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Don't Mess With Taxes Helping taxpayers understand and conquer their tax fears and tax filings. Taxes. Sure you hate 'em, but you're stuck with 'em.

Either that, or you're stuck in a federal jail cell. Texas journalist Kay Bell helps make your tax tasks less, well, taxing.

When Donald J. Trump takes his second presidential oath of office on Jan. 20, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel will be pack...
18/01/2025

When Donald J. Trump takes his second presidential oath of office on Jan. 20, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel will be packing up his office. Trump wants a new leader at Uncle Sam’s tax agency, even though Werfel’s term doesn’t end until 2027. Rather than go through a messy fight with the new administration, Werfel announced Friday he would leave his post on the day Trump takes over again.

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Danny Werfel speaking to students, faculty, and IRS guests at the Kogod Tax Center at American University in Washington, D.C., in March 2024 about the tax agency's digital transformation plan. In addition to tax code changes expected this year, the federal agenc...

A big event in your hometown could net you some tax-free cash. If you rent your home for no more than 14 days a year — f...
17/01/2025

A big event in your hometown could net you some tax-free cash. If you rent your home for no more than 14 days a year — for example, to folks coming in for a music festival or major sporting event or a presidential inauguration — those lodging payments are not taxable at the federal level.

Washington, D.C., is no stranger to severe winter weather, as this photo of snowbound Dupont Circle in 2010 shows. Snow and frigid temperatures are putting a damper on next week's presidential inauguration. (Photo via Wikipedia) Donald J. Trump’s second inauguration is Monday, Jan. 20, but not as ...

Do you have to file a tax return? Probably. Not much is out of the Internal Revenue Service's reach, which is why most o...
16/01/2025

Do you have to file a tax return? Probably. Not much is out of the Internal Revenue Service's reach, which is why most of us must file a Form 1040. But in some cases, Uncle Sam lets folks off the tax-filing hook. Here's a look at the factors that go into determining whether you must file a tax return.

Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels The 2025 tax season officially starts Jan. 27, and millions of taxpayers are working on their returns. Some, however, are asking whether they must file a Form 1040 at all. I hate to dash your no-filing hopes, but the answer probably is yes. When you make money, it’...

Even when there aren't any major tax law changes (thank you, Capitol Hill, for giving us a break!), we taxpayers are sti...
16/01/2025

Even when there aren't any major tax law changes (thank you, Capitol Hill, for giving us a break!), we taxpayers are still likely to encounter some changes when we start working on our returns. Here are some highlights of what you might find as you file your taxes this year.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay Even in those few years when Congress mercifully stays out of major messing with the Internal Revenue Code, we taxpayers still encounter some changes at return filing time. Here are some highlights of what you might find as you file your taxes this year...

Yes, tomorrow, Jan. 15, is tax day for millions of us who pay estimated taxes. It's the deadline for the final estimated...
14/01/2025

Yes, tomorrow, Jan. 15, is tax day for millions of us who pay estimated taxes. It's the deadline for the final estimated tax payment of 2024 on income not subject to withholding.

Don’t forget to pay your final 2024 tax year estimated tax amount by tomorrow, Jan. 15. I know. I’m cutting it close with my reminder. But if your life is as hectic as mine is right now and this tax task has crept up on you, then better late than never. Electronic options: Since time is of the e...

You’re ready to file your Form 1040, but to do so completely and accurately, you need other documents. Here's a look at ...
13/01/2025

You’re ready to file your Form 1040, but to do so completely and accurately, you need other documents. Here's a look at the myriad tax statements that you’ll need. They have specifics on last year's income, along with other tax-relevant filing data. You should get most, but not all, by Jan. 31.

The Internal Revenue Service will start processing 2024 tax year returns on Jan. 27. Millions of people will file then, or before, getting their forms into Uncle Sam’s tax queue. But to file a complete and accurate Form 1040, you need all the information that form requests. That’s generally inco...

The deadly and devastating wildfires are still raging in the greater Los Angeles area, but the Internal Revenue Service ...
13/01/2025

The deadly and devastating wildfires are still raging in the greater Los Angeles area, but the Internal Revenue Service already has announced tax relief for affected residents. As expected, it includes a delayed Oct. 15 deadline for individuals and businesses to file various federal tax returns and make tax payments.

The extent and ferocity of the wind-propelled Palisades fire is, in many cases, an insurmountable challenge for Los Angeles, California, firefighters. (Photo by CAL FIRE_Official - Palisades Fire, Public Domain) California firefighters, joined by their brethren from other states and Canada and Mexic...

The start of Tax Season 2025 is official. The Internal Revenue Service will start processing 2024 tax year returns on Mo...
11/01/2025

The start of Tax Season 2025 is official. The Internal Revenue Service will start processing 2024 tax year returns on Monday, Jan. 27. That’s also the day the expanded, both in number of states and tax options, the IRS-operated free online Direct File program will open to eligible taxpayers in 25 states. And if you’re eligible to use Free File — adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less — that no-cost option is already operational. Happy Tax Filing Season 2025!

That last Monday in January is when the Internal Revenue Service will start processing all 2024 tax year returns, including those filed earlier by taxpayers who qualified to use the already open Free File program. Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich It’s official. Tax season 2025 starts Monday, Jan. 27. ...

Free File 2025 is open! If your adjusted gross income, regardless of your filing status, is $84,000 or less, you should ...
10/01/2025

Free File 2025 is open! If your adjusted gross income, regardless of your filing status, is $84,000 or less, you should be able to find a tax software that fits your needs. This year, the eight tax software companies that were part of the no-cost tax preparation and e-filing program last year are back.

