Photo by Karolina Grabowska Millions of U.S. taxpayers are concentrating right now on their current tax return filing. But another sizeable group who didn't older returns also have some tax work to do. Almost 940,000 people across the nation have unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020. They missed out on that money because they didn't file a Form 1040 back in May 2021. They still have time to collect their part of the just more than $1 billion in old unclaimed refunds, but it's running out. The Internal Revenue Service says the median old, unclaimed refund amount from three years…

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) helped many companies keep workers during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic days. But some ERC claims wrong, and the IRS is successfully recouping some of those incorrectly claimed and/or issued funds. The Internal Revenue Service closed out its Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) on Friday, March 22, on a high note. Going into the day, the VDP, which allowed those who got improper ERC payments to pay back most of the money, had produced more than $225 million from 500+ taxpayers. Another 800 submissions were still being processed, and even more being filed…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images Spring officially arrived at 11:06 p.m. March 19. Have you finished your spring cleaning yet? Me neither. But I have started. To be honest, it was prompted when the hubby and I had some work done to our house. With the structure getting some sprucing up, it only seemed natural to replace some interior items. The next question was what to do with the old stuff? For many, a yard sale is a good way to get rid of unwanted but workable items. But those who don’t want to spend a Saturday haggling with strangers…

Photo by Nareeta Martin on Unsplash Moving to another country for a job involves a lot of changes, but one thing stays the same.  Thanks to our worldwide tax system for individuals, as a U.S. citizen you remain a U.S. taxpayer, regardless of where you live.  That makes you responsible for filing federal tax returns on your overseas earnings. Uncle Sam, however, does provide some tax breaks to his citizens living and working abroad. They get more time to file, with a June 15 deadline. And thanks to tax treaties, globally peripatetic taxpayers also get certain foreign earned income exclusions…

Reliable child care can be expensive. Uncle Sam can help cover some of the costs via the Child and Dependent Care tax credit.

Are you having second thoughts about an ERC claim your company made? It so, it's time to review your records, and if you find you received an incorrect tax credit amount, let the IRS know by this Friday, March 22. (Photo by Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent) With the deadline to let the Internal Revenue Service know you got an improper Employee Retention Credit (ERC) fast approaching — it's this Friday, March 22 — business owners who are concerned need to act fast. Recipients of wrong payments can apply for the IRS' ERC Voluntary Disclosure Program by that deadline. If accepted, the businesses…

Did you discover you got an improper Employee Retention Credit (ERC) payment? You still have time to get out of the tax jam by applying for the ERC voluntary disclosure program. (Photo by Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) ERC voluntary disclosure deadline is March 22 Last December, the Internal Revenue Service announced that businesses that received improper Employee Retention Credit (ERC) amounts could let the agency know about the error. In these cases, many of which were created when companies got bad tax advice from aggressive ERC promoters, the companies would have to repay only 80 percent of the…

President Joe Biden has targeted capital gains tax laws in his fiscal year 2025 budget. But don't freak out if you have some money in the markets. For the most part, Biden's looking to get more from really wealthy market mavens who typically pay lower capital gains tax rates on the long-term assets they sell. Collecting billionaires' unrealized capital gains: When you sell an asset for more than your paid for it, that profit is a capital gain. The tax rate for these gains typically is less than ordinary tax rates that apply to earnings like wages. In most cases,…

The first Direct Filer was a satisfied IRS employee who got a $400 tax refund. However, GOP opponents of the program say it was wrongly established and misspends tax dollars. UPDATE, Sept. 5, 2025: Has your state joined Direct File? Check out this special Direct File 2025 Participating States page. Following a soft launch, the Internal Revenue Service today, March 12, officially opened Direct File to all eligible taxpayers in the pilot program’s 12 participating states. The no-cost tax preparation and e-filing program cuts out the commercial tax middleman, allowing certain taxpayers able to complete their annual filing task by…

Photo by Caleb Cook on Unsplash Back in February in posting about tax relief for Maine residents who endured flooding, I predicted that some Californians would be joining the growing group of storm-struck areas granted more time to file 2023 returns. That wasn't a bold prediction. I've been weather and tax watching for decades, so I was confident in my tax forecast, which was correct. But some southern Californians who were hit by the recent historic rains aren't the only ones for whom the IRS has granted tax relief and a new June 17 tax filing and payment deadline. Some…

The Recovery Rebate Credit also is available until April 15, 2025, for unclaimed 2021 tax year amounts. Economic impact payments, or EIPs, issued in 2020 and 2021 helped millions deal with the financial damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some people didn't get the coronavirus stimulus money to which they were entitled. These eligible individuals still have a chance to collect the cash by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. But time is running out. The Internal Revenue Service is alerting those who didn't file a 2020 tax return need to complete that form and claim the COVID funds by…

Photo by Elissa Garcia on Unsplash If you're ever tempted to utter "these kids today" with a sigh and head shake, then take a few minutes to read about some California teenagers who are making a big tax difference in their community. The Rancho Cucamonga high school students come back to campus every Saturday during tax filing season to run a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic. The students, many of whom are planning on financial careers once they graduate high school and college, filled out 250+/- Internal Revenue Service returns last year for taxpayers in the city just east…

That's not going to stop the latest IRS effort to get wealthy individuals to file tax returns. (Image: Giphy) The Internal Revenue Service crackdown on wealthy taxpayers who are skirting tax laws continues. Last month, Uncle Sam's tax agency announced plans to audit business aircraft that were used, most often by well-paid corporate execs, for personal travel. Now it's cutting right to the chase, going after wealthy taxpayers who haven't filed federal tax returns for years. This week, the IRS issued compliance letters on more than 125,000 cases where tax returns haven't been filed since 2017. The mailings include more than 25,000 to those…

