Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

You think you can outsmart IRS? Think again!

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

This is a continuation from previous post about Dealing with the IRS. Another fairly new wrinkle:  audits based on your occupation through its Market Segment Specialization Program.  The IRS is in the process of focusing its sights on particular businesses, preparing audits manuals for agents specifically about the likes of every ...

Dealing with the IRS

Sunday, October 19th, 2008

Over 1 million individual tax returns are audited every year, a figure that’s on the rise.  About 80% of the unfortunate tax-payers wind up owing additional tax.  What combination of tidal forces or plain bad luck subjects you to audit in the first place?  No one outside of the IRS ...

What about Electronic Filing

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

If the IRS has its way, we will all be filing our returns electronically within five years.  Electronic filing –the system that zaps your tax information almost instantly to IRS computers over telephone wires –is now available nationwide.  The government hype is enormous:  electronic filing is convenient, accurate, and quick.  ...

Using Tax Software

Saturday, October 18th, 2008

Tax software does away with the tedious calculations and math errors that can make April so taxing.  It also lets you experiment with different combinations of depreciation, expensing, and Keogh or IRA contributions to save the most tax.  Preparing your return electronically lets you correct your return in seconds if ...

Seven Tax-Return Filing Tips

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Knowing the tax law is only half the battle.  Your tax planning will pay off only if you know how to present the results to the IRS.  Observing the correct mechanics for filing your tax return will speed up your refund, save you interest and penalties, and keep you out ...

5 Smart Property-Tax-Saving Strategies

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Americans are up in arms against property taxes.  In recent years, California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, and Oregon, to name a few, have been swept up in anti-property tax sentiment.  And little wonder:  property taxes have risen by as much as 37% a year since 1989.  You do not have ...

10 Smart State Income-Tax Saving Strategies

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

You can’t do serious tax planning unless you take state and local taxes into account, too.  States and municipalities, forced by Congress to shoulder more and more of the burden of social programs, have been hiking levies dramatically in recent years.  The result?  State and local taxes can no longer ...

Continuation: 32 (26-32 last batch) Fool-Proof Federal Income-Tax-Saving Strategies

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Here' s the last batch of our 32 Fool Proof Tax Saving Strategies. 26. Don’t forget about the exclusion from taxes on the sale of your home. In the past, many home sellers felt trapped by the IRS because they knew that if they didn’t buy another home costing as ...

Continuation: 32 (20 to 25) Fool-Proof Federal Income-Tax-Saving Strategies

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

20. Consider tax-exempt securities. Income from municipal bonds is free from federal taxes.  Better still, invest in municipal bonds issued in your own state and you can save state and perhaps local taxes as well as federal taxes.  Focus on after-tax yield when comparing the returns on different income ...

Continuation: 32 (13-19) Fool-Proof Federal Income-Tax-Saving Strategies

Friday, October 10th, 2008

13. Paid your nest egg with a retirement savings plan. With Social Security benefits being increasingly taxed, you can rely on them less and less for your retirement.  If you are an employee, your best single tax-slashing move is to contribute the maximum to an employer-sponsored 401(k) savings plan.  Your ...


Join this community
Frugal Hackers badge
Money Hackers Network