You have a mortgage that, even after refinancing at a lower rate, racks up a substantial interest bill. That home’s property taxes were pretty hefty, too. (Note to self: Next appraisal period, protest the assessment.) Don’t even start with your state — and county and city — income taxes. But at least your good salary meant you were able to be really generous. All those factors could mean you’re in the tax-filing minority that finds itemizing expenses will get you a larger deduction than the standard amount. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your…

If you’ve put off your tax filing until this last week before Tax Day, don’t panic. You’ve still got time to do the tax job right. Tax Day is one week away! Yeah, I know. Not really a reason for celebrating, especially if you’re just now tackling your taxes. There’s no way to make this final tax filing week festive. However, these 10 last-minute filing tips can help you get the job done by the April 18 deadline. 1. Determine whether you need to file.Most Americans who earn money, be it through full-time jobs or self-employment or investment income, do…

If you are a U.S. taxpayer living outside the country and frantically working to meet this year’s April 18 tax-filing deadline, take a breath. Then mark your calendar for June 15. The Internal Revenue Service grants taxpayers who are overseas, including members of the armed forces stationed abroad, and automatic two-month extension to file. You don’t have to send in Form 4868 to get it the extra filing time. Note, however, that this automatic extension to file is just that, an extension to file. If you owe tax for the 2021 tax year, you must pay it by this year’s…

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels Tax Day 2022 is just more than a week away, and based on Internal Revenue Service filing statistics, millions of us need to get to work. Uncle Sam's tax collector says the nearly 92.3 million filings it received through April 1 are running about 2 percent behind last year's numbers. Using 2021 numbers for comparison, that's more than 77.8 million unfiled returns so far this year. Of course, last year's filing figure is larger than previous years since millions who weren't required to submit returns did so that they could get COVID-9 economic impact payments. But…

In 2016, a law change moved the due date for the required filing of Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, or FBAR, to coincide with the annual April individual federal tax return deadline. FBAR information is the federal government’s way of tracking foreign bank and financial accounts owned by U.S. taxpayers. Since Tax Day gets a lot of attention every year, the date change was seen as a way to make sure more people were aware of FBAR filing requirements. So FBAR filings this year are due on April 18, a few days later than usual due to the…

I understand not filing until the absolutely latest minute. Been there, done that. I also get why some people delay the inevitable: they owe taxes. Been there, done that, too. Sometimes, that amount due the U.S. Treasury seems impossible to pay. Thankfully, I’ve never quite been at this stage, but it happens to many filers. The first thing to do if you find yourself in this situation is to not panic. Then look at your options. The Internal Revenue Service offers taxpayers a variety of ways to pay their unexpectedly large tax debts. Pay something — and file — to…

Photo by 401k2012 via Flickr CC April 18 isn’t just the day you must file your 2021 tax return and pay any tax due. This fast-approaching Tax Day also the deadline to make a 2021 tax year contribution to your individual retirement arrangement (IRA), either a traditional or Roth account. For 2021, you can contribute up to $6,000 to your traditional or Roth IRA. If you’re age 50 or older, you can add another $1,000 as a catch-up contribution. If you have the cash, or expect to get a refund that could replace the money you use for your IRA,…

April brings not only spring showers, but also a focus on the annual tax-filing due date. Welcome to the first full week of April, the big month when it comes to taxes. After the two previous delayed Tax Day filing seasons, the Internal Revenue Service is committed to getting back on schedule, at least as far as the deadline for us taxpayers to meet. If you’ve yet to file your 2021 return, here are five tax tasks to complete as the April 18 filing deadline nears. 1. Decide what you’re going to do about your 2021 return. With Tax Day just…

Screenshot of YouTube News Disaster video of Puerto Rico flooding Tax Day 2022 has been moved to May 16 and June 15, but just for some taxpayers. And no, this is not a late April Fools Day joke. The postponement is for reasons none of us would want. It’s for folks who were struck by major natural disasters. The Internal Revenue Service announced last week that it has granted special tax relief to Puerto Rico residents of who in February were struck by severe storms, flooding, and landslides. They now have until June 15 to file various individual and business tax returns and…

Don’t be an April Fool, or gullible person who’s an easily caught fish when it comes to fakes floating around today. And never get caught in a tax myth net, on April 1 or any day. How’s your April Fools’ Day going? I hope you haven’t been tricked into believing some outrageous claims. There even are a few April 1 tax pranks out there on social media. Don’t fall for them. If you read or hear something tax-related that sounds a bit sketchy, take the time to check it out with reputable tax sources. To help in this area, here…

Reviewed and updated May 21, 2023 Federal tax returns get most of the attention during the annual tax season. That’s because Uncle Sam’s individual income tax laws apply across the country. But state taxes also are demanded of most Americans. For 2021 filings, residents in 42 states and the District of Columbia could face filing requirements. And most of them also offer their own state-specific versions of the federal Free File option. Only 8 total no-tax states: The only states with no personal income tax at all are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Tax savvy…

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted millions to work from home. The simplified home office tax deduction could pays off these small businesses.