UPDATE, Sept. 5, 2025: Has your state joined Direct File? Check out this special Direct File 2025 Participating States page. UPDATE, Monday, March 4, 2024: Attention my fellow Texans and taxpayers in 11 other Direct File pilot states. I got an email today from the IRS letting me know that the program is now accepting returns from eligible new participants. You can find more on this free, direct to the IRS tax preparation and e-filing option in the post below, as well as at the IRS.gov Direct File page. A recent poll indicates most taxpayers support a direct-to-IRS option Direct…

Photo by Marten Newhall on Unsplash The biggest recent scam story had nothing to do with taxes. It was the confession of a financial advice journalist of how she fell for an elaborate con job that ended with her putting $50,000 in cash in a box and handing it to a stranger. The crooks kicked off that scam by calling the writer, recounting enough of her personal information to get her hooked. It was all downhill from there, with an outrageous combination of purported government agencies, including a CIA impersonator. IRS security still suspect: We're all told to protect our data.…

Photo by M.O. Stevens, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this afternoon announced it has filed an administrative complaint against H&R Block for wiping out customers' entered data as a way to pressure them to pay for higher-priced tax preparation software options. The data erasure, according to the FTC charge, was when the taxpayers tried to downgrade to more affordable H&R Block software products. In addition, the FTC alleges that the company deceptively marketed their products as free when many consumers actually had to pay for them. "H&R Block designed its online products to present…

Photo by Chandler Cruttenden on Unsplash Last August, parts of Michigan were struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding, prompting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue this month a major disaster declaration for nine counties. The Internal Revenue Service subsequently announced tax relief for those individual residents and business owners. One of the tax considerations is a new June 17 filing and payment deadline for the affected Michigan taxpayers. The Great Lakes State is the sixth to be granted the new mid-June Tax Day due to disasters. Some Michigan residents join those who were ill-treated by Mother Nature…

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash Throughout life, we all encounter momentous firsts. First day of school. First time at a paying job. First time holding your child. First time you file a tax return. OK, that last one is probably not an event you celebrate, even if it produced a tax refund. In fact, if you remember filing your first Form 1040 it at all, it's probably because it was not a good experience. There's no way to replace that bad tax memory. But there are steps that first-time tax filers can take to make sure their initiation into the…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Meg Aghamyan   First comes love.Then comes marriage.Then comes filing your taxestogether in one package.💘💕💗💕💘 Or not. OK, I pushed it trying to rhyme marriage and package. Now it's clear why I stick to prose instead of poetry And that "or not" stanza is a bit counterintuitive on Valentine's Day, a time when we traditionally celebrate love and inseparability. But we are talking taxes on this heart day, so there's always an exception. Married filing options: It's true that most of the time, it's better to file one return jointly. Not only is it easier, but…

Tax season 2024 is off to a slow start compared to filings at this time last year. At this early point in the tax season last year, the Internal Revenue Service had received nearly 19 million returns. But by the end of the first week of the 2024 filing season, just around 15.3 million returns had arrived at the IRS. That's a substantial 19.1 percent decrease from 2023's early filings. Still, some 2024 taxpayers are happy. They're recipients of the more than 2.6 million refunds that the IRS issued by Feb. 2. The dollar total of those early refunds was…

Muddy tracks photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash June 17 is becoming the new Tax Day for many taxpayers. Unfortunately for them, the two additional months are because they live in areas hit by major disasters. West Virginia taxpayers are the latest to join this unwelcome club. Other states where individual and business tax filers have a disaster-related June 17 deadline are Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. In West Virginia, the Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for Mountain State taxpayers in Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Harrison, and Kanawha counties. Those five WV counties sustained damages from severe storms, flooding, landslides,…

Last week, I finally got all the documents I need to file my 2023 tax return. As an independent contractor, the bulk of my income tax statements were 1099-NEC forms. But some folks are getting 1099-Ks. And these tax statements still are causing confusion. Form 1099-K has become more common with the growth of the gig workforce, and the delivery of products and services through online apps and marketplaces, such as PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, eBay, Etsy, Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. Old form, new amounts: The forms are not new, but the amount of earnings that trigger their issuance has changed.…

The Internal Revenue Service has made it clear for years. It wants to know about your digital assets. Ignore the crypto question, now at the top of more tax forms, at your own tax peril. And if you go further and don't report taxable digital transactions, the Department of Justice (DoJ) will get involved. That's the case for a Texas man, who this week was indicted on charges of filing false tax returns and structuring cash deposits to avoid currency transaction reporting requirements. Bitcoin was a component in both charges. Notably, the federal prosecution involving digital transactions is historic, at…

Allegiant Stadium will be filled with 49ers and Chiefs fans Sunday as they vie for the NFL championship in Super Bowl LVIII. (Photo: Allegiant Stadium) This Sunday, millions will watch the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers face off in Las Vegas to determine the National Football League's championship. With the Sin City location, it's fitting that a record 67.8 million American adults are expected to bet on Super Bowl LVIII. That's a 35 percent increase from 2023, according to a new American Gaming Association (AGA) survey. The dollar amount also is up this year. Bettors plan to wager an…

In February 2022, the Internal Revenue Service stopped issuing several automatic tax notices. The move was prompted in large part by the massive backlog of tax filings that piled up when the agency closed offices as a precaution early in the COVID-19 pandemic. That tax notice moratorium is ending. Automated collection notices will soon show up in the mailboxes of individuals with tax debts prior to tax year 2022. Businesses, tax exempt organizations, trusts, and estates with tax debts prior to 2023, with exceptions for those with existing debt in multiple years, also are on the notice resumption list. These…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Ave Calvar You checked out my post on who has to file a tax return (thank you!) and confirmed that you're one of the lucky few who doesn't have to file a Form 1040 this year. But maybe you should. Even if you aren't legally required there are some good reasons to send the Internal Revenue Service a tax return anyway. Here are eight such should-file situations. 1. You are due a refund. Most U.S. workers have income tax amounts taken from their paychecks. Other sources of income also sometimes take some tax amounts off the top.…

