams -- The IRS notes that it does not leave urgent or threatening messages on your phone or voicemail. Scammers will frequently threaten victims with arrest. They may also claim that law enforcement will be sent to your door, you could be deported or your driver's license could be revoked. It is possible to fake or "spoof" caller ID numbers. The scammer may attempt to spoof the caller ID number of a sheriff's office, a department of motor vehicles or a federal agency. The IRS emphasizes it will never call and demand payment through a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. It will also not ask for a credit or debit card over the phone.

If you receive a threatening call and do not owe taxes, hang up the phone. You can report the caller ID and callback number on phishing@IRS.gov. You may also report the call on FTC.gov and note "IRS Telephone Scam."

If you owe taxes or think you might have a bill with the IRS, you should nevertheless hang up the phone. You can create an online account on IRS.gov and review your information. There may be a phone number on a billing notice from the IRS or the general IRS number is 800-829-1040.

If you are a victim of identity theft and someone has used your Social Security number to file and claim a fraudulent refund, you may be contacted by the IRS. You should immediately respond to any IRS notice and call the listed number. You may file IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you still must file and pay taxes. Many individuals use a paper form to pay their tax in this circumstance.

Editor's Note: IRS tax filing season always causes fraudsters to redouble their efforts. Taxpayers should be familiar with the principal ways scammers attempt to steal identities and file fraudulent returns.

How can a person know if they have had a minor stroke? My 72-year-old parent had a situation a few weeks ago where they suddenly felt dizzy and had trouble walking and speaking. However, the symptoms have now subsided and they appear to have returned to normal.

From your description, it is very possible that your parent suffered a "mini-stroke," also known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). It is advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible if they have not already done so.

Each year, around 250,000 Americans experience a mini-stroke, but less than half of them realize what is happening. That is because the symptoms are usually fleeting – lasting only a few minutes, up to an hour or two – causing most people to ignore them or brush them off as no big deal. But anyone who has had a mini-stroke is much more likely to have a full-blown stroke, which can cause long-term paralysis, impaired memory, loss of speech or vision and potentially death.

A mini-stroke is caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain and can be a warning sign that a major stroke may occur soon. For this reason, it is imperative that mini-strokes be treated as emergencies.

Who is Vulnerable?

A person is more likely to suffer a TIA or stroke if they are overweight or inactive, have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or diabetes. Other factors that boost the risks are age (over 60), smoking, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and having a family history of strokes. Men also have a greater risk for strokes than women, and African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk than those of other races.

Warning Signs

The symptoms of a mini-stroke are the same as those of a full-blown stroke, but can be subtle and short-lived and do not leave any permanent damage. They include any one or combination of the following:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

The easiest way to identify a stroke is to use the F.A.S.T. test to identify the symptoms.

F (Face): Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S (Speech): Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred?
T (Time): If you observe any of these signs of stroke, call 911.

Get Help

If these warning signs sound like what happened to your parent but went away, they should go to the emergency room or nearby stroke center for an evaluation.

If the doctor suspects a TIA, he or she will run a series of tests to determine what caused it and assess their risk of a future stroke. Once the cause has been determined, the goal of treatment is to correct the abnormality and prevent a full-blown stroke. Depending on the cause(s), the doctor may prescribe medication to reduce the tendency for blood to clot or may recommend surgery or a balloon procedure (angioplasty).

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

A very popular option for a parent with children is called the "Give It Twice" trust. This is a trust funded when the surviving parent passes away. Part of the estate is transferred outright to children. The balance is placed in a special "Give It Twice" trust.

The trust pays income to children for a term of years—usually 20 years. The income can be divided equally among the children for that period of time. Following the selected term of years, the trust principal is then transferred to charity.

In effect, the property has been used twice—once to benefit children with income and the second time to help charity at the end of the trust.

Cindy is a surviving spouse. Her spouse, Michael, passed away four years ago. She is doing fine and combined both IRAs into one. Cindy's estate is now approximately $800,000. Her home, CDs and other property are valued at $400,000, and the combination of IRAs is also about $400,000.