You need to follow your doctors’ practice of keeping track of your medical records. Your documentation of your health care treatments and costs could pay off as valuable tax deductions. It’s been a crazy couple of months for the hubby and me. In February, we headed to our local hospital’s emergency room after he sustained a head injury. A month later, I apparently was too aggressive of a walker, ending up with a fracture of one of my toes. We’re both healing, not as quickly as we’d like, but thankful that things weren’t worse.   Good podiatrist news: MRI showed…

No-cost help fulfilling our annual tax-filing obligations has always been a better slogan than a reality. We are just about three weeks away from Tax Day 2022. This is our third consecutive coronavirus-tinge tax filing season, but things seem (fingers crossed!) to be going relatively well. As of March 18, the Internal Revenue Service had received more than 72 million returns. Almost 70 million of those 1040s arrived electronically. The IRS doesn't break out in its regular filing season statistics how many of the e-filings were submitted by users of its Free File option. That number, however, is likely to…

It’s that time of filing season again. The Internal Revenue Service is reminding millions of people that they’ve left collective billions of dollars unrefunded. Yep, for a variety of reasons, every year people who are due tax refunds don’t file the necessary tax paperwork to get their money. The U.S. Treasury holds on to it, but just for three years. If the due tax refunds aren’t claimed within that time frame, Uncle Sam gets to keep the money. Forever. That means the claiming clock is ticking down for an estimated 1.5 million individuals who didn’t file 2018 tax year returns…

One of the big selling points of taking your taxes electronic is that the Internal Revenue Service’s turnaround is quicker. The tax agency has long touted that when taxpayers e-file and have their refunds direct deposited, the tax cash usually shows up within 21 days. Usually. The only thing certain about taxes is that they’ll find a way to frustrate you. That’s the case when e-filed refunds take longer. Here are six reasons, from the IRS and tax community, as to why your refund may be delayed. 1. Math errors: Yes, taxes are complicated. That’s why most of us use…

Tax payments have come a long way since this 1939 painted window suggestion. (New York Public Library image) Tax Day 2022 is less than a month away. Most of us think of it as the day our tax returns must be filed, and that’s true. But it’s also the day that any tax you owe must be paid. If you miss either task, the Internal Revenue Service will slap penalties and interest onto your tax bill. The easiest way to do both is electronically. Here are five ways the IRS will accept your e-payment. 1. Electronic Federal Tax Payment System…

Imgur-Finextra Organized crowdfunding has been around for 25 years. It’s helped people make ends meet, cover emergency expenses, make movies, support others in need. It’s taken on a new life due to recent catastrophic events. During the first seven months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, more than 175,000 GoFundMe campaigns were established in the United States for coronavirus-related needs. Now, as Ukrainians fight off Russian invaders, direct online contributions are flooding into efforts to aid the country’s resistance and humanitarian efforts. Such expansion of financial transactions means, of course, that here in the United States, the Internal Revenue Service…

  Tax Day 2022 is a month away. That means lot of us are finally getting serious about filling out our 2021 tax returns. A lot of us also are making a disturbing discovery. Our refunds aren’t as big as we expected. Even worse, in some cases we owe tax. There are several reasons your refund could be smaller or you must send Uncle Sam a check. You can check them out in my previous post, 5 reasons your tax refund this year might be smaller. But here’s a preview of one of the reasons. You didn’t have enough withheld.…

March Madness, the name of the annual NCAA men’s basketball tournament, begins today. The betting on the games began Sunday, as soon as the 68 teams filling the brackets were announced. I’m not a big college sports fan, basketball included, so all I know about this year’s tourney is that my alma mater is attending the Big Dance. Texas Tech’s impressive roundball team, with its AP Big 12 Coach of the Year Mark Adams, will play its first game scheduled for Friday, March 18, afternoon. I’m rooting for the Tech team. However, I am not betting on the guys. No…

Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 nearly doubled the standard deduction amounts, even more people have chosen to use that filing method. IRS data indicate that close to 90 percent of us have opted not to mess with itemizing. But dumping the Schedule A doesn’t mean you give up all deductions. On tax year 2021 returns, you can claim some of your cash charitable deductions directly on Form 1040. And if you take a look at Schedule 1, one of the documents that the Internal Revenue Service created to accompany Form 1040 when the TCJA took…

When folks call the IRS for help, they often get the feeling that this 1914 switchboard is how the agency is operating its telephone hot lines. Now, however, the IRS has integrated voice and chat bots in the hopes it will help both taxpayers and IRS staff. (Photo courtesy Library of Congress) Would you rather wait on hold to talk to an Internal Revenue Service representative, or use an automated service? Most of us already deal with online apps and phone menus instead of human contact for much of our financial lives. The IRS is counting on that familiarly to…

It’s not a literally blank computer screen, but the IRS and White House Child Tax Credit portals aren’t accepting input until after Tax Day on April 18. (Photo by cottonbro from Pexels) The increased Child Tax Credit (CTC) has been a boon for many U.S. families. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) bumped up the tax break for the 2021 tax year from $2,000 per each eligible child to $3,600 for children age 5 or younger, and $3,000 for youngsters ages 6 to 17. Now, however, an online tool that the IRS created to make sure all who were due…

Before COVID-19 (remember that far back?), VITA volunteers operated in more open spaces, like here at this United Way location in Florida. The tax volunteers are still helping, but most now do so via one-on-one appointments. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented myriad challenges as far as taxes. Most notable is the backlog of tax documents the Internal Revenue Service still is working to clear. They started piling up when, as a pandemic precaution in 2020, the IRS closed most of its offices. But the coronavirus also created numerous difficulties for taxpayers just trying to send their returns to the IRS.…

Don’t let filing your taxes scare you. Take that fear and turn it into awareness of common Form 1040 mistakes you need to avoid making. (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels) The only thing worse than paying taxes is having to fill out the required paperwork every year. Just looking at a Form 1040, whether through the step-by-step Q&A lens of tax software or with the guiding hand of a tax pro, can send chills down the spines of most taxpayers, even those whose tax circumstances are relatively simple. There’s that nagging fear that this is a test from Uncle Sam and you’re…

Fotolia As you finish up your 2021 tax year Form 1040, make sure you don’t miss your charitable deductions. No, this is not just for itemizers. This filing season, single taxpayers can claim up to $300 in cash donations made to Internal Revenue Service-authorized nonprofits. Married couples filing a joint return get a maximum $600 deduction. And you claim it directly on your Form 1040. New, but temporary, deduction for nonitemizers: Most taxpayers choose to take the standard deduction. Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 nearly doubled the standard deduction amounts, IRS data indicate that close to…