Maine taxpayers join those in Connecticut, Tennessee, and Rhode Island disaster areas for whom Tax Day now is a mid-summer event. Maine road washed away after last December's severe storms. (Photo courtesy Maine Governor's Office via Facebook) Much of California is overrun today by an atmospheric river unleashing heavy rain and wind.  Judging from the images of the damages, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) likely will eventually declare the hardest hit areas as major disasters. The Internal Revenue Service then will follow, granting tax relief to those in the designated locales. But that's a bit down the flooded California…

Hello, February. Even though it's the second month of the year, it's the first full month of the annual tax-filing season. So if you're just now starting to focus on filing your return, don't feel bad or alone. A lot of us are right there with you. Since February is the shortest month, even with this year's extra Leap Year day, I'll keep the monthly tax moves list brief, too. Here are four tax moves to consider in the next 29 days. 1. Keep an eye out for tax statements. Yesterday, Jan. 31, was the day that employers were supposed…

Some other taxpayers in areas hit by more recent major disasters get even later deadlines — Feb. 29 and June 17 — to complete various 2023 tax tasks. Major disasters can strike anywhere, any time. When tax deadlines and the catastrophes coincide, the Internal Revenue Service  gives affected filers more time. Some of those deadlines are coming up in February. (Disaster collage courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Yes, the current tax filing season just started this week, and millions already have sent their 2023 returns to the Internal Revenue Service. But taxpayers in eight states and two U.S. territories are…

Taking things a bit more slowly often is a good idea. For many, that approach also applies when it comes to filing their annual tax return. (Photo by Kay Bell) While millions of taxpayers are eager each January to get their returns to the Internal Revenue Service, there just as many who want to take their time. Some are just natural procrastinators. They wait until the last minute to finish every task. But when it comes to tax filing, there actually are some good reasons to not be in such a hurry. Here are seven. 1. To see if Congress…

Fortune cookie tax filing wisdom (Photo by Kay Bell) If the 2024 tax-filing season is anything like previous ones, millions of taxpayers sent their 2023 taxes to the Internal Revenue Service today, the official start of federal return processing. The most obvious and common motive for first-day filing is to get expected refunds. But there are some other reasons you might want to file your taxes early. Here are eight. 1. To beat tax ID thieves to the punch.The IRS and its Security Summit partners have made good progress in recent years in reducing tax identity theft and associated tax…

Most taxpayers will never be as chill as this tabby, especially now that the annual tax filing season is here. But these tips could make the tax task a little easier. (Photo by Jacalyn Beales on Unsplash) If you've already got your 2023 tax return ready to send to the Internal Revenue Service tomorrow, Jan. 29, when the agency starts processing filings, you can peruse other items on the ol' blog. (Thank you!) If, however, you're not quite ready yet to tackle Form 1040, I got you. Even when your taxes aren't complicated, many of us dread filling out tax…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images Tax season 2024 officially starts Monday, Jan. 29. Lots of taxpayers have already filled out their 1040 forms and are just waiting for the Internal Revenue Service to start processing them next week. Most of these early filers are expecting tax refunds. They also likely have relatively simple tax lives. Lucky them. Others, however, have more complicated tax and financial circumstances. These folks have more tax documents with details that must be transferred to their return forms and schedules. They also need to consider how their situations might affect their tax returns. Below is a…

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel speaks at an Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day event as part of the agency’s annual effort to promote the valuable tax credit.

I'm not sure what is free in this photo. A similar lack of clarity got TurboTax in trouble with the Federal Trade Commission. (Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash) With the official Monday, Jan 29, start of the 2024 tax filing season just days away, millions of taxpayers already are using tax software to prepare their returns. Since the packages can be expensive, many filers opt for what they believe are free software options. Don't be so sure, warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), especially when it comes to TurboTax, the country's leading tax software. The FTC has issued an…

Photo by Art Rachen on Unsplash IRS offers guidance on how to answer the tax return digital asset question On Jan. 11, the first day of trading after the Securities and Exchange Commission approved exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to bitcoin, companies offering such products saw $4.6 billion in transactions. The investors who were first to board the bitcoin ETF train will have to deal with the associated tax route next filing season. This year, however, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers that, in most cases, they need to report their cryptocurrency transactions and, where applicable, pay any income tax…

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash In just more than a week, millions of taxpayers will be focusing on the start of the 2024 tax filing season. But some residents of Illinois, Tennessee, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also must pay attention to other altered tax deadlines. They live in areas declared major disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As is typically the case, the IRS followed those announcements by providing the affected taxpayers some tax relief. Here are some reminders of the new tax deadlines — in February for some Illinois and Caribbean residents, and June for those…

Tax season 2024 officially starts on Jan. 29, and millions of taxpayers are getting ready to deliver their returns that day to the Internal Revenue Service. Some, however, are asking a more basic question. Do I have to file a Form 1040 at all? The answer probably is yes. If you're asking the question, you likely made some money, and the Internal Revenue Code doesn't exempt much from taxation. But as with all things tax, there are exceptions. In some situations, Uncle Sam doesn't demand individuals file. Here's a look at whether you might be able to join that group…

Tax season 2024 officially starts on Jan. 29, and millions of taxpayers are getting ready to deliver their returns that day to the Internal Revenue Service.