She was reading online about the "Give It Twice" trust. Because Cindy is debt free and has Social Security plus pension income, she thinks that her estate, when she passes away, is likely to be fairly close to its current value. Cindy sat down with her attorney David, to discuss the possibility of creating a trust.

Cindy: "David, I was reading an article online about this special 'Give It Twice' trust. It sounds like you can give an asset once to children through the income stream and then transfer the trust property to charity."

Attorney: "Yes, Cindy, that can be done."

Cindy: "Before Michael passed away, we talked about this. We agreed to treat each of our four children equally and also provide a benefit to our favorite charity."

Attorney: "With your estate of $800,000, you have the ability to do something pretty significant for both your family and favorite charity."

Cindy: "Yes, but there is one big problem. Our three older children—Bill, Sue and Pete—do fine. They are quite financially responsible. But our youngest son Ted is very creative. He spends money like water. If we gave him one-fourth of the estate or $200,000, I am afraid he would spend that very quickly. We need to figure out a way to protect at least part of his inheritance."

Attorney: "That 'Give It Twice' plan could be very helpful. You can benefit all four children equally with an initial amount. For example, you could transfer the $400,000 to them when you pass away. That would be $100,000 per child. The other $400,000 could go to the trust. They would each receive one-fourth of that income for 20 years. That would give Ted a chance to learn to save and invest. In addition, if you transfer the IRA into that trust, you can save all that income tax because the special trust is tax exempt."

Cindy: "This sounds like a great plan. When I pass away, I could transfer my IRA into the "Give it Twice" trust and benefit my four children and my favorite charity. But how do I do that?"

Attorney: "I can write a trust that you sign. It is called an unfunded trust because there are no assets at present. Then we will contact your IRA custodian and select this charitable remainder trust as the designated beneficiary for your IRA. When you pass away, the IRA balance will be transferred to the trustee of your 'Give it Twice' trust."

Cindy: "This is very exciting. It is going to be great for my family and we will also be able to help our favorite charity after the term of years. I especially like the way that this will help Ted to learn to save and invest. Let's move forward as quickly as possible."

Are there any tax breaks that you know of for family caregivers? I help financially support my 82-year-old mother and would like to find out if I can write any of these expenses off on my taxes.

There are several tax credits and deductions available to adult children who help look after their aging parents or other relatives. Here are some options along with the IRS requirements to help you determine if you are eligible to receive them.

Tax Credit for Other Dependents

If your mother lives with you and you are paying more than 50% of her living expenses (housing, food, utilities, health care, repairs, clothing, travel and other necessities), and her 2021 gross income was under $4,300, you can claim your mother as a dependent and get a nonrefundable tax credit of up to $500.

If you split your mother's expenses with other siblings, only one of you can claim your mother as a dependent, and that person must pay at least 10% of her support costs. This is known as a "multiple support agreement."

The IRS has an interactive tool that will help you determine if your mother qualifies as a dependent. Go to IRS.gov/help/ita, scroll down to "Credits," and click on "Does My Child/Dependent Qualify for the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for Other Dependents?"

Medical Deductions

If you claim your mother as a dependent and you help pay her medical, dental and/or long-term care expenses, and were not reimbursed by insurance, you can deduct the expenses that are more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).

If, for example, your adjusted gross income is $80,000, anything beyond the first $6,000 of your mother's medical bills – or 7.5% of your AGI – could be deductible on your return. So, if you paid $8,000 in medical bills for her, $2,000 of it could be deductible. You can also include your own medical expenses in calculating the total.

Note that your state might have a lower AGI threshold, which means you might get a break on your state income taxes even if you cannot get one on your federal income taxes.

To see which medical expenses are deductible, see IRS Publication 502 at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf.

Dependent Care Credit

If you are paying for in-home care or adult day care for your mother, you might qualify for the Dependent Care Tax Credit which can be worth as much as $4,000.

To be eligible, your mother must have been physically or mentally incapable of self-care and must have lived with you for more than six months. To claim this tax credit, fill out IRS Form 2441 (IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2441.pdf) when you file your federal return.