Welcome to your first tax return filing. Yes, it can be frustrating, but these tips should help make your initiation into the taxpaying club a bit easier. (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels ) Lucky you. You're filing your first tax return in 2022, a tax season that's still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Even in more normal tax times, filing your very first Form 1040 can be scary. But it doesn't have to be if you follow these eight steps a novice taxpayer can take to successfully make it through their first filing season. 1. Get organized. This is something…

Pixabay via Pexels We're well into the 2022 tax filing season, meaning most of us have received the documents we need to file our tax returns. The main ones, our W-2 forms from employers and 1099s reporting other types of compensation, were supposed to be sent by the end of January. But sometimes that doesn't happen. Or the tax form you got was wrong. When then? Here are four steps to take now, along with some other missing tax document issues to consider. 1. Check your email: More of our lives go electronic every day. That includes tax-related matters. Lots…

via GIPHY Getting fired is never fun. Most of us have been there or have a family member or close friend who’s lost a job. Sometimes people get let go when they’re paying for services. It happens every year at accounting and tax preparation offices across the United States. The reasons tax professionals cut some taxpayers loose are many and varied, as I blogged about years ago in my posts Are you a good or bad tax client? and Bad tax clients, revisited. All types of troublesome taxpayers: Sometimes, famous customers get dumped, too. Recent case in point, Donald J.…

Many taxpayers (and tax professionals) have felt frustrated in trying to get help from the IRS over the last few COVID-stricken years. It's not officially Kick the IRS While It's Down Day, but it seems like it. At a Senate Finance Committee hearing today on Internal Revenue Service customer service issues, the consensus, to put it as kindly as possible, is that it's not good. Critics of the IRS and those simply exploring ways to help the agency improve its operations didn't have to look far for problems. "By any measure, the 2022 tax filing season is shaping up to…

The 2022 tax filing season is off to a strong start. In its first two weeks, from Jan. 24 to Feb. 4, the Internal Revenue Service received almost 16.7 million returns, and processed almost 13 million of them. The most important statistic for these millions of early filers is the refund numbers. Drum roll, please. So far, the IRS distributed more than 4.3 million refunds. The average refund very early this tax season is $2,201. That’s the early average. Yours might be more. Or it might be less. In fact, many folks this filing season might find their refunds are much less than they expected.…

The winter Olympics are still going on, and I’m particularly thrilled about the “old” man of 40, Nick Baumgartner, finally winning his first medal after tries in four of the global games. And a gold at that! It was the second gold for his mixed snowboard cross teammate Lindsey Jacobellis, who until Baumgartner’s win, was the oldest winter games winner at age 36. Congrats, but sorry, Olympics athletes. Here in the United States, we’ll be taking a break this weekend. The Super Bowl is Sunday. And you know what that means. Betting on the National Football League championship game. Prop…

Photo by Lamar Belina from Pexels After pressure from members of Congress, the National Taxpayer Advocate, and the Tax Professionals United for Taxpayer Relief Coalition, a group of organizations formed the to help make this third Covid-affected tax season a bit smoother, the Internal Revenue Service has decided to suspend sending of most taxpayer notices. This latest moratorium on taxpayer notices is the second in less than two weeks. It comes on the heels of the major taxpayer problems created by issuance of automated collection notices, or CP-80s. These alerts normally go out when a taxpayer owes tax, and the IRS has…

Despite last year’s Great Resignation, the United States work scene seems to getting back on track. Today’s Department of Labor weekly jobs report showed fewer first-time unemployment filings, continuing a recent downward trend. The latest national unemployment rate analysis in January showed a 4 percent unemployment rate, indicating the COVID-19 Omicron variant effects are subsiding. That’s good news for those with new jobs, the companies hiring them, and the overall economy. But for the 223,000 individuals who most recently applied for unemployment, things are still challenging. Taxable unemployment: On top of learning to live on unemployment benefits, they’ll face taxes…

Most folks right now are working on filing their 2021 tax returns for the first time. But since it’s Groundhog Day — in case you missed it, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so we’re looking at six more weeks of winter (boo!) — today seems like the perfect time to also look at amending a tax return. Taxes are complicated, so tax mistakes on 1040 forms are common. In situations where you’ve made a relatively minor common error on your return, such as transposing an amount that the Internal Revenue Service can correct using its copy of a third-party tax…

The Year of the Tiger arrived today. You might want to incorporate, as well as control, some of that big cat’s tendencies this month as you approach the filing of your 2021 taxes. (Photo by Jiří Mikoláš from Pexels) February 1 brings us the shortest month of the year, the Lunar New Year of the Tiger, and the perfect time to take care of some tax tasks. Since we only have 28 days, let’s get right to three tax matters you should take care of this month. 1. Tame your filing tiger: While you might think you’re ready to pounce on your…

Today is EITC Awareness Day! OK, Jan. 28 isn't an official holiday to celebrate the Earned Income Tax Credit, usually referred to (at least in the tax world) by its acronym EITC. But it is an annual event promoted by the Internal Revenue Service. Every year in late January, the tax agency focuses on getting the word out about the EITC. The reason is simple. Millions of individuals regularly overlook the EITC and surrendering thousands of dollars they could use. The EITC itself, however, is not so easy to claim. That's why a lot of folks ignore it. The IRS…

Reddit Just before this year’s tax filing season officially opened, a group of 11 tax-related groups sent the Internal Revenue Service a letter urging it, among other things, to stop sending some automated notices. Today, that group, which dubbed itself Tax Professionals United for Taxpayer Relief Coalition, got some good news. The IRS has agreed to stop sending automated CP-80 notices. In a statement posted today to IRS.gov, the IRS said: “…[W]e have already decided to suspend notices in situations where we have credited taxpayers for payments but have no record of the tax return being filed. In many situations,…

As COVID-19 continued into 2021, so did Congressional creation of relief payments. A third round of coronavirus-related cash started going out in late last March. This most recent economic impact payment (EIP) shared a lot of similarities with the two earlier versions. It was an advance tax credit. It was distributed by the Internal Revenue Service. The amount delivered was based on prior-year information in the IRS database. Some eligible individuals didn’t get the maximum available (or any) of the third EIP amount. That last bullet point about missing EIP money produces one more similarly. Folks who didn’t get the…

