We're now into the single digit countdown (you are watching the clock in the right column, right?) to the April 18 tax return (and due tax payment!) deadline.
That means millions of us are starting to get a little frantic. And that can be really, really bad when it comes to taxes.
If we tackle our returns in the same state as this faux Grumpy Cat, we'll make the same costly mistakes he's bragging about to his neighborhood bar buddies.
So take a breath. Put down the Cosmo (or whatever adult beverage you prefer) and cigarette.
Tax tips time: And after you've sobered up, check out last week's Daily Tax Tips, which focused on filing mistakes, overlooked tax breaks, some special tax-saving opportunities, all of which I'm sure the drunk cat screwed up, along with how to stay off the Internal Revenue Service audit radar, which I'm sure the drunk cat is smack in the middle of right now.
Specifically, the tips posted the week of April 4-8 are:
- Don't make these filing mistakes or miss these tax breaks (Monday, April 4, 2016)
- The many capital gains tax rates (Tuesday, April 5, 2016)
- Don't tempt the tax auditor by waving audit red flags (Wednesday, April 6, 2016)
- Tax deductions for nonitemizers (Thursday, April 7, 2016)
- Educators' deduction now permanent (Friday, April 8, 2016)
More tax tips: As you've no doubt noticed, there actually were seven tips, highlighted over last week's five work days, as we doubled up a couple of days.
If you want even more advice beyond the end-of-week tax tip roundups, you can check out the special monthly blog pages where tips for/from January, February, March and April (all the way through 4/18) are collected.
Then, after your taxes — or your filing extension, with your payment of a good approximation of any tax you owe — are done correctly, you can refill that cocktail glass and toast away!
Bob Ratan
IRS finances everyone.