(Radio Iowa) — Iowans will start the process of filing their taxes in a few weeks and one expert says he’s seeing more significant changes in the tax code this season than in the past 40 years. Creighton University accounting professor Tom Purcell says one big change relates to home equity debt. Purcell says if you have a home equity line of credit, for example, you can’t write off the interest anymore. “The home equity debt rule has changed and you can no longer get the deduction for home equity,” Purcell says. That reduces the tax incentive for home ownership.

Other changes include raising the standard deduction and the amount of child tax credits, the suspension of personal exemptions, and changes to withholding amounts on employee pay. On the plus side, Purcell says some new taxpayers in Iowa will find they don’t need a C-P-A to complete their simplified returns. “Some entry-level people might just realize they can do this for themselves, it’s not that hard,” Purcell says. “You get a W-2, that’s all you’ve got, you’re not going to claim itemized deductions, you don’t have to worry about dependency exemptions and personal exemptions, you can be done in 20 minutes.”

He says entry-level taxpayers, and those who itemized in the past who will now claim the standard deduction in 2018, should self-prepare using an electronic filing service which can be free through the IRS. Many other Iowans may be in for a surprise if, due to changes in federal withholding, they haven’t withheld enough. “It’s very possible that some people will be under-withheld, which means when they file their tax return, they might have to write a check to the IRS,” he says.

A federal report estimates 30-million Americans aren’t withholding enough money from their paychecks and will owe the IRS money when they file for 2018 this year. For Iowans who find they aren’t withholding enough, Purcell recommends they revise their W-4 forms with their employers.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A March trial has been scheduled for an Illinois resident accused of killing a man in southeast Iowa. Des Moines County court records say 29-year-old Antoine Spann, of Dalton, Illinois, was scheduled to go on trial Tuesday, but a judge granted him a delay . The new starting date is March 12. He’s pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony for the death of 26-year-old Demarcus “Peanut” Chew. Chew was shot to death Sept. 10, 2017, in a car outside the home of his mother in Burlington.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Finance Authority lobbyist fired for retaliating against a colleague who reported sexual harassment allegations against their boss has been awarded unemployment benefits. Administrative Law Judge Nicole Merrill ruled Monday that Wes Peterson’s conduct was “merely an isolated incident of extremely poor judgment” that didn’t disqualify him from collecting unemployment.
Peterson, the agency’s government relations director, was fired Sept. 27 following an investigation into sexual harassment by fired director Dave Jamison. The report portrayed Peterson as a Jamison sidekick who witnessed him grabbing a colleague’s breasts at a bar in 2016.

Peterson yelled at the woman during a call after Jamison was fired last March, demanding to know whether she was among those who complained to Gov. Kim Reynolds and warning he’d falsely claim he was too drunk to remember the groping. He later texted an apology, saying he feared he’d become “collateral damage.” Merrill says the evidence supports Peterson’s claim that he was calling the woman as a friend about a stressful work situation and didn’t understand his actions could be considered retaliation.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man found slumped over his steering wheel in Oakland was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense and Driving While Barred, Tuesday afternoon. 28-year old Jan Palubjak. of Oakland, was taken into custody just before 3-p.m., in the vicinity of Oakland Avenue and N. Highland Street, and booked into the Pott. County Jail. And, 21-year old Nicole Paige Myers, of Oakland, was arrested on drug charges at around 3:50-a.m. today (Wednesday), following a traffic stop at US Highway 6 and Pullen Avenue.  Myers was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (a pill bottle with 12.3-grams of marijuana), Unlawful Possession of Prescription pills (3 Alprazolam pills and 1 morphine sulfate pill), and possession of drug paraphernalia (2 glass pipes).

Tuesday morning, a man being held in the Pott. County Jail on burglary and theft charges, was presented with a warrant out of Nebraska, for being a Fugitive from Justice. 26-year old Jessie LD Smith, of Omaha, was read the warrant and returned to the custody of Corrections Staff.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa city council has approved returning three top employees to their jobs. Denison City Manager Terry Crawford, City Clerk Lisa Koch and Fire Chief Cory Snowgren were put on administrative leave Dec 18. The council voted Tuesday night for their return to duty Wednesday. The mayor and council members have declined to explain why the three were put on leave, saying it was a personnel matter.

The attorney for Crawford and Koch says there was miscommunication between the three employees and the mayor about a piece of training equipment for the fire department. Mayor Jared Beymer says the investigation isn’t finished yet.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A man from Creston reported to Police, Sunday, that sometime overnight Saturday-into-Sunday, someone caused an estimated $300 damage to his truck. The tailgate of the vehicle had been vandalized with spray paint, while the truck was parked at the man’s residence in the 300 block of N. Maple Street. No arrests have been reported.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man accused of sexually assaulting two of his caretaker clients has been sentenced to four years in prison. Cerro Gordo County District Court records say 19-year-old Wasfie Alshara was sentenced Monday. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Prosecutors lowered the charges of felony sexual abuse in exchange for Alshara’s pleas. Alshara also must register as a sex offender.

The court records say Alshara raped one of his dependent adult clients on Nov. 21, 2017, and sexually assaulted the other in a group home on June 8, 2018.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — A report by a state toxicologist says dust from waste material used to cover Muscatine County’s gravel roads could be hurting the health of children and adults who are exposed.
The report was written by Iowa Public Health Department toxicologist Stuart Schmitz for resident who oppose the county’s use of slag. Slag is a byproduct from steel manufacturing, and the report says it contains metals at levels that are harmful to infants and toddlers but also for kids up to 18 years old.

The report also says the slag dust is dangerous for adults who are exposed to levels nearly twice what’s considered safe. The report says, however, that adults would have to work “an entire workday, most days of the year,” to be harmed.

County Supervisor Nathan Mather said at Monday’s board meeting that “this is the first time anybody in an official capacity has told us there’s a concern.”