Princess Bride impatience via Giphy.com The tax filing season just opened yesterday, Monday, Jan. 24. But lots of folks have already filed the 2021 taxes, most of them because they are expecting refunds. And they’re already wondering when those refunds will arrive. It’s a valid question, especially since millions of taxpayers are still awaiting refunds from their 2020 returns. The Internal Revenue Service said that as of as of Dec. 4, 2021, it still had nearly 7 million unprocessed individual returns from the 2020 tax year. What does that mean to this year’s filing? The IRS says it will work on those 2020…

If the IRS letter about your third COVID economic impact payment or advance Child Tax Credit has the wrong amount, the agency says to file anyway, using your “best information.” (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels) Did the letter you got from the Internal Revenue Service about last year’s economic impact payment (EIP) or advance Child Tax Credit money have your amount(s) wrong? The Internal Revenue Service says don’t let that dissuade you from filing your 2021 tax return. In fact, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, during a conference call with reporters to discuss today’s start of the annual tax filing season, urged all…

The standard deduction always has been appealing because it’s easier. There are no receipts to collect, no Schedule A to fill out. When you add in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s standard deduction increases, even more taxpayers saw their standard amounts exceed their itemized claims. Since you always want to use the deduction method that gives you the larger claim, using the standard deduction became a no-brainer for millions more filers. Will you join this growing group of taxpayers this filing season? To help you decide, here’s a look at the standard deduction amounts that can be claimed on…

The 2022 tax filing season officially begins on Monday, Jan. 24. Some people, however, are not convinced the Internal Revenue Service is ready. The concern isn’t just about the millions of 2021 returns that will be flooding the IRS’ system, but also the millions of returns the agency is still processing from the previous COVID-affected filing seasons. That backlog and continuing challenges prompted a coalition of tax practitioners and advocacy groups to write the IRS and Treasury Department, urging those leaders to “take steps to ameliorate the situation.” Specifically, the representatives from 11 tax and public advocacy organizations want the…

You checked out my post on who has to file a tax return (thank you!) and confirmed that you’re one of the select lucky few who doesn’t have to file a 1040. But you still might want to send the Internal Revenue Service a tax return. Here are 10 such should-file situations, starting with the ones that could get you a tax refund. 1. Too much tax was withheld. Most of us have income tax amounts taken from our regular paychecks. Other sources of income also sometimes take some tax amounts off the top. When too much is withheld, you’re…

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels For some folks, the question isn’t when to file, but whether they need to do so at all. It’s a legitimate issue. While most of us do have to send in a Form 1040 every year, there are some situations where the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t demand filing. So just who has to file a tax return? Filing requirements for most of us: Generally, if you are a U.S. citizen or resident you must consider three things when determining whether you have to file a tax return: your age, your filing status and your income. The table below…

Photo by Kay Bell I’m married to a procrastinator. The most infuriating thing about it is not that he puts off things, but that occasionally he’s right to not rush to finish projects. And yes, projects is a euphemism for tasks I’ve asked him to do. Sometimes situations change, making moot what originally looked like the right move. Other times, the delay prevents making what would have been a wrong action. And in a few cases, if a job was done on my timetable, the changed circumstances would have meant redoing it. So over the many years we’ve been together,…

Photo by Kay Bell The 2022 filing season is already underway for many taxpayers even though the Internal Revenue Service won’t start processing their returns until Jan. 24. But these early bird filers are on to something. Here are eight reasons you might want to consider completing your Form 1040 soon. 1. To get the rest of your Child Tax Credit.Around 36 million families last year got an early tax benefit. The IRS delivered half of their 2021 tax year Child Tax Credit (CTC) in advance as monthly payments from last July through December. The maximum advance amounts were $1,800…

Photo by Andea Piacquadio from Pexels Back in olden times, taxpayers put their literal signatures on the 1040 forms they filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Now, most of us electronically sign our tax returns. Regardless of which method you use, the end result is the same. If you don’t sign your tax return, it’s not a valid submission. That oversight cost one expatriate couple $12,697 in tax refunds. The loss recently was affirmed the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling gets this weekend’s Sunday Shout Out. I’ll let you read it yourself. It’s not that long (just nine pages), and…

Eager tax filers, especially those with relatively uncomplicated returns, can now take advantage of Free File. The Internal Revenue Service and Free File Alliance of tax software manufacturers are open for filers. Just go to IRS.gov, click the File Your Taxes for Free line under How can we help you?” and you’re there. If you use a search engine to find free tax filing, you’ll likely discover other options. You’ll also probably get such offers in your email box. But the only official, IRS-sanctioned Free File option is the one on its website. 8 participants in 2022: This year, the…

IRS via Twitter The millions of taxpayers who must make estimated tax payments this month get a few more days to come up with the money. Since the usual Jan. 15 deadline is Saturday, and the next business day is Monday’s MLK Day federal holiday, the fourth estimated deadline for 2021 payments is Tuesday, Jan. 18. Taxes on self-employment earnings: More than 20 million individuals make these extra tax payments each year. They generally total four, with the payment amounts reflecting earnings that aren’t subject to withholding received during four segments of the tax year. Estimated taxes typically are paid…

You’re expecting a refund, so you’re planning to file your tax return soon. Wait. You might want to take a step or two back. First, you need to make sure you have all the information you need to properly fill out your 2021 Form 1040. You can get an idea of that material in my post examining some common tax statements you need to complete your filing. Second, you need more than paperwork. You need to take a good look at your personal situation and answer some questions. The responses could affect your filing. This checklist can help. Start with…

