There's nothing more frustrating than expecting a certain amount in your tax refund and then having it be less when it finally arrives. And not less than you hoped (we all like a big refund), but less than you expected once you filed. Unfortunately, there are many reasons this could...

School is out for the summer, or will be shortly, and for many high school and college students, that means the start of a summer job. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 19.5 million youths between the ages of 16 and 24 were employed last July,...

Fear is a psychological response of the body induced by a perceived threat or danger that triggers physical responses such as sweaty palms and an increased heart rate. It's also the standard initial response to a letter from the IRS. While fear is a completely normal reaction, here are three...

Your taxes have been filed, tax season is over, you breathe a sign of relief... but you just found an error on your tax return. You may be due more of a refund, or even worse, you may owe some taxes. So what do you do?

Don't panic. This...

Did you know you are required to prepay at least 90 percent of your taxes before you file your return? Many taxpayers have income tax withholdings from their job that allows them to meet the prepayment requirements, but for those who don't have withholdings or are unable to meet their...

It's the last few days of tax season, and if you're planning to file an extension because you might owe taxes, remember that an extension only gives you additional time to file forms. Filing an extension does not give you any additional time to pay your taxes. Even with an...

Spring is here, and so is the end of tax season! There are just over two weeks left to get your taxes done on time. If you still haven't filed, here are some tips to help during these last two weeks.

Plan your time wisely, choose a date and time...

By now you've heard me say that 75 percent of all taxpayers receive a refund (according to public IRS data, it's even higher this year), so what happens if you are in the other 25 percent and owe? There are many ways to pay your balance...

Each year, Internet and media articles are overrun with "overlooked tax deductions" and "Top 10" lists of "new tax breaks to watch for." However, they are rarely applicable to the majority of taxpayers. Life changes are applicable to just about every taxpayer, and that's where you should look to get...

I've already explained why you should file early, and if not early, then as soon as you are able. There are countless benefits like giving yourself more time to plan and protecting yourself from ID theft, but we've already discussed that. So, let's look at some excuses for...

Now that the IRS is accepting all tax returns, those who were delayed because of certain forms not being accepted (including myself) can now file their tax returns. This news couldn't come at a more welcome time, because there are now less than 40 days left to file...

March 1 has come, bringing with it the much talked about 'government sequester.'

The looming sequester has been a concern for taxpayers who have not yet filed their returns, including those who have been waiting on tax forms and tax credit delays. I last wrote about this topic in...

March is right around the corner. A full month after the official start of tax season, and for those of you who still haven't filed your taxes yet, you should know that as you're busy collecting your receipts and tax documents, there are people out there getting ready to steal...

Perhaps you've heard of the pending government sequestration and by direct impact the IRS sequestration. Perhaps you haven't. Either way, it's coming, and if you have not filed your 2012 taxes yet, it will affect you, and probably not in a good way. But before we get into...

The signing of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended many expiring tax deductions and credits through 2013. With these changes come updates to the forms you use at tax time. What can you expect to see this tax season?

Let's start with the Form...

Are you ready for some football? This Sunday's Super Bowl is a true American tradition and annually ranks as the most popular sporting event in the country. So, aside from the parties, the ads and shouting at the TV for three hours, what does this mean to you, the taxpayer?...

Did you know there were some unexpected tax benefits hidden in the recent American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA)? Included in the "extender" provisions for 2012 were two little-known benefits: the qualified charitable distribution from an IRA and the exclusion from income for employer provided mass transit...

Tax preparation commercials are all over television, radio and billboards. Even if you've filed your own tax return in the past, the passage of the late-breaking American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 means you'll want to talk to a professional to see how tax law changes may impact your situation...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it will delay accepting all 2012 tax returns by eight days, pushing the acceptance of both e-file and paper tax returns to January 30, more than a week past the originally scheduled date of January 22. Although unfortunate and burdensome for...

It has been said many times and by many people recently that democracy, true democracy, is a very messy and ugly process, which is a good way to describe the recent fiscal cliff debates. Despite opinions on whether the bill is good or bad, the American Tax Relief Act of...