You're ready to file your tax return, but there's one problem. You don't have all the statements you need to complete your Form 1040 and associated schedules. Many of us, however, are just going to have to be patient for a couple more weeks. While some issuers have sent taxpayers the required statements, many don't get them out until close to, in most cases, the mandated Jan. 31 delivery date. The documents typically are snail mailed, but technology is gaining ground. Issuers of most of my annual tax statements now let me know by email the documents are ready. Then…

Tax filing season 2024 continues its rollout, with some business returns getting the go-head next week. The key word here is some. Some business forms must wait: While the Internal Revenue Service's Modernized e-File (MeF) status webpage says it will start accepting electronically filed business returns at 9 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, Jan. 16, a follow-up announcement has put the brakes on some filings. An IRS QuickAlert email last week noted that some business forms will not be accepted until the full 2024 filing season starts on Monday, Jan. 29. Below is the text of the delay announcement, including…

Free File is back for its 22nd filing season.  The no-cost tax preparation and e-filing partnership between the Internal Revenue Service and tax software manufacturers opened today, Friday, Jan. 12, to eligible taxpayers. This year, Free File eligible taxpayers are those whose 2023 adjusted gross income, regardless of filing status, was $79,000 or less. 8 software options: Eight private-sector tax software companies are part of this 22nd Free File season. They are — 1040Now Drake (1040.com) ezTaxReturn.com FileYourTaxes.com On-Line Taxes TaxAct TaxHawk (FreeTaxUSA) TaxSlayer Each IRS Free File provider sets its own eligibility rules for products based on age, income,…

You probably are getting ready for the three-day weekend coming up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday on Monday, Jan. 15. But if you pay estimated taxes, you also know that date usually is the deadline for the prior tax year's fourth payment. Since it's MLK Day this year, this due date is pushed to the next business day, Tuesday, Jan. 16. You need to meet that final deadline to avoid a possible tax bill or penalty (or both) when your file your 2023 tax return later this year. Why estimated tax? Most of us pay…

Now that we know the Internal Revenue Service will start processing our 2023 tax returns on Jan. 29, taxpayers are thinking about how they'll deal with this annual filing task. Many taxpayers are concerned about tax law complexity. Some are looking for the most tax breaks that will get them a big refund. Others worry about the cost of filing. And all of us just want the process completed as painlessly as possible. Regardless of your tax concerns, you have lots of filing options. Here's a quick overview. Go pro: You can hire a tax professional, either an independent tax…

UPDATE, Sept. 5, 2025: Has your state joined Direct File? Check out this special Direct File 2025 Participating States page. Feeling adventurous this tax filing season? If you live in one of 12 states, you can be a guinea pig for the Internal Revenue Service’s Direct File pilot program. Direct File will be available when the 2024 tax filing season officially opens on Jan. 29. The participating states are Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. This IRS-offered test of free tax preparation and e-filing will be available via smartphone, laptop,…

Free File opens earlier, on Friday, Jan. 12. And business filers can e-file their returns starting Tuesday, Jan. 16, the first business day after the federal Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. And we have a starting date! The Internal Revenue Service today announced that it will begin accepting and processing 2023 tax year individual returns on Monday, Jan. 29. But wait. There's more. Free File available Jan. 12: The IRS also has a date for taxpayers eligible to use its Free File service. This no-cost tax preparation and e-filing partnership of the IRS and some members of the tax software industry…

The majority of taxpayers get refunds. They also file early each tax season so they can get their money as soon as possible. But some are always disappointed. While the Internal Revenue Service aims for a 21-day turnaround, from the time it gets your return and processes it until the day you have your refund in hand, that's not a rule. To borrow from Capt. Barbossa in the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie, it's more of a guideline. The IRS used to issue a chart showing expected refund dates based on when taxpayers filed. Now that document, IRS Publication…

Doing your taxes can be a hassle. It's a bit easier when you claim the standard deduction instead of itemizing. (Photo via Unsplash+ in collaboration with Karolina Grabowska) This weekend, many taxpayers will be working on their 2023 tax returns. They share a couple of traits in addition to simply being eager filers. The first is no surprise. They are expecting a tax refund. And second, their tax situations are relatively simple. Typically, they have only wage income that's reported on a W-2 form, and they use the standard deduction instead of itemizing. The number of individuals who claim the standard…

Photo by Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash Millions of taxpayers are anxiously awaiting the start of tax filing season 2024. They are expecting tax refunds. Most of these filers also know that the quickest way to get their tax cash is to file electronically and have their refunds directly deposited. The Internal Revenue Service says that when you take this digital route, you will, in most cases, get you your refund in 21 days or less. Some taxpayers, however, aren't eligible for this faster refund option. They don't have any financial account into which the IRS can electronically deposit their refunds. Millions…

Updated Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, to include the just announced official start of the 2024 tax filing season. Not only is it the first week of a brand, spanking new year, it's the first week of the 2024 tax filing season. I know, the Internal Revenue Service isn't yet accepting 2023 tax returns. That won't happen until the official start of the 2024 filing season on Monday, Jan. 29. But lots of taxpayers already are getting their forms in order, so they can send them the minute the IRS officially opens its doors, and computer system, to process them. And…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images If you're self-employed, use your car for work, and have taken your last business trip of 2023, go out to your vehicle and take a photo of the odometer. There's no Internal Revenue Service rule that you record your odometer's annual reading. But it's a good idea. A date-stamped smartphone image — either on the last day of the year, the first day of the next year, or, say some tax advisers, on both days — is a digital record that can help you determine how much you drove your vehicle for business. If…

A home north of Clarksville, Tennessee, was destroyed on Dec. 9 by an EF-3 tornado. It was part of a series of deadly twisters that ravaged the area on Dec. 9-10. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration photo via Wikimedia Commons) For some, the holidays are hard enough without a major catastrophe intervening. But unfortunately for some Tennessee residents, that's just what happened earlier this month. On Dec. 9 and 10, at least six tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that the EF-3 tornado in the Clarksville's area carved a path 42 miles long with…