There aren’t any surprises in National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins’ annual report to Congress on the 2021 filing season. Something else that’s not surprising is that Collins warns that things aren’t likely to get any better for taxpayers, tax pros, or the Internal Revenue Service this year. Unprecedented tax annus horribilis: “Calendar year 2021 was surely the most challenging year taxpayers and tax professionals have ever experienced,” wrote Collins in the prologue of the required report issued today, Jan. 12. The problems included long processing and refund delays, difficulty reaching the IRS by phone, correspondence that went unprocessed for…

I got my first tax statement today, a 1099 for some freelance work I did last year. That’s just one of the documents that millions of taxpayers are awaiting so they can file their tax year 2021 returns. In addition to income statements, such as the 1099-NEC I got, 1099s with details on investment earnings, and W-2 forms for folks with wage-paying jobs, there are beau coup documents reporting tax-related transactions. Among the most common are forms detailing home related mortgage interest and taxes paid from escrow accounts, retirement account distributions, prize and gambling winnings, and in some cases, health…

It’s official. The Internal Revenue Service just announced that it will begin accepting and processing 2021 individual tax returns on Monday, Jan. 24. Yes, I realize some eager taxpayers have already e-filed their personal tax year 2021 Form 1040s. That’s OK. But you still have to wait. The IRS has placed them in a holding queue, and won’t start processing them until the official Jan. 24 start of the tax season. But at least that tax task is off your 2022 to-do list. And yes, more will file on Jan. 14, which is when the IRS’ partnership with some tax…

Updated Monday, Jan. 10, to add the just-announced start of the individual taxpayer filing season on Jan. 24. Free File will open earlier, on Jan. 14. With 2022's arrival came our new calendars. It also means that we need to mark some key tax dates. For the last couple of years, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc with the tax dates we were used to meeting. There are some changes in 2022, too, but most of them are due to the traditional way the Internal Revenue Service deals with tax deadlines falling on weekends or federal holidays. The affected due dates get…

It’s ready, set, go for tax season 2022, at least for business taxpayers. The IRS has announced a start date for these filings. (Photo by Snapwire via Pexels) We have a start date for the Internal Revenue Service’s 2022 tax filing season! Unfortunately for individual taxpayers, it’s not for you. (Update, Jan. 10: The IRS has set Monday, Jan. 24, as the start of the individual tax filing season.) The IRS announced on its Modernized e-File (MeF) Status web page that it will begin accepting electronically filed business tax returns at 9 a.m. Eastern time on Jan. 7, 2022. Yes,…

It’s the first week of January and some people are already working on their taxes. They’re expecting a refund and they want the Internal Revenue Service to have their forms as soon as possible so the agency can process them when tax season 2022 officially starts. Those enthusiastic filers, however, might want to take a break. In order to properly file their 2021 tax returns, many likely will need one or both tax statements the IRS is sending out this month. One is a notice of how much an individual got as the third Economic Impact Payment (EIP) issued in…

Image: BoulderCounty.org It looks like New Tax Year 2022 is going to be like 2021 in at least one regard. The usual April Tax Day is postponed for some filers. The reason also is the same as last year. Late-year major natural disasters. The devastating, but thankfully not deadly (although two people are still missing), end-of-2021 wildfires in Colorado have joined this unwanted list. The Internal Revenue Service today announced that Boulder Country residents whose homes and/or businesses were in the path of this past weekend’s wildfires will have until May 16 to file various returns and make tax payments.…

I know I said this last year, but once again, I have never been so ready for a fresh start! The last two years were full of chaos, COVID-19 and otherwise, that affected every part of our lives, taxes included. So, recoveries from a New Year’s Eve of hearty partying notwithstanding, let’s get right to 2022 taxes! April Tax Day, but not the 15th: This year, the Internal Revenue Service is aiming to get back on a more normal cycle. Tax Day 2022 is in April. OK, it’s on Monday the 18th instead of the 15th, but still. The three-day…

I hope your 2022 welcoming plans are on track this New Year’s Eve eve. But as the time tick tocks away, some folks need to think a few days further into the fast-approaching New Year. Specifically, their focus should be on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. That’s the day that some California residents whose lives and/or businesses were impacted by wildfires need to file certain 2020 returns. The first workday of the New Year also is the deadline for employers and self-employed individuals who deferred paying part of their 2020 Social Security taxes. California disaster delay: Mother Nature was not kind…

The fallout from the deadly Dec. 10-11 tornado outbreak across the South and Midwest continues as 2021 comes to a close. So does federal relief, including from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS today announced that affected Arkansas individual and business taxpayers in five counties now have until May 16, 2022, to file returns and make payments for various tax situations. But they are not alone. The IRS also announced today that residents and business owners in two Alabama counties get similar tax relief and a new Feb. 28, 2022, deadline. The Alabama tax move is in connection with severe…

The deadly and destructive effects of Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that was the second-most damaging and intense ever to make landfall in Louisiana, weren’t limited to the Pelican State. Ida’s remnants also caused widespread tornadic destruction and catastrophic flooding across the northeastern United States. You can see Ida’s complete path and intensity levels at Fleur DeOdile’s WikiProject tropical cyclones tracker. Apparently, the Internal Revenue Service also is feeling the Christmas/New Year crunch. The tax agency is giving taxpayers (and its staff) some end-of-year breathing room by further extending some Hurricane Ida tax deadlines beyond early 2022. Victims of…

Tornado damage caused Dec. 10-11 to an Amazon warehouse building and high-tension power lines between Pontoon Beach and Edwardsville, Illinois. (National Weather Service-St. Louis/Wikipedia Commons photo) While most of us are rushing this week to complete Christmas plan, some are trying to salvage what, if anything, they still have after a deadly line of tornadoes struck earlier this month. As part of this recovery process, the Internal Revenue Service has announced tax relief for residents in parts of Tennessee and Illinois. This includes a new deadline of May 16, 2022, for filing 2021 federal tax returns. Specific counties designated: The relief follows…

