Federal Tax Filing

2011 Federal Tax Filing

If you think 2011 federal tax filing is confusing, maybe this will help you. Below are some things that you will need to know for the tax season.

You should know that you may be able to file your federal tax return without any cost to you through the IRS Free File program. This program is designed to try to get taxpayers to file electronically. It is open to those that ma

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 10: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (C) greets job seeker U.S. Army veteran Rodney Buckingham (2ndR) at the Internal Revenue Service booth as he attends Honor A Hero, Hire A Vet job fair on November 10, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Schwarzenegger launched the ‘Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet’ intiative in 2006, and there have been 47 job fairs since its inception. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

de $57,000 or less. There are about 15 preparation companies in the program, and all of them have different criteria for eligibility that are usually based on income, age, military status, or state residency. Once you have finished doing your taxes on the Free File program, you can e-file your tax return for free.

You should also know that members of the military, senior citizens, and low income taxpayers may be able to file their taxes for free. Volunteers will help them with assistance and help them file electronically.

One other thing you should know is that new IRS regulations are making all tax preparers have a tax identification number. Tax preparers must use that pin number when they sign taxpayers returns. It your tax preparer does not have one; you need to find another preparer.

Above all, if you are going to file your taxes make sure you have all the necessary documents you need to file correctly.

Running Your Own Business and Managing Accounts for the First Time

If the idea of being your own boss seems increasingly attractive in these trouble economic times, you’re not alone.  Surprisingly large numbers of individuals have taken, or are taking, the leap into self-employment.  It seems odd, when the economy is contracting, but it is often the case during recessions that the number of self-employed and new small businesses rises.  Small businesses are now leading the way in job creation; with more people facing job insecurity and redundancy, for many the only choice is to create their own job.  The idea is attractive at any time, being your own boss means freedom to take control of a big part of your life.  However, not all businesses will succeed and one crucial area that causes businesses to fail in the early days is poor planning, particularly of the financial kind. So what are the key tools to help you overcome the obstacles?

Basic Planning Matters

  • Planning can seem like a very boring part of preparing to go it alone.  However, it’s possibly the most essential part of the process.  Planning every aspect of your business from your marketing strategy to finding premises is absolutely necessary.  Planning your financial arrangements should also figure highly on your list.
  • Financial planning should include obvious, and frequently overlooked, matters like invoicing software and accounting software.  Customers will need to be billed and you need to be clear how this is going to work.  Simple paper invoices are fine; they are also time-consuming to produce and track. Invoicing software makes the process straightforward – and should be fool proof.
  • An accountant is an absolute must for any business or self-employee.  Tax and VAT regulations are complex and ever changing.  Regulations that apply to your company will vary depending on its size and could easily change as you grow.  Working with a professional from the start will ensure you stay on the right side of HMRC.  When choosing an accountant consider the following.

Finding an Accountant

  • Do find an accountant before, or when, you start trading.  It’s perfectly understandable that many small firms put this off.  Why pay for a service before you’re earning?  The simple answer is that you may not be aware of what records you need to keep.  Tax authorities recommend keeping records for at least six years.  An accountant can guide you through this from the start.
  • Contact a number of accountants and ask some questions.  Different firms operate on different charging structures.  Some will list charges for each service – which can allow you to pick and choose what you need.  Others will agree a service level for a fee – payable quarterly or monthly.  This may suit you if you will have a high volume of accounting work that needs to be dealt with frequently.
  • Find out what prospective accountants recommend in terms of accounting software.  Software comes in a range of options, including cloud versions which are extremely flexible and versatile.  Using online accounting software means that it will not matter what software your chosen accountant uses – they will be able to access your records online as and when required.

As your own boss you’ll be responsible for far more areas of your business than the actual work you do to bring in the cash.  While you don’t need to be an expert typist to type a letter, or a world class receptionist to answer the phone, areas such as accounting need specialists to be involved.  Don’t consider cutting corners on this particular aspect of your business but shop around carefully for a service that suits your specific needs and business.  With the right accountant and the right accounting software, making ends meet will seem effortless.

Simon Wilson blogs about small business issues and challenges, focusing on everything from accounting software to how small businesses can use social media.  When he’s not online Simon enjoys playing cricket and is a big movie fan.

