Like a slowly approaching T-rex, whose every thunderous step sends ripples through your glass of water, the April 15 deadline for filing your income tax returns is drawing nigh. While it’s a gloom-and-doom occasion for some, it’s also a chance to score some free stuff. [More]
taxes
What Documents To Keep And Which To Pitch After Tax Season
By 4.7.14
Tax season is upon us. Okay, it’s been here for several months, but now that it’s winding down you might be thinking about clearing all that clutter from your home office (or in our case a little corner in our apartment). But before you commence the Tax Document Purge of 2014 there are some records you need to keep around. [More]
IRS Decision To Tax Bitcoin As Property May Slow Efforts To Widen Its Use In Retail
By 3.25.14
It’s a good-news/bad-news day for folks who have heavily invested in the Bitcoin virtual currency, after the IRS declared that will tax Bitcoins as property. On the one hand, that means that people who are profiting from their investment in Bitcoin will pay the lower taxes associated with capital gains, rather than the much higher taxes levied on foreign currency gains. On the other hand, it could mean an awful lot of record-keeping that may make it a hassle to use Bitcoins for everyday transactions like one would use a debit card. [More]
IRS Warns Of “Largest Ever” Phony Phone Call Scam
By 3.21.14
After receiving more than 20,000 reports of victims being taken in by a phone scam in which the callers pretend to be IRS officials, the tax agency’s internal watchdog has issued a public warning for consumers to be mindful of unsolicited calls claiming to be from the IRS. [More]
Ask Tax Dad: Mobile Home Sale, Sisterly Support, And Son Leaves The Nest
By 2.26.14
Historically, our staff Certified Tax Cat has handled readers’ questions about taxes, but he took feline early retirement and hung up his oversized eyeglasses. Filling in for him is Laura’s dad, a retired accountant and real live independent tax preparer. Exclusively on Consumerist, Tax Dad answers your questions. [More]
Protect Your Refund: Consumer Advocates Warn Tax Scammers Will Steal Your Identity
By 2.25.14
It’s that time of year again: tax time. While almost everyone is excited for their well-earned tax return to arrive, there’s a group of people ready to take that money away from you. Thankfully, the National Consumers League wants to make sure consumers don’t fall victim to tax ID thieves. [More]
Appeals Court Ruling Means Tax-Preparers Will Continue To Go Largely Unregulated
By 2.11.14
The federal government’s attempt to rein in the virtually unregulated tax-preparation industry was dealt a serious blow this morning after a federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that the IRS overstepped its authority by trying to require registration and testing for all tax preparers. [More]
Ask Tax Dad: How Do I E-File? What’s A Deduction, Anyway?
By 2.3.14
Historically, our staff Certified Tax Cat has handled readers’ questions about taxes, but he took feline early retirement and hung up his oversized eyeglasses. Filling in for him is Laura’s dad, a retired accountant and real live independent tax preparer. Exclusively on Consumerist, Tax Dad answers your questions. [More]
Ask Tax Dad: Micro-Business, Rental Home, Deadbeat Ex, And Government Shutdown
By 1.28.14
Historically, our staff Certified Tax Cat has handled readers’ questions about taxes, but he’s taking a leave of absence to campaign for the legalization of medical catnip. Filling in for him is Laura’s dad, a retired accountant and real live independent tax preparer. Exclusively on Consumerist, Tax Dad answers your questions. [More]
5 Things People Do On Tax Returns That Can Lead To IRS Audits
By 1.28.14
Can you smell it in the air? That’s the distinct scent of Tax Season approaching. So in these days leading up to everyone’s favorite time of year, here are some reminders about the red flags the IRS looks for when deciding whether to audit a taxpayer. [More]
Ask Tax Dad: Send Us Your Questions For Consumerist’s Tax Columnist
By 1.27.14
It’s almost time for W-2s and other tax documents to start winging their way from employers to our homes, and for the anxiety-inducing yearly tax season to begin. But taxes don’t have to be scary if your dad is there to help. Or, if your own dad isn’t around or doesn’t know anything about taxes, how about my dad? [More]
How To Not Suck… At Charitable Giving
By 12.10.13
They say it’s better to give than to receive, but if you can also get a little something back when you give, what’s not to like? While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with tossing some cash to those bell-ringing Santas, there’s a better way to give. [More]
When 47 States Have Stricter Regulations On Barbers Than On Tax Preparers, Mistakes Are Going To Be Made
By 11.21.13
If you visit a legitimate barber, hairdresser, or cosmetologist in any state in the U.S., that person will have gone through some sort of state-mandated education, testing, and licensing procedure. Yet only three states have any substantive requirements for someone employed as a tax preparer. Not surprisingly, a new report finds that this lack of quality control results in a large amount of errors, fraud, and abuse. [More]
How To Not Suck… At Getting Ready For Tax Season
By 11.6.13
It might seem a bit early to bring up tax returns, but this is actually the perfect time to get the ball rolling before the holiday season takes over our lives and unpleasant things like thinking about taxes get pushed off into the new year. [More]
Tax Season Will Start Late This Year Due To Government Shutdown
By 10.23.13
Those 16 days the government spent shut down will have far-reaching consequences into the future. Basically the Internal Revenue Service just can’t get those two weeks back, and as such it’ll be delaying the start of the 2014 tax filing season by one to two weeks. [More]
So The Government Is Shut Down… Do I Still Have To Pay My Taxes?
By 10.1.13
As the sun rises over Washington, D.C., this morning, huge numbers of federal employees are either not coming in to work or are only coming in to shut down their offices until lawmakers sort this mess out. But just because the wheels of government have come grinding to a halt doesn’t mean everything is put on hold indefinitely. [More]
Will Bank Of America Balk At Taking Washington State’s Marijuana Money?
By 9.26.13
We’ve already written about how owners of legitimate marijuana businesses are being forced to pay their taxes in cash because federally insured banks are unwilling to let them open bank accounts. These payments then pose a problem for the state, which has to worry about finding a place to deposit the tax revenue. [More]
Report: City Screw-Ups Put Thousands Of D.C. Homeowners At Risk For Foreclosure
By 9.10.13 — Updated: 12.9.13
We’ve written several articles over the years about how a small unpaid property tax or public utility bill can result in homeowners losing their homes to foreclosure, but a new investigative report from the Washington Post shows how systemic ineptitude in Washington, D.C., city offices has repeatedly left homeowners fighting against liens that shouldn’t exist in the first place. [More]