This holiday season, some families are getting an added gift: their final Advance Child Tax Credit payment for 2021. An estimated 36 million families will see their final Advance Child Tax Credit arrive in their bank accounts today, Dec. 15. The bank deposit will be labeled CHILDCTC. Those getting the early 2021 tax year payments by mailed paper Treasury checks should have their money soon. Then what? Today’s end of the pre-payments is the start of another process. When filing season starts next year, eligible families will claim the remaining Child Tax Credit (CTC) amounts for this year on their…

An aerial view of Mayfield, Kentucky, one of the hardest hit communities during the Dec. 10-11 tornado outbreak in the western half of the state, shows the devastation of the community. (Photo by State Farm via Flickr CC 2.0 and Wikimedia) Kentucky residents who were in the path of last weekend’s deadly tornadoes have a later 2022 federal tax filing deadline. The Internal Revenue Service today announced that Kentucky taxpayers in, so far, eight counties will have until May 16, 2022, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. UPDATE, Dec. 16, 2021: The Kentucky Department of Revenue…

If you use the standard deduction, this tax break can help cut your tax bill, but only if you make your donations by Dec. 31. And if charitable organizations get their wish, the tax break will be extended past 2021, and worth as much as $4,000 ($8,000 for couples).  During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, more Americans needed help than ever before to pay bills, feed their families, and generally just try to retain their pre-pandemic lives. To do that, many turned to nonprofits for help. Unfortunately, charitable organizations found themselves in similar straits. “2020 should have been…

The United States has a voluntary compliance tax system. Uncle Sam trusts all of us to follow the tax laws and file and pay any amounts that are due the U.S. Treasury. But Uncle Sam is no fool when it comes to taxes. He also has a system of penalties to encourage or, if we refuse, punish us for not fulfilling our tax responsibilities on our own. The most severe are criminal prosecutions. The Internal Revenue Service also employs civil actions to get taxes due. Most of us, though, are more familiar with the fines and fees that are assessed…

Single parenting can be challenging, especially at tax time and you and your ex-spouse are vying for the same child-related tax breaks. (Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels) For some, this Thanksgiving was quieter than normal. Their youngsters spent Turkey Day with their parent as part of the alternating holidays agreement reached in the divorce decree. Breaking up is always hard. It’s also complicated when it involves lawyers, court hearings and the Internal Revenue Service. It’s can get even more complex when children are involved. I’m not a lawyer. I don’t play one on the ol’ blog. And I don’t…

Thanksgiving is the traditional time for families to gather. But not all families are traditional. That’s evident in real and tax life. The family-friendly tax break that’s been getting most attention of late is the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the advance payments for 2021 that are going out through December. I’m guilty, as a perusal of the ol’ blog quickly shows. But some families aren’t eligible for the CTC, either the money being distributed now or when they file their annual tax returns next year. In some cases, taxpayers don’t qualify because they make a lot of money, at…

Photo: Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels The Internal Revenue Service has a holiday gift for eligible families who’ve yet to collect their Advance Child Tax Credit payments. If sign up by Monday, Nov. 15, for the early-issue amounts, which are up to $300 per month for each child younger than age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17, you’ll get all the money you qualify for in mid-December. That definitely could challenge Santa for the seasonal present delivery crown. Bumped up and early tax break: The Child Tax Credit (CTC) already was a popular…

Most of us would love to win the lottery. And most of us know that hitting a jackpot means the U.S. Treasury is a winner, too. Taxes due on gambling winnings are just part of the price of such payoffs. But an Ohio man pushed his luck a bit too far. He’s now awaiting sentencing on his attempt to evade taxes on a lottery jackpot. The Hillard, Ohio, man pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court to one count of filing a false tax return with the Internal Revenue Service in connection with his $1 million lottery win 2015.…

Tax year-in and tax year-out, most filers claim the standard deduction instead of itemizing. The option has always been appealing because it’s easy. There are no receipts to save, no added calculations. Even better, the Internal Revenue Service provides the standard amount you can claim, based on your filing status, right there on the first page of Form 1040. The standard deduction trend got even more participants after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 essentially doubled the standard amounts. And those now more valuable deduction amounts still usually get a boost at the end of every year thanks…

Democrats still are looking to ease the limit on the federal tax deduction on state and local taxes, or SALT as the tax world, and now every affected state and local taxpayer, refers to it. The latest proposal is to raise the $10,000 cap imposed by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to $80,000 through 2020, then revert to $10,000 in 2031. Yeah, budget machinations at work. Surpassing standard amounts: That’s got some folks looking at whether it would be worth itemizing again. To opt for detailing deductions on Schedule A, you’ll need to come up with enough…

Some folks recently got an early holiday gift from the Internal Revenue Service. The tax agency has issued another 430,000 refunds to taxpayers who overpaid on their unemployment benefits. Those refunds accounted for tax refunds totaling more than $510 million. The average refund in this batch comes to about $1,189. More than a grand definitely can come in handy paying bills or filling up the Thanksgiving table or buying Christmas gifts. But the millions total is this weekend’s By the Numbers figure. Partially tax-free unemployment: In case you’ve forgotten, these refunds are necessary because of a COVID-related law change. In…

Family income affects just home much Child Tax Credit can be claimed. It also matters in the distribution of the 2021 increased amounts that are being delivered monthly through the end of this year. (Photo via Shutterstock) The Internal Revenue Service will be delivering two more Child Tax Credit payments this year, on Nov. 15 and Dec. 15. Eligible families need to make sure the IRS has the correct data for the payments. It could make a difference in both the amount of credits distributed this year and the families' tax returns filed in 2022. Notably, any changes to income…

As the battle over how to pay for the Biden Administration budget continues on Capitol Hill, much of the focus has been on the wealthy. A new annual tax on billionaires' unrealized capital gains is the latest suggestion to help pay for the nearly $2 trillion bill. Under current law, every property owner, regardless of income, pays tax on assets when they realize a gain from them, usually by selling them.  This so-called wealth tax, however, would force the ultra-wealthy to pay tax on the value or their holdings, stocks as well as real estate, before realizing the gains. It would…

