Category: e-file

e-file electronic filing

Checking the Status Online of Your Tax Refunds

Checking the Status Online of Your Tax Refunds

It might feel good to know that there is a tax refund waiting for you. Congrats! The most common question asked by every expectant taxpayer is; “Where is my refund?” Check status of your refund online.

The quickest and easiest way to check your tax refund is asking the IRS through their web site www.IRS.gov. There is a link called “Where’s My Refund?” on the home page itself. It’s fairly simple to use this service. You only need to have your tax return copy so as to be able to provide the … Read the rest

Checking the Status Online of Your Tax Refunds

It might feel good to know that there is a tax refund waiting for you. Congrats! The most common question asked by every expectant taxpayer is; “Where is my refund?” Check status of your refund online.

The quickest and easiest way to check your tax refund is asking the IRS through their web site www.IRS.gov. There is a link called “Where’s My Refund?” on the home page itself. It’s fairly simple to use this service. You only need to have your tax return copy so as to be able to provide the required data for getting the refund status. To be specific, you will need your social security number, the filing status, and the refund amount. The basic reason for asking about this information is for your personal security; the agency tries to make sure that it is dealing with a genuine taxpayer. Moreover, your return also should have all this information. Otherwise, there might be something wrong.

After inputting all this information, a results page should appear that will show certain messages like:

(i) Return received and it is under processing

(ii) It might show you the expected date for direct deposit of refund or the mailing date

(iii) Refund not issued because of some delivery problem

Sometimes, it might tell you that your return is reviewed by the IRS due to some error or doubtful entry. In situations like this, you should rush on to some expert tax professional and get your return reviewed to make it error-free.

How long should you wait before checking?

In case of electronic filing, the refund status normally becomes accessible after 48 to 72 hours from the actual time of filing your returns. As the return comes into the data base in electronic format, so the system should get very quickly updated. In case of non-electronic filing of your returns, you won’t be able to check status of your return before 3 weeks or sometimes even more. As the IRS receives a lot of returns in paper format, so it takes a plenty of time to enter all the data into the data base.

How much time does it normally take to receive your refund?

The time needed for issuing a refund depends upon the way the return is filed. In case you filed a paper return and sent through regular mail, then the refund could be expected within 6 to 8 weeks after the IRS receives your return. And in case of electronic return filing, you can expect the same within 3 to 4 weeks time. In case you gave preference for direct deposit of the refund in your bank account, then simply take off 1 week from the above calculations.

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Filing Taxes Online Now Stress Free As Well As Cost Free

Filing Taxes Online Now Stress Free As Well As Cost Free

For a lot of US citizens, the 2009 tax season proves to be taxing the nerves, too expensive, and severely time-consuming.

Fortunately, many ways are available to make tax filing easier, faster, effectively cost free, as well as stress free.

This possibility has come out as a result of a system that facilitates free tax preparation. Through the web site www.TaxACT.com anybody can e-file tax returns now with little to no charge. They can also prepare and print them for free.

There are many good reasons why you … Read the rest

Filing Taxes Online Now Stress Free As Well As Cost Free

For a lot of US citizens, the 2009 tax season proves to be taxing the nerves, too expensive, and severely time-consuming.

Fortunately, many ways are available to make tax filing easier, faster, effectively cost free, as well as stress free.

This possibility has come out as a result of a system that facilitates free tax preparation. Through the web site www.TaxACT.com anybody can e-file tax returns now with little to no charge. They can also prepare and print them for free.

There are many good reasons why you should file your taxes online.

(i) e-filing is faster. It is easy to understand the software which is designed in a question-answer pattern. Intelligent questions are asked in simple English and the tax codes also get sorted out automatically.

(ii) Compared to hand preparation, this method is easier. You no longer need to erase or white out your mistakes. Smart questions are asked by the software on the basis of the previous answers. It also offers the users the possibility of saving their unfinished work and coming back again to resume their work after many days. It’s really so convenient!

(iii) The possibility of making mistake is low. Incomplete information and mistakes are flagged.

(iv) Its cheap. E-filing is cheaper than hiring an accountant. It is affordable and is even free for TaxACT Standard. E-filing your federal tax return is absolutely free at TaxACT.com and some of the taxpayers can even file returns freely at the IRS website.

(v) It makes your refunds faster. In manual approach, it takes months, whereas the e-filers enjoy an average return time of less than even two weeks.

This way of e-filing helps to eliminate costs in the process of filing and completing your tax returns. It also contains the forms, worksheets, and schedules necessary for preparing your federal tax return easily and quickly.

For making the process fast, reliable, and convenient, the TaxACT Standard Federal’s latest edition features a 7-step process that offers automatic flags for incorrect information and trustworthy reference tools. TaxACT can also collect information on its own for state returns, making state return preparations just as simple and fast.

There is also a TaxACT Deluxe edition which provides some additional forms and other supports relevant for a complicated tax scenario.

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Did You Forget To File Your Returns on April 15th with the IRS?

Did You Forget To File Your Returns on April 15th with the IRS?

Are you late filing your tax returns and has April 15th already passed? In case you could not file your tax return or request for an extension of time, here some ways to clear your past due.

The Internal Revenue Service happens to be a bit sensitive regarding filing of tax returns. Even if you are unable to pay, it prefers you to do a file your return or take a filing extension. In the worst situation, the IRS simply puts you on a payment … Read the rest

Did You Forget To File Your Returns on April 15th with the IRS?

Are you late filing your tax returns and has April 15th already passed? In case you could not file your tax return or request for an extension of time, here some ways to clear your past due.

