Tag: tax

Many tax filers claiming the Child Tax Credit (CTC) this year are surprised to see their refund payment much lower than expected. This is mainly due to the widely claimed tax credit resetting from a pandemic boosted maximum of $3,600 to $2,000 per child in 2022 and 2023. Another reason is that they are not…

It's tax season and social media is abuzz with tax related information. This includes news related to refund payments, which millions of Americans are anxiously waiting to get. Unfortunately this also creates an environment of false information (fake news!), deceitful ideas, and outright scams around refund payments and getting them…

The IRS is now processing refunds on a regular basis and many taxpayers are seeing their refunds approved and in the "Refund Sent" status stage. The refund payment status screen (in WMR or IRS2go) as shown below will show your payment date, as well as any messages on potential IRS…

The 10-second review TurboTax is widely considered the leading choice for those who prefer to prepare and file their own taxes. Its intuitive design and top-notch user interface coupled with various options for importing tax documents and "live" human support make it a popular choice for many. However, it is…

There are several ways you can maximize your tax refund in the coming year, including the following ways: Contribute to a retirement account: Contributions to certain types of retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and traditional IRAs, can be deducted from your taxable income. This can reduce your tax bill and…

Much to my disappointment I ended up owing taxes when I filed my tax return this year. Or said another way I had a tax liability to the IRS. While paying taxes I legally owe is not itself a bad thing, after all I did not give an interest free…

During the COVID pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) included legislation that provided a “lookback” rule that allowed tax filers to use prior year income levels to calculate qualification for many of the expanded tax credits and stimulus programs. This was done to allow the…

The date for filing a tax return filing extension for the current tax season is April 15th. Maine and Massachusetts have 2 extra days due to state holidays. Not filing for an extension or not paying your tax liability could mean some stiff penalties. Given the ongoing IRS processing delays,…

Call yourself a freelancer, part-time Uber driver, online advertiser, Airbnb host, full-stack and backend remote blah blah; Congrats and either way you are now a business owner and are responsible (among many other things) for paying taxes when you earn income from one or more of your gigs. [2023 Tax…

[Updated PATH Refund Status & Release Dates] Early tax filers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) may experience a payment delay or freeze in their refund until early March due to the PATH Act. See below for when returns impacted by the…

The National Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) releases regular reports to Congress on the IRS and how they are performing on various issues. In particular the focus has been on tax return and refund processing delays, which have been ongoing causes of consternation for many filers. Key findings from recent reports…

With year-end around the corner most people are far more focused on holiday shopping rather than on reducing their tax liability. But the fact is that unless you make tax saving moves before year end, you may end up paying Uncle Sam (a.k.a the IRS) a lot more than you…

This article provides updates on past, current and proposed stimulus check programs. While multiple rounds of payments have been made over the last few years, including those claimed via tax returns, many are asking if the Trump administration will make another round of federal payments to help folks cope with…