Photo by ivan sellar from Pexels You're finally ready to give up being the boss. Or maybe you got a great offer for your business. Or maybe the COVID-19 pandemic did a number on you and your company. Whatever your reason, you've decided it's time to close your company's doors. Make sure that during that process, you take taxes into account. The Internal Revenue Service offers these tips to business owners who've decided to call it quits. File the appropriate final return: This filing is for the year you close your business. The type of return you file, and the related forms you…

Photo by Liza Summer from Pexels Everyone needs help now and then. That truism especially applies to filing taxes. But not everyone can afford to hire a tax professional. That's where the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs come into play. For decades, these two programs have provided free tax preparation and filing assistance during the annual filing season to millions of lower- and middle-income taxpayers, as well as elderly filers. The Internal Revenue Service just announced its financial support for 334 VITA and TCE programs in 2022. Now the agency is looking for volunteers to…

Free tax-preparation and filing help is offered ever tax season through groups community groups nationwide, like this Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program run by the Summit-Medina, Ohio, United Way. As the COVID-compromised 2020 and 2021 tax filing seasons demonstrated, most taxpayers needed some help to make sure they got all the tax breaks they were entitled to, as well as just file their annual returns. That need for tax assistance isn’t going away, even if we do (fingers and toes tightly crossed) get to a more normal tax season next year. And volunteers who’ve received the Internal Revenue Service…

Hurricane Ida is one reason why some taxpayers don't have to get their extended tax returns to the IRS on Oct. 15. (National Hurricane Center radar image of Ida making landfall) Millions of taxpayers are frantically filling out Internal Revenue Service forms right now. They are the folks who got an extension until today, Oct. 15, to submit their annual federal tax returns. Some, however, aren't in a hurry. The IRS has given them more time to complete their returns. Disaster related added delays: Unfortunately for those filers, the reason for an extended extension deadline isn't a welcome one. They…

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels It's Tax Day. For real. October 15. The absolutely final day to get your 1040 (and other forms, schedules, and attachments) to the Internal Revenue Service or face potential penalties for late filing. You also could be hit with late payment charges if you didn't pay enough when you got your extension to file, not extension to pay, months ago. I've been here. Not this year, thankfully, but in the past. It's nerve wracking. But you still have time. So take a breath and let's get this done. Hurry up if you're going old school: If…

Many Social Security recipients are celebrating the announcement that their benefits will increase in 2022. But if you get other income to help you enjoy your retirement, you could owe tax on your government benefits. There's some good news for the around 72 million people who receive Social Security benefits, either as retirees or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients (or both). The Social Security Administration announced* on Wednesday, Oct. 13, that they will see a 5.9 percent increase in their benefit checks in 2022. It's the largest increase to the government benefits, which primarily go to retirees, in nearly four…

Did you discover when you filed your taxes, either earlier this year or this week to get in under the Oct. 15 extended deadline, that you were due a refund? Or, yikes, that you owed Uncle Sam? Either way, now is a good time to review your tax withholding. With 2021’s third quarter just under way, you have plenty of time to deal with the differences either way. And there is enough time left in the year to spread the changes over several pay periods so they don’t produce a major shock either way to your budget. Rationalizing over-withholding: Around…

Welcome to another Monday federal holiday. Today is Columbus Day. It's not necessarily manic, unless you're spending it finally finishing your 2020 tax return that you got extended until Oct. 15. In that case, this post for tax procrastinators might help. As with many — OK, all — retailers use these three-day federal holidays as reasons for sales. And usually tacky TV commercials. Got your mattress bargain yet? Then there are the associated celebrations. Parades. The coronavirus-delayed Boston Marathon this year. Myriad special events nationwide honoring special people associated with day or its origins or its namesake.  Evolving views of…

Fans of peer-to-peer payment apps are worried that a proposed $600 bank account reporting threshold will affect their transactions. It won't. The U.S. tax system is based on voluntary compliance by taxpayers. But the Internal Revenue Service wasn't born yesterday. It knows full disclosure by all taxpayers is a pipe dream. That's why the agency relies on, and pushes for, increased third-party notifications. That's where taxable transactions are reported not only to the taxpayers, but also the IRS. The most common situation is the W-2 annual wage statement, but there are plenty of others. The latest instance of third-party reporting under…

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels Hello, ultimate tax procrastinators. You now have just a week to finish your Form 1040 and get it to the Internal Revenue Service. A piece of cake for all y'all who push thing to the last minute, right? Ooooh-kaaaay. It's your tax life … and possible tax costs if you mess up anything or, yikes, miss this due date. But just in case you're open to a little at-the-wire tax filing advice, here are six questions, and some answers from me, to ask yourself in these last seven days until Oct 15. 1. Do you have…

The big deadline change for 2021 was when the Internal Revenue Service extended the regular income tax filing deadline from April 15 to May 17. But it also made a few more calendar moves, including one that this month affects folks with foreign financial accounts. The IRS left in place the due date for filing Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, usually referred to as FBAR. Sort of. Although the tax agency didn't move the April deadline, it did grant FBAR filers an automatic extension until Oct. 15. That's right. Owners of foreign accounts now face the…

Photo via Pexels There have been some stumbles with the delivery of Advance Child Tax Credit (AdvCTC) payments this summer, the most recent happening last month when some were delayed. That’s understandable. The AdvCTC distribution is yet another new job for the Internal Revenue Service, which already is struggling to handle its regular jobs during a persistent pandemic. Still, it’s frustrating for folks depending on the money, which has been increased for the 2021 tax year to $3,600 for each child younger than age 6, and $3,000 for each youngster ages 6 to 17. Many missing the money: Half of…

