April’s Blog

It’s always a good idea to check your withholdings and payments mid-tax year to make sure you avoid any surprises come tax filing time.  Especially if you have incurred a life event (change in marital status, birth of child, getting or losing a job, or purchasing a home for example).  The IRS has an online…

The company that I use for bank products, EPS Financial, is offering their E1-Visa prepaid card disbursement option free of charge this year.  What’s that mean for you?  It means you finally have a fee-free option for paying my fees out of your refund.  You are issued a card when I return your completed tax…

The IRS announced a new simplified method for claiming the home office deduction starting with the 2013 tax year.  This may reduce paperwork, record keeping, and calculations necessary for your tax return.  Read more at irs.gov .

Have you recently started a new business or are you considering starting one?  The IRS has many great resources to help prepare you and address various reporting requirements.  I recommend the “Small Business/Self-Employed Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop “.  This is an online video/audio workshop that takes you through nine lessons in topics that you need…

Integrity in America’s tax system?  Really!?!  Why yes…there is an entire government entity that exists just for the purpose of promoting such integrity.  The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or TIGTA, was established in 1999and its roots began with the IRS Inspection Service that was established by Congress in 1952 to address corruption in…

A big topic in the news these days is reporting of foreign financial accounts.  Many people have been “hiding” money from the IRS in foreign accounts and they are giving people an opportunity to voluntarily report these monies before they begin criminal investigations.  So what should you do if you have any foreign financial accounts? …

The big question you often hear people and businesses asking is, “are you an independent contractor or an employee?”  Well, it’s not always completely clear but the IRS does have specific guidelines that can help you make the determination.  There are three basic tests: behavioral control, financial control, and relationship of the parties.  See the attached…

Ever wonder exactly why you pay taxes and where the money goes?  What about all those “arguments” you hear people trying to make in order to get out of paying taxes?  Well the IRS has a publication where they address these questions and myths.  Read the answers for yourself.  Enjoy!

A recent IRS article says that an identity theft crackdown is sweeping across the nation (read article here ).  What do you need to know to protect yourself from identity theft?  To keep it simple: Keep your personal information secure Don’t give out personal data Protect your social security card and computers Check your credit report…

One of the biggest draws for taxpayers to H&R Block has been the ability to get cash fast through RALs (refund anticipation loans) and various other products. But according to H&R Block themselves, this is going to be a problem. Read the article here: http://www.hrblock.com/press/Article.jsp?articleid=49252