October is Cyber Security Awareness month, and the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance has released a list of 10 tips that all taxpayers should know in order to protect their financial information and keep it from falling into the wrong hands:
The 2016 tax season has officially begun as the IRS is currently accepting tax returns for electronic filing. Many employers are mailing their wage documents earlier and/or are offering ways for employees to download their documents. As such, we are seeing a noticeable increase in client volume at many of our R&G Brenner offices. If you’d like to make an appointment for an early appointment, we ask that you do so as soon as you are able so we can accommodate your preferred meeting dates &...
The only certainties in life are death and taxes, as the saying goes. Taxes are an annual event that, however unpleasant, we all have to deal with. It may interest you to know that according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an estimated 239.3 million tax returns were filed in 2012 by individuals and businesses in the United States. That amount exceeded by a little more than 1% the number of returns that were filed in 2011, and by 2018 that...
With the clock about to strike midnight on the 2013 Tax Year Filing season, the following is a quick list of tax tips for all you last minute filers out there:
While there are reports circulating that the IRS’ budget has been slashed and audits are going down, there are still many sure shot ways you can get yourself audited by the IRS. Forbes.com list the 15 most common ways to invite an Audit by the IRS:
IRS audits are feared for good reason: at best, they’re disruptive, and at worst they can cost you vast amounts of money. Though the percentage of audited returns is relatively low, every year the IRS still audits a huge number of returns. Following these tips can help you reduce the chances you’ll end up as one of their targets.
Although the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can sound daunting and confusing for taxpayers and tax professionals alike, there are ways to navigate the murky waters of this credit to maximize its benefits. This tool can be important for low- and middle-income families and singles looking to save money where they can. Breaking down this tax credit isn’t difficult once you understand what it is and how to file for it.
In spite of the government shutdown that has shuttered many departments in the IRS, the deadline to file tax year 2012 returns remains October 15th. That means, even though the IRS may not be able to process your return, you still have to pay your taxes on time or risk penalties and interest for failing to file. The IRS has issued the following tips:
The IRS currently has $917 Million for clients in unclaimed refunds for taxpayers just like you, that have not filed a 2009 tax return. If these returns are not filed by the April, 15th deadline, your money then becomes the property of the U.S. treasury. The most common reason for not filing a tax return is that many workers believe they did not make enough money to have to file a return. This very well may be true however, if you worked, you most likely...
Not every interaction with the IRS must necessarily induce flop sweat.
Case in point: A few years ago a friend of mine decided his income taxes had become sufficiently complicated to merit hiring an accountant. After examining previous tax returns, the accountant discovered my friend had claimed the standard deduction for two years when he should have itemized expenses. He filed a couple of amended tax returns and voila – the IRS wrote him checks...