Be Prepared For Your Taxes

There are many factors that can devalue your return during tax filing.  A bit of preparation each month can saves hours of work later on. This can also net you extra money on your return, which is always a good thing.
There are several ways to prepare for your taxes a little at a time.  Here we will discuss a few methods that will save you time when taxes roll around, or save you money if you are paying an accountant by the hour to prepare your taxes for you.

Save Your Receipts

Whether you are a business owner or simply buy supplies for your job out of your own income, you need to remember to save and file your receipts for any purchases made in relation to your work.  While most think of this when purchasing a new printer, laptop, or copier, they often forget the smaller purchases.  Other possible deductible purchases include:
•             Boxes of pens, pencils, highlighters, and other minor office supplies
•             Reams of paper and ink cartridges for printers and copy machines
•             Fuel used in travelling to purchase supplies

Stay Organized

There is nothing more frustrating and time consuming than a large box of random papers being dropped on your desk at tax time.  Save your accountant time and yourself money by properly filing these papers, receipts, and pay stubs for easier access during tax form preparation.  By doing this you will make a good impression as well as learn how to systematically reduce the stress that tax filing brings.

Communication is Key

During the year, if you have any doubts as to whether an activity will be important to your taxes, do your research and communicate with your tax professional.  This simple act can also protect you from possible auditing as your tax preparer will be able to notify you if an activity is going to bring up red flags later.
It is also important to communicate with your accountantabout any changes in your life or business. Common events that can affect your tax filing include:
•             Marriage, divorce, and separation
•             Custody changes
•             Insurance rate changes
•             Vehicle maintenance related to work

Plan Ahead

In the event that an audit takes place, you will need your records for several years prior to the year of audit.  In order to avoid excess stress and hassle, keep all tax records filed in an easily accessible place for at least ten years, more if you prefer.  The space taken by one four-drawer filing cabinet can save you from a very nasty auditing experience.

Some regularly saved records include:
•             Previous tax records
•             Purchase/Sale records for livestock in farm related industries
•             Banking records for all bank accounts
•             Receipts or proof-of-purchase for all vehicles
•             Maintenance records for all vehicles
•             Year-end paystubs for at least five years

Summation

By following these simple steps you will take a large bite out of the stress, time, and expense of tax preparation, as well as keeping secure and reliable resources handy in case of audit.  This system will also allow you more broad range of possibilities where your deductions are concerned, offering you a larger return at the end of each fiscal year.

Author’s Bio: Val Anne is an in-house writer from Franklin Debt Relief, a company specializing in programs for people with high credit card debt.

Tax Carnival Ecstasy – April 5, 2012

Welcome to the April 5, 2012 edition of Tax Carnival Ecstasy. In this edition we start with Learning About Tax Liability by Bill Smith. We also have an article on starting a small business, Home Business, Yay or Nay? from the site 2010 Tax. Jeffery Weber looks at Using Credit Card Rewards to Reduce the Cost of Paying your Taxes. Finally, Edward Webber examines How Much Can a tax payer can Earn Without Paying Taxes 2012. Hope you enjoy the articles, bookmark, share, tweet, like on Facebook and come back real soon.

Amy Gardner presents Social Media Marketing Basics for Small Businesses posted at Small Business Credit Cards.

Jill Thompson presents What Debt Collectors Cannot Do To Collect Your Debts posted at How Does Rent To Own Work?.

Maria Clark presents Phrases to Avoid When Negotiating With Lenders posted at Credit Cards for Bad Credit Resource.

filing

Bill Smith presents Learn About Tax Liability posted at 2010Taxes, saying, “Tax liability can have you make wrong choices. However, the IRS has been helpful to some people in difficulties such as these.”

taxes

Bill Smith presents Home Business, Yay or Nay? posted at 2010 Tax, saying, “While the old American dream was once to land a steady job with good benefits and an early retirement, the updated version often entails becoming an…”

Jeffery Weber presents Using Rewards to Reduce the Cost of Paying Taxes with a Credit Card posted at Smart Balance Transfers, saying, “Paying taxes with a credit card is costly, but these costs can be mitigated with certain rewards credit cards.”