Only 80% of wrongly-claimed Employee Retention Credit amounts must be repaid. Photo by Anastasiia Chepinska on Unsplash We're all aware of the continuing medical issues from long COVID. The coronavirus' tax effects appear to be just as persistent. The Internal Revenue Service is still dealing with law changes enacted to provide pandemic relief. The Employee Retention Credit, or ERC, is one of them. This refundable business tax credit was designed for companies that continued paying employees during the COVID-19 pandemic despite financial hardship. To qualify, the businesses were either fully or partially suspended due to a government order, or had a decline…

Most of us are wrapping up year-end tax tasks (in between wrapping presents!). Others, and there is some overlap, are getting ready for the New Year and the start of the 2024 tax filing season. And some of us are still dealing with 2020 and 2021 tax issues. In many of these years-old cases, the issue is tax penalties assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic chaos that affected normal tax filing and processing. Today, the Internal Revenue Service announced it is providing $1 billion in penalty relief to those taxpayers, who number around 4.7 million. The relief receiving taxpayers include individuals,…

There’s so much to see in Florence,  but visitors will have to stay in hotels. This year, the popular Italian destination ended short-term residential rentals. (Photo via Wikipedia Commons) …U.S. property owners are well aware that when their homes are regularly used as short-term rentals, taxes are involved. Now that financial factor is gaining more traction abroad. The short-term rental platform Airbnb agreed last week to pay 576 million euros ($628 million as of today’s conversion rate) to settle a years-long dispute with Italy over unpaid rental taxes. That’s less than the around 779 million euros ($849 million) in taxes…

Many people who are having cash flow issues opt for advances on their expected tax refunds. (Photo via Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) The 2024 tax filing season will officially start, if prior year tax calendars hold, in about six weeks. That's when the Internal Revenue Service will start processing 2023 tax year returns. But millions of people will file as soon as they can in January, even if the IRS isn't ready. They'll use tax software or a tax preparer to get their 1040 form out of the way and to the head of the processing line. These folks…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images The Internal Revenue Service and its Security Summit partners today wrapped up the eighth annual National Tax Security Awareness Week with a warning for everyone, individual taxpayers and tax pros, to stay alert to emerging tax scams. It's a message the group issues regularly throughout the year because con artists work year-round to steal our money and, in many cases, our identities. Once they get that personal data, they can file fake tax returns to try to collect fraudulent refunds. By now, most of us are well aware of the warning signs of scams that…

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash Most taxpayers get federal tax refunds. Internal Revenue Service data complete through Oct. 27 shows that the agency received 160.5 million returns and issued nearly 105 million refunds that totaled more than $319 billion. Not surprisingly, taxpayers who are getting cash back from Uncle Sam are among the first to file every tax season. That's also a good security move. By getting their 1040 forms to the IRS early, they beat the criminals who might try to file fake returns under their names to claim their or even bigger fraudulent refunds. But some folks…

Individuals who didn't automatically receive an Economic Impact Payment or claim a Recovery Rebate Credit during the COVID-19 pandemic get a second chance at the money. Economic Impact Payments helped many U.S. families financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some eligible filers didn't get the stimulus money directly, and didn't claim it later as a Recovery Rebate Credit when they filed. Now they get another shot at the tax relief. Remember Economic Impact Payments? These funds, also referred to as stimulus payments, were issued during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Internal Revenue Service sent most of the payments…

Tax mistakes, unintentional or otherwise, mean penalties when discovered by the IRS. And the amounts could add up. (Photo by Polina Tankilevitch) The United States' tax system depends on voluntary compliance by taxpayers. But Uncle Sam is no fool. He and his tax collectors are believers of the adage "trust, but verify." The Internal Revenue Service also follows up on that verification with penalties when it finds taxpayers — and the professionals we pay to take care of our taxes — aren't fulfilling our tax responsibilities on our own. The most severe punishments come via criminal tax prosecutions. The IRS…

IRS also ups payment threshold trigger to $5,000 for the 2024 tax year. Thanksgiving is this week, but the Internal Revenue Service today skipped all the way to Christmas, giving an estimated 44 million taxpayers an early gift. Most of these individuals won't have to deal with 1099-K forms in 2024. They now have another year before they'll get this tax statement detailing their self-employment income. They also can make much more next year — up to $5,000 instead of $600 — before this third-party reporting document must be issued in January 2025. This latest delay decision, detailed in IRS…

Taxes are all about numbers, but generally speaking, we taxpayers are not big math fans. That's why we hire tax professionals or use tax software. That aversion to doing more calculations is why most of us have chosen, year-in and year-out, to claim the standard deduction. Sure, I know, we should use the tax deduction method, either standard or itemizing, that gives up the better tax due result. Still, I know some folks who use the standard deduction method without even comparing because, as noted, it's easier. There are no receipts to save, no additional adding, subtracting, and figuring percentages.…

UPDATE, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023: My initial post's pessimism was unwarranted! Uncle Sam is going to make it through the holidays with all his offices open. The two-pronged continuing resolution (CR) measure approved by the House and Senate and signed into law late today by President Joe Biden provides funding for Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and energy and water programs through Jan. 19, 2024. All other federal departments will have money to operate through Feb. 2, 2024. Even better for the federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the current spending levels in the CR remain…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images Every year, families gather at Thanksgiving. In many cases, it's a chance for relatives and friends who haven't seen each other for a while to reconnect. Some families, however, are much closer proximity-wise. They see each other all the time. And in some of those cases, family members are caregivers. That's why November is a good choice as National Family Caregivers Month. It is formal recognition, as noted in President Joe Biden's proclamation, that millions of Americans provide crucial care and assistance to parents, children, siblings, and other loved ones. Many of these caregivers…

