Car Accident Settlements And The Taxman
The taxman never sleeps, and as an American citizen, there is the ever constant necessity of ensuring full compliance with the law especially when remitting taxes. As an individual who has recently been involved in a road accident that resulted in property damages or personal injuries this is an issue which must be considered. Primarily, it is because everyone always has the itch of knowing the actual end value after they receive their benefits as they never want to take chances. Still, this does not erase the fact that if you are considering the post implications of accepting a settlement before the officially filling for the claims you are beginning on the wrong foot.
In order to first have the assurance that one will receive the desired benefits, the first step is to go out of the way to find a legal team that will build a strong foundation for the case. To avoid taking any chances the services of a team that has a proven record in handling personal injury settlements like Naqvi Law always goes a long way in guaranteeing world-class services. It is highly recommendable that the first consultation with any legal team must never be a definite go-ahead signal but the opportunity to judge their abilities. If the team satisfies all the requirements desired, then it is right if one signs the dotted lines and accepts their representation.
Before thinking of taxes, it is vital that one has an idea of the benefits they can expect from their compensation claims based on the facts at hand. This is one of the critical phases why you must never negotiate with insurance companies alone as their will be a missing link in the calculation of total amounts expected. An attorney takes away this gamble as they factor in all elements including the damages on the car, injuries sustained, possibilities of long-term disabilities, pain & suffering, and lost wages among other factors.
Once all these factors are accurately computed by an attorney based on figures which can be supported, the next stages involve facing the third-party’s defense and insurance teams. It is the negotiations and progressive course of actions that eventually determine the total amount payable by the defendant. It is at this stage that questions on tax are rightfully called for and since it is a legal procedure the services of the legal team will still be required.
Typically, the amount received for settlements is considered reimbursements for injuries sustained, or market value of damages on the property and are as such not taxable. An attorney will never use this general statement which has been considered the truth but will refer to the latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations on compensations. This will, in turn, involve breaking down the total amount received as benefits and intended purposes which often includes medical care costs, punitive damages, and payments for the pain & suffering endured. The rules on the taxation of each compensation factor will then be analyzed, and if there are any taxable elements which are mainly payments on lost income and emotional distress if they do not result from physical injuries, the attorney will make this clear.
