What are you going to do with the money once you get your tax refund check? Take our poll and let us know! [More]
taxes
How To File Your Taxes For Free
By 2.12.10
Generation X Finance tells you how to avoid paying to file your taxes, starting with the method that’s been passed down since the days of caveman accountants — do your taxes yourself with pen and paper. [More]
Yes Virginia, There Are Taxes For Shopping Online
By 2.11.10
People of Virginia: Online shopping is great, right? High discounts, cheap shipping and no taxes… oh, wait. Looks like the commonwealth’s State Senate Finance Committee voted 14-1 to get the ball rolling on a bill that would levy a sales tax on some products purchased through online retailers. [More]
TurboTax Charged Me $30 For An Upgrade I Didn't Realize I'd Ordered
By 2.9.10
Cindy says TurboTax sped her through a filing session that ended with her paying about $30 to upgrade to the deluxe version, even though she didn’t realize she’d made such a purchase. These are the sorts of issues that make Tax Cat purr in quizzical contemplation. [More]
How The IRS Picks Its Audit Targets
By 2.2.10
The IRS doesn’t just draw potential audit victims out of a hat. There is actually a method to its cruel madness, as outlined in this 2006 IRS.gov post spotted by Jim Wang of Bargaineering. [More]
Help! My W-2 Is Late And I Want Justice!
By 2.1.10
Tax Cat here. Reader Jason wants to know what to do when your lazy former employer doesn’t send your W-2 on time. [More]
Friday Is The Cutoff To Pay Estimated '09 Taxes Without Penalty
By 1.13.10
January 15th is the last day you can pay estimated taxes for 2009 without worrying about the IRS’s 4% interest penalty. For most people, you need to have paid 90% of what you owe for 2009 or have a good reason why you didn’t (e.g. casualty, retirement). Kiplinger notes that even if you can’t pay the full amount, pay whatever you can by January 15th to reduce the amount that’s penalized. [More]
IRS Opens Can Of Whoopass On Paid Tax Preparers
By 1.4.10
Tax Cat here! Calling it a “game changing event for the tax system”, the IRS announced in a press conference call, that they invited me, a tax cat, to that they’re launching 6 sweeping regulatory reforms to clean up the paid tax prep industry. The IRS is not naming names but I’m growling at you, H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. Numero uno: [More]
Consumerist Is A Non-Profit. You Can Give Us Money And Deduct It.
By 12.30.09
Hello there. The deadline for donating money to a wonderful non-profit such as Consumerist.com (for your 2009 taxes) is basically here. (Consumer Media LLC, a not-for-profit Delaware limited liability corporation, publishes The Consumerist.) That is why you should give us some money. Also: there are other reasons. [More]
IRS Tells Single Mom She's Too Poor, Must Be Lying
By 12.6.09
A single mom in Seattle thought she was playing by the rules. She earned under $19,000 per year as a hairdresser, supported her two children, and shared a home with her parents. Then the IRS audited her, claiming that she simply didn’t earn enough money to be able to live in Seattle, and must be hiding something. Two years and $10,000 in accountant bills later, the IRS has determined that she isn’t trying to run a scam, but can’t figure out who her children are dependents of. [More]
Congress Investigates Airline Fees In Search Of Tax Revenue
By 11.14.09
Congress is concerned about the new fees that airlines seem to enjoy piling on their passengers. But not out of any sense of concern for consumers’ wallets. The problem is the lost tax revenue that airports are missing out on when airlines increase their prices through the use of fees instead of by raising fares.
Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended To June 2010, Woot!
By 11.8.09
As anticipated, President Obama signed the 8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit extension into law on Friday. You can now collect the credit if your home purchase is complete by June 30, 2010. But wait, there’s more! The extension also offers a tax credit for people who are purchasing a new residence, but aren’t first-time homeowners.
10 Ways to Lower Your 2009 Taxes
By 11.5.09
With less than two months left in the year, it’s time to start considering year-end money moves to reduce your 2009 tax burden. To help spur some ideas, MSN Money has ten suggestions as follows:
Quicken Online To Be Shut Down Next Year, Accounts Merged With Mint
By 11.4.09
When news broke back in September that Intuit, the company behind Quicken, was buying personal finance website Mint, everyone wondered how the two services would co-exist. The worst case scenario was that Mint would be absorbed somehow into Intuit’s in-house competitor, Quicken Online. Thankfully, it looks like the opposite will happen.
$8000 Credit For New Homebuyers Might Get Extended
By 10.16.09
Washington is working on getting the up-to-$8000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers due to expire in November extended, and perhaps even expanded to current homeowners buying a new house. [AP] (Photo: sflovestory)
Should We Tax Junk Food?
By 10.16.09
Should America tax junk food? Should we add a “fat tax” to the list of sin taxes? When most Americans eat fast food at least once a week, could we tax junk and subsidize healthy foods in the name of public health? Paul Michael of Wisebread thinks that it makes financial sense.
"So Sue Me, Jackass!" Provides Random Legal Advice In Humor Book Format
By 10.1.09
Here’s a new book that focuses on those random questions people always have about how the law pertains to everyday activities. You know, things like starting your own online porn site, burying a pet, or selling your ex-boyfriend’s things on eBay.
Philadelphia's Public Libraries Not Closing After All
By 9.21.09
Lovers of books, free Internet access, and community gathering spaces, rejoice. The Philadelphia Free Library will not be closing on October 2nd, as previously threatened.
