How to Pay Taxes on Personal Injury Settlements
If you've recently received a personal injury settlement, you may be wondering how much you'll have to pay in taxes. The good news is that, in most cases, you won't have to pay any taxes on your settlement. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Let's take a closer look at when and how you'll need to pay taxes on your personal injury settlement.
What Is a Personal Injury Settlement?
A personal injury settlement is an amount of money paid to an injured party in order to compensate them for their injuries. Settlements are typically paid by the at-fault party's insurance company and can be awarded for a wide variety of injuries, including physical injuries, emotional trauma, and property damage.
In general, personal injury settlements are not considered taxable income by the IRS. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. These exceptions include:
- If you receive a settlement in exchange for giving up your right to sue the at-fault party, that settlement may be considered taxable income. This is because you are effectively selling your legal claim for money.
- If you receive a workers' compensation settlement, that income may be taxable.
- If you receive punitive damages as part of your settlement, those damages may be taxable. Punitive damages are awarded as punishment for the at-fault party's actions and are not intended to compensate the injured party; as such, they are considered taxable income.
- If you receive interest on your settlement, that interest may also be taxable.
- If you settle a lawsuit for less than the full amount of your medical expenses, the portion of your medical expenses not covered by the settlement may be considered taxable income.
- Finally, if you use any portion of your settlement to pay your attorney's fees, that portion may also be considered taxable income.
Paying Taxes on Your Settlement
If any part of your personal injury settlement is considered taxable income, you will need to report it on your federal tax return and pay taxes accordingly. You will also need to keep good records of all documentation related to your case so that you can prove the amount of your settlement if audited by the IRS.
An experienced personal injury attorney and personal tax advisor can help you navigate the tax implications of your case and ensure that you stay compliant with all applicable laws.
Wrap Up!
In most cases, personal injury settlements are not considered taxable income by the IRS. However, there are some exceptions to this rule; if any part of your settlement falls into one of these exceptions, you will need to report it on your tax return and pay taxes accordingly.
Be sure to keep good records of all documentation related to your case so that you can prove the amount of your settlement if audited by the IRS. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you navigate the tax implications of your case and ensure that you stay compliant with all applicable laws.