Photo by DocuSign on Unsplash Many of the accommodations we made for the COVID-19 pandemic were burdensome. Just ask parents who were forced into dual work-from-home and school teacher duties. But two tax-related changes were more well-received, so much so that the Internal Revenue Service is extending them. The agency extended indefinitely the option to use electronic or digital signatures on tax documents. The IRS says digital/e-signatures will be acceptable "until more robust technical solutions are deployed." In addition, encrypted emails still can be used until Oct. 31, 2025, to communicate directly with IRS personnel with whom the taxpayers or their…

Getting your tax ducks in a row takes on a different meaning, and bird, in November. But whatever fowl you choose for the metaphor, make some time this month to complete tasks that will prevent tax turkeys. (Photo by Mohan Nannapaneni) Hello, November! We welcome cooler (but not cold!) temperatures, holiday feasts (yes, I love pumpkin pie), and seeing family and friends for the first time in, well, months. This penultimate month of the year is also a good time to tackle some tax tasks. I know, you already have a lot on your November to-do list. But check out…

Photo by Anya Batalova on Unsplash We don't get many — OK, not any — kids dressed as ghosts on Halloween night. Our neighborhood's youngsters seem to prefer dressing as comic book icons turned movie characters. Heck, last week I even saw an adult, or a very tall teen, dressed as Spiderman, full-face mask included, during my last grocery store visit. But that's for another blog post. Or a call to the local authorities. Getting back to ghosts, notably those with tax connections. As I mentioned in an earlier post, ghost employees and ghost employers can wreak havoc when it comes…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Allison Saeng Ghost sightings are common this time of year. Some companies, however, find that ghost employees haunt their businesses year-round. Ghoulish tax tricks are also played on workers by some ghost employers. In both cases, the actions are not just criminal, but also are costly to all, including Uncle Sam, who are victims of these scary tax evasion tactics.  Haunted by ghost workers: A ghost employee is a fictitious employee set up in a company's human resource and/or payroll system that receives paychecks. Basically, ghost workers are a form of embezzlement, as the nonexistent employees —…

Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash In these hectic times, you might think you don't have any more minutes to offer, especially in an unpaid capacity. But volunteering can pay off in unexpected ways. You can meet new people, and make new friends, who share your passion. Many times, you learn new skills, some of which could help advance your paying career. The satisfaction of helping others also just might make you happier. That's something that all of us could use. And if your inclination to assist involves taxes, then you are exactly who the Internal Revenue Service is seeking. The…

Small businesses' many challenges were multiplied during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) helped many companies and their workers make it through that lean time. But recently, unscrupulous promoters have pushed some owners to improperly claim the ERC, creating new problems. Now the IRS is offering a way to correct those bad filings. (Image via Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) helped lots of small businesses and their staff make it through the COVID-19 pandemic. When properly claimed, the ERC is a refundable tax credit designed for businesses that continued paying employees while their…

The rich and famous frequent Monaco's glamorous casinos. The European principality also was the base for a U.S. taxpayer who didn't report all his taxable income to the IRS. The lesson, for him and an unconnected counterpart in the prime U.S. gambling destination of Nevada, is that the house — in this case, Uncle Sam's tax agency — usually wins. (Photo by Kaja Sariwating on Unsplash) Many people liken dealing with the U.S. tax code to wagering. You try to follow the casino rules and common sense, but the temptation to push your luck is often too enticing. Sometimes those…

Super helpful is how millions of taxpayers describe VITA and TCE volunteers each tax-filing season. The IRS has awarded new grants to keep the nationwide free tax preparation and filing programs going. (Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash) More than 62 million of us did our own taxes and e-filed them this tax season, at least through May 12, the date of the Internal Revenue Service's latest count. That represented almost 44 percent of all 2022 tax year filings so far. Some of those taxpayers, however, got some no-cost help from IRS-trained volunteers in filling out and electronically filing their…

UPDATE, Sept. 5, 2025: Has your state joined Direct File? Check out this special Direct File 2025 Participating States page. The 2023 filing season officially ended for most U.S. taxpayers on Monday, the Oct. 16 extension deadline. Now the Internal Revenue Service is looking forward to next year. The agency today announced that its finalizing a Direct File program that will involve at least four states. Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and New York officials have decided be a part of the 2024 filing program, which will be under total IRS purview rather than in conjunction with the tax software industry as…

Updated Tuesday, October 17, 2023 The Internal Revenue Service's surprise announcement came on what was Tax Day for millions of Golden State taxpayers who earlier got additional federal filing time due to major disasters. State officials have followed suit, extending California's due date, too. In addition, the IRS last week gave U.S. taxpayers living in Israel almost a year to take care of a variety of current tax obligations. Storms across California earlier this year produced widespread flooding and other disastrous conditions. That prompted federal relief, including extended tax deadlines. Today, the IRS gave Golden State taxpayers another month to…

Tax time is almost up if you got a filing extension. (Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) It is Tax Day if you got an extension to file your 2022 tax return. Leading up to this Oct. 16 filing deadline, the ol' blog has been offering tips on how to finish up that Form 1040. They include — 8 tax tips for filers facing Oct. 16 extension deadline 10 often overlooked tax breaks 10 common tax filing mistakes Self-employment retirement plans with Oct. 16 contribution deadlines Free File 2023 still open, with 7 companies offering 9 no-cost tax prep/e-file options There…

Reviewed and reposted Friday, June 13, 2025. No upcoming eclipse, or Halloween scares this summer month, but these 13 tax misperceptions are still around. Don't fall for them this Friday the 13th or any other less superstitious day. A rare annular, or ring of fire, solar eclipse is tomorrow, Oct. 14. NASA has more on the event. And if it's cloudy where you live or you're not in a prime viewing region, you can livestream the eclipse. October already is the spookiest month of the year, but things ramp up this weekend. Today, in case you haven't looked at a…