Edward Webber presents How Much Can You Earn Without Paying Taxes 2012? posted at TaxFix Feed Update, saying, “Each year the amount that you can earn tax free changes. This article will look at how much you can earn in 2012 without being taxed”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of tax carnival ecstasy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Share |

Technorati tags: tax carnival ecstasy, blog carnival.

Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions to Watch Out For

Tax season is upon us, and with it comes a lot of work and a lot of stress. It is everyone’s goal to come out of a tax filing with some extra money in pocket – or at least to have to come up with as little out of pocket as possible. Therefore, it is extremely important not to miss any and every possible deduction you can take whenever you are preparing your tax forms. If you are not an expert in tax code, then it is likely there are some deductions you could miss if you are not conscious of them. Here are some commonly overlooked tax deductions to watch out for:

State sales tax. It is hard to miss this deduction, but many people skip over it in favor of the state income tax deduction, which makes sense, considering state income taxes are often the bigger tax burden. However, you might want to reconsider if you have made any large purchases over the past year, as sales tax on automobiles and homebuilding supplies can really add up. Many people overlook the sales taxes they paid on these major items, and therefore fail to even make the comparison when itemizing their deductions.

Charitable donations. It is easy to forget the small contributions you make toward charities over the year, but it pays to keep records of them because they really can add up. In addition to that furniture you dropped off at the Goodwill, you can also write off payments to your child’s PTA fundraiser, any supplies involved in making those cakes for the bake sale, and any mileage your car incurred while driving to and from charitable events, among other things.

Caregiver expenses. If you are the responsible caregiver for you parent, then you can write off the costs associated with providing that care, from nursing home bills to in-home health aides.

Mortgage-related costs. You can write off any points you paid to get your new mortgage loan or refinance your existing mortgage loan, as well as any interest you paid on your mortgage over the course of the year.

Job-related expenses. Costs related with finding a job, maintaining a job, and moving for a job can be written off. Common expenses that often get overlooked include transportation to and from interviews and training, employment agency fees, moving company fees, and costs associated with marketing yourself for a job (business cards, resumes, websites, etc.).

It may be possible for you to fare better on your taxes this year if you dig in this list of commonly overlooked deductions. Tax time requires some serious time and thought, but if you put those two things in, you can increase your chances of getting more (or giving less) in your annual dealings with the IRS.

About the Author: Maryalice Dunwoody is a tax advisor who enjoys helping family members and friends maximize their returns. When she’s not working, she relaxes with the oolong tea she loves most and searches goldenmoontea.com for new blends and gifts for others.

House Republicans On The Offensive Following Extended Tax Fight

Congressional Republicans are looking to change the subject, following a long, drawn out battle over cuts in 2012 taxes. They are doing so by pushing for new legislation, that they propose will promote transportation and energy projects, not only creating jobs but also cutting taxes for cash-strapped businesses.

On the other side, Democrats are hoping to continue their winning record by pushing  Republicans to vote on jobs programs that would be financed by increasing taxes on the rich. During an election year, this might just be a winning strategy.

The parties’ differing uses of legislative power serve to emphasize the conclusions that each party took away following the brawl over new payroll taxes, which ended only when Congress finally passed on a $143 billion package to President Obama.  The bill also included a payroll tax cut of 2%, and provisions to preserve extended unemployment benefits for those who have been unable to find a job in the long-term. An additional provision will prevent Medicare from decreasing payments to participating doctors.

Until the Republicans dropped their, previously ardent demands for hefty spending cuts, the Democrats had succeeded in presenting the opposing party as opponents of a tax break that would benefit most middle-class Americans. Not a good spot for the Republicans to be in during an important election year.

This puts the GOP in a position where they feel that they need to get the voter’s attention focused on other issues. In this case, they point primarily to what they cite as the failure of President Obama’s jobs and economic stimulus plans.

To this end, House GOP members are working hard to push threw bills that put job growth at the top of the agenda. Examples of this strategy include a $460 billion dollar transportation bill that is linked to additional oil drilling legislation.

But the odds of them passing this legislation, particularly a bill that addresses oil billing, are almost zero. Nonetheless, House Republicans will continue to present themselves as the pro-job party.