Flexible Health Savings Accounts

If you have a health savings account (HSA) or your employer offers a flexible savings account (FSA), you can use them to pay for your mother's medical expenses if she qualifies as a dependent. Be aware that if you use an HSA or FSA to pay for your mother's medical costs, you cannot take a tax deduction on those expenses too.

For more information, see IRS Publication 969, "Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans" at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p969.pdf.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Can you provide tips on how to write an obituary? My father, who has terminal cancer, has asked me to write his obituary that will be published in the funeral program and run in our local newspaper.

Writing your father's obituary would be a nice way for you to honor him and sum up his life, not to mention avoiding any possible mistakes that may occur when obituaries are hastily written at the time of death. Here is what you should know, along with some tips and tools to help you write it.

Contact the Newspaper

Before you begin writing the obituary, your first step is to check with the newspaper you want it to run in. Some newspapers have specific style guidelines or restrictions on length, some only accept obituaries directly from funeral homes, and some only publish obituaries written by newspaper staff members.

If your newspaper accepts family-written obituaries, find out if they have a template to guide you, or check with your father's chosen funeral provider. Most funeral homes provide forms for basic information and will write the full obituary for you as part of the services they provide.

You also need to be aware that most newspapers charge by the word, line or column inch to publish an obituary. Your cost will vary depending on your newspaper's rate and the length of your obituary – ranging between 200 and 600 words.

Note that many newspapers offer free public service death listings too, which only include the name of the person who died, along with the date and location of death and brief details about the funeral or memorial service.

Obituary Contents

Depending on how detailed you want to be, the most basic information in an obituary will include your father's full name (and nickname if relevant), age, date of birth, date of death, where he was living when he died, significant other (alive or dead), and details of the funeral service (public or private). If public, include the date, time, and location of the service.

Other relevant information you may also want to include: cause of death (optional); place of birth and his parents' names; his other survivors including his children, other relatives, friends and pets and where they live; family members who preceded his death; high school and colleges he attended and degrees earned; his work history and military service; his hobbies, accomplishments and any awards he received; his church or religious affiliations; any clubs, civic and fraternal organizations he was members of; and any charities he feels strongly about that he would like people to donate to either in addition to or in lieu of flowers or other gifts. You will also need to include a photo of your father.

Need Help?

If you need some help writing your father's obituary, there are free online resources you can turn to that provide tips and articles to help you gather the details of your father's life so you can write an obituary that will reflect his personality and story. These resources can be located by searching for them using your preferred search engine.

Online Memorials

Many families today also choose to post their loved one's obituaries online and create digital memorials. These sites provide a central location where family and friends can visit to share stories, memories and photos to celebrate your father's life.

Additionally, if your father uses social media platforms such as Facebook, you could also turn his profile into a memorial (you will need to show proof of death) where family and friends can visit and share anytime.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

I would like to get my personal, legal and financial information organized so my children will know what is going on when I am no longer around. Can you offer any tips on the best way to accomplish this?

Organizing important documents and getting your personal and financial affairs in order is a smart idea and wonderful gift to your loved ones. Here are some tips to help get you started.

Get Organized

The first step in getting your affairs in order is gathering all of your important personal, financial and legal information so you can arrange it in a way that will benefit you now, and your loved ones later.

Then you will need to sit down and create various lists of important information and instructions of how you want certain issues handled when you pass away or if you become incapacitated. Here is a checklist of areas you should focus on.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

• Contacts: Make a master list of names and phone numbers of close friends, doctors, and professional advisers such as your lawyer, accountant, broker and insurance agent.
• Medical information: Include a list of medications you take, along with any allergies and illnesses.
• Personal documents: Include items such as your birth certificate, Social Security card, marriage license, military discharge papers, etc.
• Secured places: List all the places you keep under lock and key such as safe deposit boxes, safe combination, security alarms, etc.
• Digital assets: Make a list of all your digital assets, including everything from social media accounts to online banking accounts to home utilities that you manage online. Your list should include usernames and passwords.
• Pets: If you have a pet, provide instructions for the care of the animal.
• End of life: Indicate your wishes for organ and tissue donation and write out your funeral instructions. If you have made pre-arrangements with a funeral home, include a copy of the agreement, their contact information and whether you have prepaid or not for their services.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

• Will, trust and estate plan: Include the original copy of your will and other estate planning documents you have made.
• Financial power of attorney: This document names someone you trust to handle financial matters if you are incapacitated.
• Advance health care directives: This includes a living will and medical power of attorney, which explain your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment when you can no longer make decisions for yourself.