Around this time each year, the Internal Revenue Service releases its annual inflation adjustments for a wide range of tax matters. The 2023 numbers kicked off the ol' blog's annual taxes and inflation series last Oct. 19. But the House Ways and Means Committee has already tinkered with those expected changes. The Congressional tax-writing panel has sent a bill to the full House that would increase the standard deduction by $2,000 for single taxpayers, $3,000 for head-of-household filers, and $4,000 for married couples filing joint returns. Standard deductions for the current 2023 tax year are $13,850 for single and married…

If you're just now getting to work on your extended 2022 tax return, which is due to the Internal Revenue Service by Monday, Oct. 16, don't panic. These tips will help you make the most of the little tax time left. (Image courtesy Taxpayer Advocate Service, which also has some tips for Oct. 16 filers.) It's almost Tax Day for extreme procrastinators. The extension you got for your 2022 return ends on Monday, Oct. 16. Since the tax clock is ticking, let's get right to these eight tips that can help you complete your Form 1040 by the fast approaching,…

You have a lot of responsibilities when you're self-employed. One includes making contributions to your retirement plan, which in some cases can be done as late as your filing extension deadline. (Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) Most IRA contributions must be made by Tax Day. For the majority of taxpayers this year, that deadline was April 18. But if you're self-employed and got an extension to file your 2022 tax return, you also got an extension to contribute to your entrepreneurial endeavor's retirement plan. That deadline, in case the days have slipped by you, is this coming Monday, Oct.…

Update, Monday, Jan. 29, 2024: Former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn today was sentenced to five years in prison for disclosing tax return information without authorization.  Update, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023: Former IRS contractor Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty on Oct. 12 in federal court to disclosing tax return information without authorization. As noted in the post below, the compromised tax data was that filed by former president Donald J. Trump, and billionaires Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Warren Buffett, among others. The tax material was given to two separate media organizations, which published stories based on the information. Littlejohn’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for…

Check out some October sweet tax treats below that could help make this month less scary, at least as far as your taxes are concerned. (Photo by Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) October is a scary month, and not just because of Halloween. Millions of uber procrastinators face a final mid-month deadline to file their annual tax return. It's also the beginning of the fourth quarter of the year. So, in addition to picking out your All Hallows Eve costume and hiding the holiday treats so your family won't eat them all before trick-or-treaters come knocking in a few weeks,…

A few years ago, tugboats pushing barges down the Mississippi River, like this one going under the Vicksburg Bridge, was not a problem. Extreme drought, however, has lowered the river's levels, allowing salty water from the Gulf of Mexico to creep upstream below a layer of freshwater. (Photo by Justin Wilkens on Unsplash) Salt water is creeping up the mouth of the Mississippi River and threatening the drinking supply of several parishes in Southeast Louisiana, including the city and suburbs of New Orleans. The prospects are so severe, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared major disasters in Jefferson, Orleans,…

Hurricane Lee in the Atlantic on Sept. 11, 2023, before heading north. Hurricane Lee was a strange, scary storm. It formed off the coast of Africa and rapidly intensified into a large category 5 hurricane. But instead of heading for the lower U.S. east coast as is typical this time of year, it turned northward. That track sent Lee toward New England, where rotated offshore before making official landfall Sept. 17 in Nova Scotia, Canada, as a strong extratropical cyclone. Don’t be deceived by meteorologists’ extratropical classification. Lee still did damage to the already water-logged region. That’s why the Federal…

Beyoncé on the Renaissance World Tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on June 1, 2023, (Photo by Raph_PH – BeyonceSpurs010623) I love music. I just ordered two CDs last week. That last retail admission should tip you off that my prime concert-going days are behind me. In one way, I’m glad. The cost to see my favorite musicians perform back in my day was reasonable, even then. Today’s more youthful fans, however, are shelling out big bucks to attend concerts. Marketplace economics are part of the calculation. And emotion is part of the market. So scalpers, whose targets are…

Updated Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year, is fast approaching. What's not moving quickly are congressional efforts to keep the U.S. government open. The conventional wisdom is that we'll get a continuing resolution through October to give lawmakers, primarily the House that's dealing with Republican in-fighting, time to come up with a deal that the Senate will sign off on, too. Some agencies, critical to millions of Americans, won't be affected. Notably, Social Security benefits will continue to go out, and Medicare and Medicaid programs will remain…

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash After two years of decline, thanks in part to the coronavirus pandemic, marriages in the United States have returned to pre-COVID levels, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's recently released 2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Even better for romantics, a major jewelry company is predicting a spike in engagements as more of us return to pre-pandemic lifestyles, including dating…and more. If you're planning nuptials, or already have said, "I do," congratulations. Now here are eight tax tasks you need to take care of, after the honeymoon, of course. 1. Make sure everyone knows your…

The third estimated tax payment deadline is tomorrow, Sept. 15. But this year, some usual 1040-ES filers in 10 states get more time. Don't be jealous. Their apparent tax good fortune is due to unfortunate circumstances. These individuals and business owners live in parts of Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawai'i, Illinois, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Vermont that have been declared major disaster areas. Because Mother Nature can be fickle, some states endured her wrath multiple times, meaning different disaster areas with different deadlines. I've listed the affected areas below where taxpayers have more time to make their third estimated…

Screenshot from Atlanta's 11Alive report via YouTube on Tropical Storm Idalia's impact on Southeast Georgia. It took a while longer than expected, but southeast Georgia residents who were in the path of Hurricane-turned-Tropical-Storm Idalia finally get the same relief as their neighbors. The Internal Revenue Service announced today that individuals and businesses in 28 of the Peach State's counties qualify for special tax consideration, including a new Feb. 15, 2024, deadline for filing and paying certain taxes. The delayed tax due date, which matches the one granted Florida and South Carolina taxpayers, applies to deadlines that occurred from Aug. 30,…

The Sept. 15 deadline for paying the third installment of 2023's estimated taxes is just days away. Make sure you meet it. Also make sure you pay the correct amount. If when all is said and filed at tax time, you owe the U.S. Treasury $1,000 or more, you could face a penalty for underpaying your taxes. And where that taxable money was from sources not subject to withholding, you also could face late-payment fines for not remitting it during the proper estimated tax quarters. Estimated tax safe harbors: Most of us who must pay estimated taxes calculate that expected…

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel told Senate Finance Committee members the tax agency’s new, expansive plans to enforce federal tax laws will include AI to target wealthy and corporate tax evaders.