The Internal Revenue Service happens to be a bit sensitive regarding filing of tax returns. Even if you are unable to pay, it prefers you to do a file your return or take a filing extension. In the worst situation, the IRS simply puts you on a payment plan. If you are unable to file anything, then you will definitely receive a lot of unexpected attention from the authority.

Normally, you should make a point to always pay your taxes. Otherwise, it might bring on huge penalties as well as interests. In case the IRS happens to have any doubts, you might finally end up paying interest and penalties of up to 25% of your taxes. It’s really a huge charge!

In case there is a refund due for you, then there is no worry for you regarding any penalties even if you couldn’t file your taxes. This is because they owe you money. But are you crazy? Why are you giving the government a loan that is interest-free? You couldn’t have used that money for other purposes? Just be quick to get your return filed. Very few people will let go of their refunds. Always remember that you will lose your refunds if you fail to claim within three years from the original date of filing them. Truly speaking, if you are so lazy, then you deserve to lose your money!

In case you have to pay taxes but you don’t have money, then there is an alternative for you. You can even pay taxes to the IRS through credit cards. It’s definitely not a great option, as its interest rates are higher. But you cannot be audited by the credit card companies.

That some taxpayers may be unable to pay their taxes fully is well understood by the IRS. So to be on the safer side, even if you are unable to pay, it is always good to file your return.

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Must I File a Tax Return?

Must I File a Tax Return for 2009?

The short answer to this question, do I have to file a tax return, is yes if your income is above the level required for your filing status. But a couple additional pieces of information affect the answer including your age and the source of your income. IRS.gov is a great resource for the exact tax rules.

In addition to the requirement, it makes sense to file a return to get a refund on any taxes that you did pay during the year. There is the special tax credit, Making Work … Read the rest

Must I File a Tax Return for 2009?

The short answer to this question, do I have to file a tax return, is yes if your income is above the level required for your filing status. But a couple additional pieces of information affect the answer including your age and the source of your income. IRS.gov is a great resource for the exact tax rules.

In addition to the requirement, it makes sense to file a return to get a refund on any taxes that you did pay during the year. There is the special tax credit, Making Work Pay, that is refundable to you even if you do not meet the income requirements to file. A government pension could provide you with a tax credit that will be refunded to you. The Earned Income Tax Credit will also refund money to you beyond what you have paid into the tax system. And there are a number of other tax credits that you might qualify for that you can receive a refund on without having earned enough to file.

Now, if you were self-employed during 2009 and earned over $400, you must file a return regardless of other factors. If you owe special taxes on retirement plans or medical savings accounts, you must file a return for 2009. If you work for tips and need to pay social security and Medicare tax, you need to file. If you need to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax or any recapture tax, you need to file a return. And finally, if you work for a church and your income is greater that $108.28.

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IRS Forms to Complete your Return

IRS Forms to Complete your Return

The IRS has all the tax forms you will need to complete your return and has provided a number of different ways for you to obtain those tax forms. The first stop should by IRS.gov where you can download PDF versions of all forms anytime, any day.

You can also call the IRS and request tax forms at 1-800-829-3676. They offer convenient times for you to call and can also ship to you publications and prior year tax forms if you need them. Don’t wait until the end of the tax season as delivery … Read the rest

IRS Forms to Complete your Return

The IRS has all the tax forms you will need to complete your return and has provided a number of different ways for you to obtain those tax forms. The first stop should by IRS.gov where you can download PDF versions of all forms anytime, any day.

You can also call the IRS and request tax forms at 1-800-829-3676. They offer convenient times for you to call and can also ship to you publications and prior year tax forms if you need them. Don’t wait until the end of the tax season as delivery could take two weeks.

Just like with the phone orders to the IRS, you can place mail orders to the IRS for tax forms and publications. The wait will be a little longer than the phone orders as mail orders start to be processed when they arrive at the processing center. Mail your forms order to the IRS at 1201 N Mitsubishi Motorway, Bloomington, IL 61705-6613.

You have probably seen the forms outside of libraries during the tax season or at the post office when dropping off your mail. But other local locations like copy centers, grocery stores, and office supply stores might have copies for you or can make copies of tax forms from digital copies that they keep. Plus the IRS has established a number of Tax Assistance Centers across the country. Contact the IRS directly to find out if a center is in your area.

Invest your Tax Return

Invest your 2009 Tax Return

The IRS is offering an investment option if you are getting a refund for your 2009 taxes this year. You can transfer your tax refund for a US savings bond of up to $5,000. You can purchase a bond in any denomination of $50, remaining funds need to be directly deposited into a banking account.

It’s just that simple, when you file choose the US Savings Bond option and you will receive your bonds in the mail instead of a refund check. The official form is Form 8888, used to deposit your refund into more … Read the rest

Invest your 2009 Tax Return

The IRS is offering an investment option if you are getting a refund for your 2009 taxes this year. You can transfer your tax refund for a US savings bond of up to $5,000. You can purchase a bond in any denomination of $50, remaining funds need to be directly deposited into a banking account.

It’s just that simple, when you file choose the US Savings Bond option and you will receive your bonds in the mail instead of a refund check. The official form is Form 8888, used to deposit your refund into more than one account. Tax preparation software packages like TurboTax and TaxAct provide the form for you when you indicate that you want to purchase one of the bonds.

The Form 8888 also has instructions if you are completing for the form by hand. This is a nice option if you would be investing the money into a savings account as the bonds provide a better rate of return on average.