FINANCIAL RECORDS

• Financial accounts: Make a list of all your bank accounts, brokerage and mutual fund accounts, and any other financial assets you have.
• Debts and liabilities: Make a list of any loans, leases or debts you have – mortgages owed, car loans, student loans, medical bills, credit card debts. Additionally, make a list of all credit and charge cards, including the card numbers and contact information.
• Company benefits: List any retirement plans, pensions or health benefits from your current or former employer including the contact information of the benefits administrator.
• Insurance: List the insurance policies you have (life, long-term care, home, auto, Medicare, Medigap, prescription drug, etc.) including the policy numbers, agents, and phone numbers.
• Property: List real estate, vehicles and other properties you own, rent or lease and include documents such as deeds, titles, and loan or lease agreements.
• Taxes: Include the location of your tax records and your tax preparer’s contact information.

Keep all your organized information and files together in one convenient location, ideally in a fireproof filing cabinet or safe in your home. Be sure to review and update it every year, and do not forget to tell your kids where they can find it.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Can you explain the different types of housing options available and recommend some good resources for locating them? I need to find a place for my parent and could use some help.

There is a wide array of housing options available, but what is appropriate for your parent will depend on their needs and financial situation. Here is a rundown of the different levels of housing and some resources to help you choose one.

Independent living: If your parent is in relatively good health and self-sufficient, "independent living communities" are a top option that can offer a sense of community. This type of housing is usually apartments or town homes that are fully functional and are typically available to people over the age of 55. In addition, many communities also offer amenities such as meals served in a common dining area, housekeeping, transportation and a variety of social activities.

To locate this type of housing, contact your local Area Agency on Aging. You can locate their contact information by using your favorite search engine. Most of these communities are private pay only and can vary greatly in cost ranging anywhere between $1,500 to $6,000 per month.

Assisted living: If your parent needs help with daily living chores, they will probably need an "assisted living facility." These facilities provide help with the activities of daily living – like bathing, dressing, eating, going to the bathroom – as needed, as well as meals, housekeeping, transportation, social activities and medication management. Many facilities also offer special "memory care units" for residents with dementia.

Costs for assisted living usually run between $3,000 and $6,000 per month depending on location and services needed. Most residents pay for assisted living from personal funds, while some have long-term care insurance policies. Many state Medicaid programs today also cover some assisted living costs for financially eligible residents.

Another similar, but less expensive option to look into is "board and care homes." These offer many of the same services as assisted living facilities but in a much smaller home setting.

Nursing homes: If your parent needs ongoing medical and personal care or has very limited mobility, a nursing home, which provides 24-hour skilled nursing care is the next option. To find a good one, use Medicare's nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare. This tool will not only help you locate nursing homes in your area, it also provides a 5-star rating system on recent health inspections, staffing, quality of care, and overall rating.

Be aware that nursing home care can be very expensive, costing anywhere between $4,500 and $13,000 per month for a semi-private room depending on where you live. Most residents pay from either personal funds, a long-term care insurance policy or through Medicaid after their savings are depleted.

Continuing-care retirement communities (CCRC's): If your parent has the financial resources, a "CCRC" is another option that provides all levels of housing (independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing home care) in one convenient location. But these communities typically require a substantial entrance fee that can range between $20,000 to $500,000 or more, plus ongoing monthly service fees that vary from $2,000 to over $4,000.

Need Help?

If you are not sure what your parent needs, consider hiring an aging life care expert who can assess your parent and find them appropriate housing for a fee – usually between $300 and $800. You can also use a senior care advising service free of charge, as these service agencies get paid from the senior living facilities in their network.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

The calendar is moving rapidly toward the end of the year. There are just two weeks remaining to take advantage of the charitable gift benefit for nonitemizers or expanded charitable gift deductions for itemizers. The nonitemizer deduction permits an individual to deduct up to $300 or a married couple up to $600, but it is scheduled to expire on December 31.

