The alternative minimum tax is a separate tax calculation that forms part of U.S. federal income tax law. It works in parallel with the general method for determining the tax.
 | The Alternative Minimum Tax was established in 1969 to make sure wealthy individuals did not avoid paying taxes by misusing tax loopholes, exemptions, and adjustments. However, the exemption limits are not indexed to accommodate inflation, so more middle-class households are having to pay higher taxes. |
 | Need answers to your tax questions? Determining whether you're subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) can be useful. This way, you can find out sooner rather than later if you need to pay the higher amounts required under the AMT. |
 | Filing taxes with the alternative minimum tax in effect can present a host of penalties that you wouldn't encounter under the standard tax system. You may find yourself paying taxes under the AMT that you wouldn't pay otherwise. |
There are some things that can trigger the AMT to sneak up on you each year. Planning ahead for next year is crucial if you want to avoid this costly tax. What is the AMT anyway? It is a special tax created decades ago to prevent the super wealthy from having so many tax breaks that they don't pay taxes. |
The alternative minimum tax is important to tax payers, and is a controversial tax system because of its unexpected impact. How does the alternative minimum tax affect you? |
