../../../..//2009/05/11/did-you-know-that-in/
Did you know that in California, if you ask the Subway sandwich mechanic (or whatever they’re called) to toast your sandwich, you’ll be charged a sales tax, whereas if you go untoasted you won’t? Crazy! Thomas Hawk says you should always order your coffee to go at California restaurants, even if you plan on drinking it there, to avoid a similar crazy tax. [Thomas Hawk] (Thanks to Glenn!)
Is there anything scammers won’t try in their attempts to disguise advance fee fraud? Nope. Chelsea and her husband just found out that OMG THEY JUST WON 350K!!!1! from the Gaming Association of America. They’ll be receiving their check shortly, but in the meantime the GAA has sent them a much smaller check for about $5,000 to cover any fees associated with the prize. All they need to do is contact the “non-government service tax agent (GST)” to take care of cashing and handing over that $5k, and they’ll be swimming with hookers in champagne-filled pools.
The comparison shopping website PriceGrabber.com just completed its “what are you going to do with your tax refund?” survey for the second year in a row, and not surprisingly there are some notable differences between last April and now. The biggest change is among those who plan to spend the money: it was 44.0% in 2008, but only 29.2% this year.
America wants YOU!… to pay tax on that Body Snake you bought online last week.
New tax laws designed to boost the economy by giving you a bit more cash in your pocket might lead to problems for you next year if you’re in a dual-income household. The new payroll tax tables mean you could end up withholding too little without even knowing it and, though you’re welcome to take that long-awaited trip up the Zambezi, you probably won’t enjoy writing a check to the IRS come April 2010.
What if you don’t have enough money to pay your taxes right away? There are several options. For starters, you can request a payment extension of up to 120 days after filing to pay in full without penalty. By June, if you haven’t paid yet, the IRS will send you a bill and assess a small penalty and start charging interest. For $105. you can also set up an installment plan and pay a little bit each month with each paycheck. Set that up online here. Just don’t blow it off entirely, the IRS are a lot more tenacious than BMG.
../../../..//2009/04/15/a-last-minute-tax-move-for/
A last-minute tax move for young workers The young don’t usually have money, but they do have time. And when it comes to saving, that time can eventually earn them bundles. [Consumer Reports]
Today is the day, folks. You’ll need to finish up your taxes and send them on their way to the IRS.
They say the only two certainties in life are death and taxes. Only one of these can be cheated, and that’s the one they’ll dress you up in horizontal stripes for. Some scammers promote schemes that they say you can use to get out of that one, but they’re just as legit as the Floridian Fountain of Youth. So, don’t be a Ponce (de Lion), and watch out for what the IRS calls the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams:
Bwahhhh! The Tax Man cometh! Here are 16 red flags to watch out for. If you wave them, it will be like if you called up the IRS and said, “Hello? IRS? I’d like you to come audit my sorry ass six ways from Sunday. Here’s my address.”
If you’re not done with your taxes, don’t worry, just get an extension. Just send in IRS Form 4868 and you’ll get 6-months to send in your paperwork. However, you still need to send in 90% of your total tax due otherwise you’ll get fines. If you’re getting a refund, then no sweat, just send in your extension. Don’t feel too bad about not having it together in time, either; according to the IRS website, form 4868 is their most requested document.
../../../..//2009/04/13/beware-tax-themed-spam-feeding-on/
Beware tax-themed Spam Feeding on the usual American anxiety over the annual April 15 income tax filing, online scam artist are flooding electronics inboxes with messages that “guaranteed tax rebate” or help you “get your tax refund faster” or even “get tax relief.” [Consumer Reports]
../../../..//2009/04/08/newsweek-has-six-tax-deductions/
Newsweek has six tax deductions that you’ve probably never heard of, unless you manufacture fishing tackle boxes that is. Also included are clarinets for medical use and deductions for the parents of kidnapped children. [Newsweek]
We’re less than two weeks away from April 15, and while many are basking in the glow of a nice tax refund (though we shouldn’t be letting the government use our money for free, but that’s a different post), others are just starting their tax return preparation for this year. As such, it seemed appropriate to give them some last-minute advice courtesy of three pieces from Yahoo:
Smokers around the country are freaking out as a huge federal cigarette tax increase goes into effect.
BusinessWeek did a little math and discovered that if you lined up all the new financing deals, tax incentives and discounts — a new car might actually be cheaper than a late model used one. But do you care?
Nokia has already had a few problems rolling out its new touchscreen 5800 XpressMusic phone, including earpieces that go bad in humid weather and firmmware that wouldn’t work on certain big-city 3G networks on the US model, but now they’re screwing around with something serious: customers’ money.
The IRS just announced that new car buyers can deduct the state and local sales and excise taxes on their 2009 tax returns next year, according to our furry little tax adviser.
Part of 