Edward Killen, Deputy Commissioner of the IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division stated, "We encourage people, if you are considering a donation to a charity, to do it as soon as possible before the December 31 deadline."

David Thompson is Vice President of Public Policy at the National Council of Nonprofits. He encouraged donors to use the nonitemizer deduction and stated, "At a time when nonprofits continue to see immense demand for services, are facing significant challenges hiring and retaining staff to deliver those services — every donation counts. We are thankful that the universal (or nonitemizer) deduction is available through the end of the year to encourage every taxpayer to give a little bit more to the missions they care about."

The nonitemizer deduction has been particularly beneficial for midsized organizations. These organizations have been crucial in addressing the challenges of the nation during the COVID-19 crisis.

Daniel Cardinali is President and CEO of Independent Sector. He noted, "Congress has sent a powerful message that everyone — not just those who itemize on their taxes — has a role to play in helping meet this moment, and we know people in America will respond in kind. We hope charitable contributions and deductions will increase in the coming years."

Taxpayers can use the IRS.com tax–exempt organizations tool if they wish to make sure that a charity qualifies for deduction. IRS TE/GE Commissioner Sunita Lough noted, "We see scams, fly–by–night organizations, pop–ups trying to take advantage of natural disasters because people want to give. And there are people who will try to take advantage of those who want to give and call in and ask for donations for organizations that are not tax exempt."

The non-itemizer deduction is quite important because about 9 out of 10 taxpayers take the increased standard deduction. Donors are able to benefit from both the standard deduction and the $300 or $600 nonitemizer deduction. Nonitemizer gifts must be in cash and may not be a gift of volunteer services, household items or to a donor advised fund.

Editor's Note: Generous donors who itemize may also benefit from the temporary increase in the maximum deduction limit. Cash gifts to qualified charities during 2021 are permitted up to 100% of adjusted gross income (AGI). The maximum deduction limit will be changed back to 60% for cash gifts in 2022. There are a number of generous Americans who have decided to maximize their gifts this year using the 100% of AGI charitable deduction limit.

Expand and Extend the Nonitemizer Deduction

A coalition of charitable organizations sent a December 14 letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

The Charitable Giving Coalition (CGC) represents thousands of charitable and faith–based organizations. The organization wrote to urge the Senators and Representatives "to expand and extend the nonitemizer charitable deduction as thousands of nonprofits continue to play an integral role in the response to recovery from the COVID–19 pandemic."

The Association of Fundraising Professionals Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) report analyzed the benefits of the $300 universal charitable deduction. This above-the-line deduction was initially passed in the bipartisan CARES Act and was extended to year 2021.

The FEP shows a 15.3% increase in 2020 donations of $250 or less. This was a larger increase than existed for gifts over $250. There also was a 28% increase in gifts of $300 on December 31 of the past year. This is the exact amount of the universal charitable deduction. It seems probable that these gifts were the result of the incentive of the $300 universal deduction.

The coalition stated, "We continue to support the Universal Giving Pandemic Response and Recovery Act (S. 618, H.R. 1704), bipartisan legislation which would raise the $300/$600 cap on the nonitemizer charitable deduction to roughly $4,000 for individuals and $8,000 for couples." The Coalition explains that these gifts from millions of Americans are essential for charities to assist or to support communities and individuals with critical needs.

The nonitemizer deduction is scheduled to expire on December 31. If it lapses, there will be reduced donor support during 2022, particularly for midsized and smaller nonprofits. The Coalition concludes, "We urge you to expand and extend the nonitemizer universal charitable deduction in year–end legislation."

Editor's Note: The universal charitable deduction is not included in the current Build Back Better Act or other legislation. Because the House has adjourned and the Senate is likely to defer major legislation until the next year, the prospects for extending the nonitemizer deduction before the end of the year are low. However, it is possible that the nonitemizer deduction could be included in new legislation next year.