If you used Free File last year to complete your federal taxes, then the 2025 version, which opened today, is mostly déjà vu. The same eight tax software companies are participating. One of them will offer software for Spanish speakers. The main difference this year is that the Internal Revenue Se...

Direct File, the IRS’ own online, no-cost tax preparation and e-file software program, is doubling its availability in 2...
10/01/2025

Direct File, the IRS’ own online, no-cost tax preparation and e-file software program, is doubling its availability in 2025. This year, it will be available to certain taxpayers in 24 states. But a recent Government Accountability Office report says IRS customer service hiring issues could pose problems for those who use the program this year.

The Internal Revenue Service this week officially announced Free File will open on Friday, Jan. 10, to eligible taxpayers (those with adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less). In that statement, the agency also indirectly told us the main tax filing season will begin on Monday, Jan. 27. But taxpaye...

The National Taxpayer Advocate issues a report every year to Congress, as well as legislative recommendations that feder...
09/01/2025

The National Taxpayer Advocate issues a report every year to Congress, as well as legislative recommendations that federal lawmakers should consider. Among this year’s 69 suggested law changes are providing tax relief for scam victims, splitting the EITC into two easier-to-claim credits, and making estimated tax deadlines truly quarterly.

Millions are getting ready to file federal tax returns so they can collect refunds. Crooks are among them. And things get even worse for the taxpayers whose identities were stolen and used to file false returns claiming fraudulent refunds. The average time it took the Internal Revenue Service to res...

We’re still waiting for the official start date of the 2025 tax filing season, but we already know some other important ...
07/01/2025

We’re still waiting for the official start date of the 2025 tax filing season, but we already know some other important tax dates. Here’s a look at the key deadlines in January through December 2025 that many of us must meet.

Millions of taxpayers already are filling out their 2024 tax returns. Now they just need to know when the Internal Revenue Service will start processing them. Business taxpayers will be able to electronically file their returns on Jan. 15. As for individual returns, if the IRS follows its usual patt...

Happy New Year! To make sure 2025 gets off to a Happy New Tax Year, too, here are six tax moves to make this January.
06/01/2025

Happy New Year! To make sure 2025 gets off to a Happy New Tax Year, too, here are six tax moves to make this January.

Photo by Matheus Bertelli Happy New Year! I know, we’re well past the Jan. 1 hangover phase, but it is the first full work week of 2025, so I stand by my greeting. And I up it with Happy New Tax Year! On Jan. 20, Republicans who crafted that major tax reform bill will be in control of all three br...

The major winter storm sweeping across much of the middle of the United States is a reminder that every season has its h...
06/01/2025

The major winter storm sweeping across much of the middle of the United States is a reminder that every season has its hazards. Some were disastrous in 2024, meaning taxpayers got filing relief from the IRS. Now, affected taxpayers in 24 states and 2 territories are facing disaster-delayed 2023 filing deadlines, with most due by Feb. 3, and the others by May 1.

The first group of taxpayers in 14 states and two U.S. island territories hit by declared major disasters must get their forms to the IRS by Feb. 3. Residents in the other 10 states have until May 1. Photo by Analogue Kid at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 Much of the United States is facing the fir...

There wasn’t much activity in D.C. as far as federal tax law changes last year. But state legislatures took up the slack...
05/01/2025

There wasn’t much activity in D.C. as far as federal tax law changes last year. But state legislatures took up the slack. Most made changes in 2024 (or earlier) to their tax systems, and we’re seeing those changes across the United States effective Jan. 1, 2025.

Photo by Lara Jameson Change is a constant when it comes to life. And since taxes are a big part of life, that means we deal with tax code changes, too. At the federal level, that happens automatically every year when the Internal Revenue Service makes inflation adjustments to a wide variety of exis...

The Internal Revenue Service has announced a start to the 2025 tax season, but just for business filers. On Monday, Jan....
03/01/2025

The Internal Revenue Service has announced a start to the 2025 tax season, but just for business filers. On Monday, Jan. 15, the IRS says it will accept e-filed business returns. The official start date for processing individual tax returns this year officially is, for now, "coming soon."

It's ready, set, almost go for tax season 2025. The Internal Revenue Service has set Jan. 15 as the date it will start accepting electronically filed 2024 tax year business returns. (Photo by BOOM 💥) We have a start date for the Internal Revenue Service's 2025 tax filing season! But hold your cel...

Workplace retirement plans, the most commonly known type being 401(k)s, can help you save for your post-work years. But ...
02/01/2025

Workplace retirement plans, the most commonly known type being 401(k)s, can help you save for your post-work years. But you need to make the most of them. Contribute enough to at least meet your employer’s match. And if you’re in your early 60s, this year you can be a super saver thanks to a special SECURE 2.0 catch-up amount.

Some older workers can contribute even more in catch-up contributions to their workplace retirement plans starting in 2025. (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio) Welcome to the first work day of 2025! At least it’s a short week. And some folks also are thinking about the day they no longer have to return t...

It’s brand spanking new year! Among the changes that arrived with 2025 are inflation adjustments to many federal tax pro...
01/01/2025

It’s brand spanking new year! Among the changes that arrived with 2025 are inflation adjustments to many federal tax provisions. The ol’ tax blog’s kicks off the new tax year with a reminder of what that means to income tax brackets.

AARP While we were ringing in 2025, some new tax laws took effect when the clock officially clicked over to Jan. 1. Since I know many of you, and by you I mean me, have hangovers from eating, drinking and/or just plain staying up way past your normal bedtime last night (I'm guilty of all three!), I....

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