In addition to visiting your local pumpkin patch this month, make time for these October tax moves. (Photo by James Wheeler via Pexels) It’s October. I know I say this every month, but wow, this day got here quickly. And it’s just the start of a busy month. This first full month of fall means it’s time to winterize your house if you live in a place with changing seasons. You’ve got candy to buy so trick-or-treaters won’t be disappointed. But take it from me, don’t buy the sweets too soon or you’ll have to buy more by the time…

But despite the technical problem, IRS says still use online tool to make changes, including stopping Advance Child Tax Credit payments for the rest of the year. You'd think that by the time the Internal Revenue Service issued the third Advance Child Tax Credit (AdvCTC) payment, things would be automatic. Well, you've got another think coming. The IRS did deliver in mid-September around 35 million AdvCTC payments totaling $15 billion. But unfortunately for some eligible families, their money didn't show up on time. The explanation was the usual one. It was a technical issue. Yeah, I rolled my eyes, too. But then,…

The Internal Revenue Service has signed new contracts with three private tax debt collection agencies. (Image via Giphy) When the Internal Revenue Service four years ago reinstituted, per Congressional mandate, the latest private tax collection program, it signed four collection companies. Today, the IRS announced new deals with three collection agencies. The private collection agency (PCA) contracts take effect tomorrow, following today's expiration of the old contracts. So starting Thursday, Sept. 23, taxpayers with unpaid tax bills may be contacted by one of the following agencies: CBE Group, Inc.P.O. Box 2217Waterloo, IA 50704800-910-5837 Coast Professional, Inc.P.O. Box 526Albion, NY 14411888-928-0510…

The Great Resignation created by folks deciding not to return to their jobs after extended COVID-19 absences has led to a lot of new businesses. That means there a many new bosses out there, most of them dealing with a different part of the Internal Revenue Service for the first time. As business owners, they potentially face new types of taxes. Exactly which taxes depend largely on how their new company is established. That’s why selection of a business entity is a major tax decision. Business entity options: As part of 2021’s National Small Business Week, sponsored annually by the…

via GIPHY On a visceral financial level, we all hate paying taxes. But what we hate almost as much is that the tax laws often seem overly complicated or just plain goofy. Take estimated taxes. These are four extra payments that the Internal Revenue Service and many states require taxpayers to make to cover the taxes due on earnings that aren’t subject to paycheck tax withholding. Straightforward enough, right? Until it comes to payment deadlines. Even though there are, in most cases, four of them and they’re called quarterly estimated tax payments, the IRS uses a calendar that’s a bit…

Whatever your reason for moving, be it a temporary disaster displacement or settling into your forever dream home, you need to let the Internal Revenue Service know where you are. Americans typically are a peripatetic lot. We move to be nearer family, to take new jobs, to enjoy the retirement lifestyle we’ve carefully planned. Other times, our moves are not a choice we wanted to make. After a major disaster, for example, folks who lived in a hard-hit area decide enough is enough. They’re outta there. I totally get it. Even though our house in South Florida suffered relatively minor damage…

Who hasn’t felt this way at work from time to time? This year, after COVID-forced reassessment of their jobs, millions decided to quit. (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels) …The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things, including workplaces. Where offices stayed open or reopened, there are the coronavirus precautions, such as work station spacing and staff masking. Other offices are allowing or requiring their staff to work remotely. Hello home offices (that, sorry, likely aren’t tax deductible) and Zoom glitches. COVID also gave us the worst-case scenario for too many workers. Reduced consumer demand meant some businesses needed…

A distinctive signature has long been a mark of individuality. Take a look at former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's original loops or Donald J. Trump's spikes. But with cursive handwriting being dropped from many schools' curricula, the chance of seeing someone's John Hancock rival, well, U.S. Declaration of Independence signer John Hancock's historic mark are vanishing. And the IRS is helping erase handwritten signatures by allowing more forms to be electronically signed. One non-medical COVID-19 side-effect will have a long-lasting side effect on everyone. More electronic transactions in our every-day lives. That includes our tax lives. About this time last…

So how was your summer? Yep, it's over, or will be officially a bit later in this brand new month of September. In addition to bringing some cooler temperatures (eventually, or so promise my local weathermen and women), the ninth month of the year also marks the opening of schools (at least in part, depending on COVID-19 Delta outbreaks), and football seasons (American, not Ted Lasso's version). Tax tasks also are on this month's agenda. Yeah, taxes aren't as fun as football (either U.S. or global leagues) or as welcome as a break from the heat or the kiddos going…

Damage in the Galliano, Louisiana, area from Hurricane Ida as seen by U.S. Coast Guard overflight on Aug. 30. (Photo courtesy U.S.C.G./VIRIN: 210830-G-G0108-1006M) Hurricane Ida went from Tropical Depression 9 to a category 4 hurricane that slammed coastal Louisiana on Aug. 29 in just about three days. The Internal Revenue Service has reacted just as quickly. Today, the IRS announced that its offering tax relief to Ida victims. That includes pushing the Oct. 15 extended filing deadline (and other tax dates) to Jan. 3, 2022. The tax relief applies to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)…

Last November, Louisiana voters in 55 of the state's 64 parishes approved sports betting. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the necessary enacting bills into law in June. And this month, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board passed emergency sports betting rules, effective Aug. 23, to start the licensing process and finalize permanent rules. The process probably isn't streamlined enough to allow bettors to put down cash on the Thursday, Sept. 9, meeting of my frustratingly underachieving Cowboys and the current Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers, which kicks off the 2021 National Football League (NFL) season. But the hope of sports betting supporters…

Records, tax and financial, are often among the property damaged or destroyed in a natural disaster. If you’re lucky, you might be able, like this woman, to salvage some of the documents. If not, you’ll need to recreate them to take advantage of tax-related storm relief. (Image courtesy Louisiana Law Blog) We’re heading into peak Atlantic hurricane season, which means much of the United States could face disastrous circumstances like those already being dealt with coast-to-coast. In major disasters, various types of tax relief are available, including claiming storm-related losses as an itemized deduction. One of the key considerations here…