Updated IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool

In IR–2021–250 the Internal Revenue Service announced that it is upgrading website services to disclose electronically-filed IRS Forms 990. The new services will be available on the Tax Exempt Organization Search webpage.

Previously, the IRS maintained the Form 990 Series data on Amazon Web Services. The change will now involve the IRS maintaining the data on IRS.gov on the Charities and Nonprofits webpage.

The Tax Exempt Organization Search Bulk Data Downloads webpage enables any individual to access the information. On the "Search Bulk Data Downloads" webpage, the user must choose a data set and download a compressed zip file. The webpage warns, "It is a large file."

The zip file will include the PDFs of IRS Forms 990. It is also possible to download a zip file of the qualified charitable organizations under Publication 78.

Editor's Note: The IRS continues to update its files to permit the download of charitable information. It is developing search tools that will allow it to provide the data in a manner similar to the nonprofit organizations that have historically made Forms 990 available. The IRS website is steadily becoming more search–friendly, but it still will require major modifications to make the data more easily accessible.

Applicable Federal Rate of 1.6% for January -- Rev. Rul. 2022-1; 2022-2 IRB 1 (15 Dec 2021)

The IRS has announced the Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) for January of 2022. The AFR under Section 7520 for the month of January is 1.6%. The rates for December of 1.6% or November of 1.4% also may be used. The highest AFR is beneficial for charitable deductions of remainder interests. The lowest AFR is best for lead trusts and life estate reserved agreements. With a gift annuity, if the annuitant desires greater tax-free payments the lowest AFR is preferable. During 2022, pooled income funds in existence less than three tax years must use a 1.6% deemed rate of return.

When is it safe, or not safe, to split pills? I have a cousin who cuts almost all her pills in half in order to save money, but I am wondering if she is going overboard. What can you tell me about this?

The practice of cutting pills in half or "pill splitting" has long been a popular way to save on medication costs. However, it is imperative to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying this because not all pills should be split.

The reason pill splitting may be a cost saver is because of the way drugs are manufactured and priced. A pill that is twice as strong as another may not be twice the price. In fact, it may be similar in price. So, buying a double-strength dose and cutting it in half may allow you to get two months' worth of medicine for the price of one. But is it safe? If your doctor agrees that splitting your pills is safe for you and instructs you how to do it properly, this may be a helpful idea to consider.

Ask Your Doctor

If you are interested in splitting your pills, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find out if any of the medications you use can be safely split. It is also important to find out whether splitting them will save you enough money to justify the hassle.

The pills that are easiest to split are those with a score down the middle. However, not every pill that is scored is meant to be split. Some types of pills that can potentially be split are cholesterol lowering drugs, antidepressants and high blood pressure medicines.

Use a Pill Splitter

Having the right equipment is very important too. Do not use a knife or scissors to cut your pills in half. These tools may cause you to split pills unevenly, resulting in two pieces with very different dosages. This variation in doses might be dangerous. Purchase a proper pill cutter that has a cover and a V-shaped pill grip that holds the pill securely in place. You can find them at most pharmacies for $5 to $10.

For convenience, you might be tempted to split the whole bottle of pills at once. However, your doctor or pharmacist may suggest it is best to do the splitting on the day you take the first half, and then take the other half on the second day or whenever you are scheduled to take your next dose. That will help keep the drugs from deteriorating due to exposure to heat, moisture or air. It is also important to know that pills are only safely split in half, and never into smaller portions such as into thirds or quarters.

Do Not Split These Drugs

Some pills should never be split. Drugs that are time-released or long-lasting and tablets that contain a combination of drugs probably should not be split, because it is difficult to ensure a proper amount of active ingredients in each half. Pills with a coating to protect your stomach, and pills that crumble easily or irritate your mouth should not be split either. Other drugs that should not be split include chemotherapy drugs, anti-seizure medicines, birth control pills and capsules containing powders or gels.

Once again, your doctor or pharmacist will know which drugs can and cannot be split. If you are taking a medicine that can be split, talk to your doctor about getting your prescription adjusted. Then you can start safely splitting pills and saving money.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.