The Erie Group of Companies is a road materials and paving construction conglomerate.  We have been in business for over 40 years and do large ODOT, county and municipal road and commercial site work projects.

Jim Sprague was recommended to us.  He immediately offered significant and meaningful guidance, which included a tax refund to the tune of nearly a half million dollars!

Dean Wikel, Chairman and CEO, Erie Group of Companies

Employment

The Making Work Pay Credit

The Making Work Pay Credit, which applies to both full- and part-time workers, provides employees, including the self-employed, with a tax credit equal to 6.2% of earned income up to a maximum of $400 ($800 if married filing jointly).

The credit phases out at modified AGI of $75,000 to $95,000 if single and $150,000 to $190,000 if married filing jointly. Taxpayers receive the credit through a reduction in their tax withholdings. This credit expired at the end of 2010.

COBRA Premium Assistance

The federal government is subsidizing 65% of COBRA premiums for employees who are involuntarily terminated on or after Sept. 1, 2008, and before June 1, 2010. Eligible workers and family members pay only pay 35% of the premium for up to 15 months. In some
cases, workers who had their hours reduced and later lost their jobs may also be eligible for the subsidy. If you are laid off, your employer should notify you of this rule.

The subsidy is tax-free if modified AGI is equal to or less than $125,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married joint filers. The tax-free element is phased out for singles with modified AGI between $125,000 and $145,000, and married joint filers with modified AGI between $250,000 and $290,000. For singles with modified AGI above $145,000 and
married joint filers with modified AGI above $290,000, the subsidy is treated as gross income T subsidy expired in 2010.

If you are eligible for the COBRA subsidy and also qualify for the Health overage Tax Credit (HCTC), you may ant to consider the more generous CTC benefit.