National Weather Service satellite image of Hurricane Idalia moving across South Carolina. Tax and weather watchers knew this was coming. Today, the Internal Revenue Service made it official. The tax agency announced that all individual and business taxpayers in South Carolina are eligible for tax relief in connection with damages from Hurricane Idalia, which started its journey across the Palmetto State as a tropical storm on Aug. 29. The SC trek was after Idalia made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region two days earlier as a category 3 hurricane, prompting the IRS to grant most of the Sunshine State tax…

Unsplash+ in collaboration with Martin Sanchez I hope you enjoyed your Labor Day break. Now that summer is effectively and officially coming to an end this month, it's also a good time to look at some tax tasks. Taking care of tax business in September can help you avoid a costly tax fall as autumn arrives. OK, bad seasonal quasi-pun. Sorry. Accept my apology and these four September 2023 tax moves. 1. Pay your third quarter 2023 estimated tax. Many who've already filed their annual tax return still have other taxes to take care of this month. Yes, I'm talking about estimated…

Labor Day isn’t a holiday for all workers. (Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash) …Labor Day is a day off for many workers. But entrepreneurs probably put in regular shifts this first Monday in September. When your small business depends primarily on you, you tend to work even on holidays. Since you’re busy being the boss, I won’t take up too much of your time. But whether you’re a new business owner or have been the boss for years, it’s always good to stay on top of your tax responsibilities. Here are some tax basics for all of us self-employed…

Spc. LeAnn White, 2nd Scout Battalion, 49th Brigade, Alaska State Defense Force, assists with recovery operations in Crooked Creek, Alaska, following May floods. Ice dams caused riverbanks to overflow, severely damaging many homes in the area. (Photo courtesy Alaska National Guard via Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) All weather eyes recently, and understandably, have been on Florida, where on Aug. 30 Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the state's Big Bend area as a category 3 storm. Idalia's winds damaged buildings and roads in Keaton Beach and other Gulf Coast enclaves near where the hurricane came ashore. Flooding was more widespread,…

Update, Sept. 6, 2023: As expected, South Carolina taxpayers get essentially the same tax relief, since Idalia marched through the Palmetto State as a tropical storm after she hit Florida. Update, Sept. 13, 2023: Finally! Even though Idalia moved through southeastern Georgia before hitting South Carolina, it took a little longer for the IRS to grant tax relief to affected Georgians. The agency made it official today, giving the same basic tax relief to individuals and businesses in 28 of the Peach State's counties.  Storm surge along Bayshore Boulevard and the Tampa Convention Center on Aug. 30, 2023, morning as…

A photo of Chocolate Lab's chocolate lasagna, posted on Yelp in March by a diner. The Denver, Colorado, eatery now is closed, apparently due to delinquent taxes. Even before The Bear started streaming, it was no secret that running a restaurant is difficult. In addition to culinary responsibilities, restauranteurs must tend to zoning issues, health department inspections, and labor concerns. And, of course, there are tax matters. It's that last one that apparently has led to the closure of Denver's only chocolate-centric restaurant. I know, you wish you had made it to the Mile High City to try out Chocolate…

Hawai'i Air National Guard loadmasters and maintenance specialists deliver supplies at Kahului Airport, Maui, to help with the recovery from the fires that devastated the island. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Internal Revenue Service also are offering affected residents and businesses relief. (Photo by U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. John Linzmeier via Wikimedia Commons) The Internal Revenue Service has made it official. Hawaii wildfire victims in Maui and Hawaii counties have been granted tax relief, including a Feb. 15, 2024, deadline to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. The…

Teachers and other eligible educators, stop before filing your tax returns and make sure you claim the tax break for your out-of-pocket classroom expenses. (Photo Unsplash+ in collaboration with Getty Images) Our neighborhood schools this week welcomed students back from summer break. Teachers and other school staff already had been in the classrooms, getting ready for the youngsters' return. Those educators also likely spent some of their own money on the 2023-24 school year preparations. There's a bit of good tax news for those school employees. They can claim a tax break for their out-of-pocket educational expenses. $300 is still…

New IRS digital tax plans aim to get both taxpayers and tax agency employees out from under such paper piles. It’s not your grandparents’ Internal Revenue Service anymore. The Treasury Department today announced that a new IRS paperless processing initiative will be available to taxpayers by the 2024 tax filing season. The following year, the IRS will more fully digitize its side of the tax paperwork equation. The multiyear moves, according to the Treasury press release, will eliminate up to 200 million pieces of paper annually, cut processing times in half, and expedite refunds by several weeks. The IRS receives…

Stereotypes, or traditions if you prefer, tend to be true when it comes to older couples and tax return filing. When the hubby and I married many (many) years ago, I (we) decided that I would keep my name. I was a writer, and my byline was already known, so it seemed logical. Also, as a young single woman of the 1970s, it was no big deal. What’s that saying? The more things change, the more they stay the same. That also applies in many instances to taxes. Welcome to the 21st century, where Internal Revenue Service return filing data…