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Uncle Sam is Ready...Are You? Organizing Tips for Tax Time
Anyone who is closely related to an accountant knows that there are not four, but five seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and 'Tax Season.' During the other seasons, we accumulate leaves, snow, and mosquito bites. During 'Tax Season' we accumulate paper. And more paper. And if you have a small business or investments--even more paper. Whether you hire someone to prepare your taxes or attempt to decipher the forms yourself, it is imperative that your papers be in order for this 'fifth season.' Organizing your tax-related documents is not just a project for the evening of April 13th. Good tax organization is a year-round process. Some pitfalls of being disorganized at tax time:
How to remedy these tax-time situations? Prepare now for next year by getting organized! Set up an all-year round file system Designate a box, accordion file, or a file cabinet for year-round paper storage and retrieval. Create folders for receipts, credit card and bank statements, anything you have spent money on or need to keep track of for tax purposes. As you acquire such documents, place them in the appropriately labeled folder. This is beneficial not only for tax time but for when you have to retrieve certain papers throughout the year. Give your tax-related papers a home Every January, our mailboxes become flooded with documents necessary for filing your taxes. At the beginning of the year, designate a large envelope or box in one area of your home or a file in your file cabinet for these papers. Examples of these are:
Sort and create categories for your papers/receipts By early February you should have received all paperwork necessary to complete your taxes. Take that envelope/box/file of collected papers and sort them by category. This process will enable you or your tax preparer to quickly locate your papers and receipts. Some basic categories are:
Save your tax preparer aggravation by throwing away the envelopes that your statements came in and tear off the perforated edges from your income statements. Group the documents into the categories you've created and paper clip them together. Place all of these papers in a folder or large envelope. Call your tax preparer early If you're using a tax preparer, call in January to schedule a mid to late February tax appointment. Doing this forces you to organize and compile all the necessary information by that date. Also, accountants get very busy as April 15th approaches. You don't want an exhausted accountant doing your taxes... Being organized at tax time will give you greater control over the tax preparation process. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, you will feel a sense of calm and accomplishment. Instead of frantically searching for documents you will be able to produce them at a moment's notice. Instead of your accountant cursing your name, he/she will sing your praises when you present them with an envelope of organized papers and receipts. The sooner you get organized for tax time the sooner you may get that big refund check. If that's not motivation enough, I don't know what is... About The Author Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized Artistry, LLC, transforms mess into masterpiece with patience, organizing know-how, and a sense of humor. For a free e-list of Top Ten Tips for Organized Living, or to order your copy of 7 Steps to an Organized Wedding Thank You Note please visit her web site at www.organizedartistry.com.
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Tax Trap #3 -- IRS Penalties, Interest and Love Letters As a small business owner or self-employed person, one of the easiest ways to keep Uncle Sam off your back and out of your life is to file your forms, payments and other paperwork on time.Over the next four months there are several key dates that you dare not forget! Here they are -- all in one place, along with links to the IRS website PDF file for that particular form, where appropriate. Navigating The Internet Sales Tax Laws QUESTION: I have been contacted by my local city government to say that my business is scheduled to be audited to determine if I owe any sales tax from items purchased on the Internet. Can they really make me pay this tax? I thought you could buy things online tax free? -- Katie R. Requirements To Produce Tax Information (Whats Up With That?) "What we've got here is a failure to communicate." --Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke Statutory Law Governments pass laws, it's what they do. Euro Tax Haven Threat Media reporting of a new EU savings tax directive has left many people wondering whether European tax havens could soon become obselete.The July directive requires banks throughout Europe, including low and no tax areas such as Gibraltar, Monaco, Malta and Andorra, to disclose bank account owner information to their home country's tax authority. Correspondence From The IRS - Yikes! It's a moment every person dreads. You pick up the mail and there is an envelope from the IRS. How to Cut Duty Cost and Increase Profit as an Importer Import duties continue to be significant elements in the cost of international trade. Yet many companies and businesses still pay more duties than the law requires - which impacts adversely on landed cost and ultimately on business profitability. About Income Taxes; Tidbits 1812The first attempt to impose an income tax on America occurred during the War of 1812. After more than two years of war, the federal government owed an unbelievable $100 million of debt. IRS Obtains More Than 100 Injunctions Against Tax Scheme Promoters The IRS has obtained civil injunctions against more than 100 promoters of illegal tax avoidance schemes and fraudulent return preparers in an ongoing crackdown that began in 2001. Many of the injunctions, obtained in cooperation with the Department of Justice, also order the promoters to turn over client lists and to cease preparing federal income tax returns for others. Tax Deductions - Mr. C.P.A. Can I Deduct a Pizza? You Too Can Deduct Your Fun By Using Tax Tips Recently, I stumbled across a concept that could change your financial life. You can call it a paradigm shift or a new perspective or just a different way to look at things. The Annual Gift Tax Exclusion: Getting The Edge Whether helping the kids with a down payment on their first home, paying the premiums on a life insurance policy in an irrevocable trust, or moving appreciated assets to a younger generation, annual gifting will touch the lives of millions of Americans. But before the transfer is made, an investor should spend some time looking at the investment and the tax ramifications of the property to be passed. Surprising Truths About Tax Preparers Choosing the right tax preparer for your business is a decision best not left until April. A former tax preparer and small business mastermind offers insights into the secret world of tax preparers. Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover Money Small Businesses Filing Amended Federal Tax Returns to Recover Money By Darren Oliver April 15th may be gone but, but certainly not forgotten - especially if you, like millions of small businesses, unknowingly overpaid your federal taxes and can recover money by filing an amended return. According to the IRS tax code, you have three years from the filing date for the tax year in question to file an amended return. Amending Procedural Laws for Collection of E-taxation The electronic transaction ordinance defines the certificated copies in which are to be presented for adjudication. Where any law requires or permits the production of certified copies of any records, such requirement or permission shall extend to print outs or other forms of display of electronic documents where, in addition to fulfillment of the requirements as may be specified in such law relating to certification, it is verified in the manner laid down by the appropriate authority. Uncle Sam is Ready...Are You? Organizing Tips for Tax Time Anyone who is closely related to an accountant knows that there are not four, but five seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and 'Tax Season.' During the other seasons, we accumulate leaves, snow, and mosquito bites. The Tax Man Cometh... To Search You're at your office, or home, and the doorbell rings - it's the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA").The first thing to do is find out why they've come. Slash Tax when Buying a Business When buying a business, how the "purchase price" is made up can affect what you pay in tax. The plan is to make as much of the price tax deductible for you and not the other party. Some Folks Pay A Lot Less Tax Than Others On Very Same Income-Did You Pay Too Much Tax In 2004? Someone once remarked, "Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is quite so satisfying as an income tax refund." There's no question that saving money in taxes is high on everybody's list of financial priorities, especially small-business owners. Where to Find Tax Breaks for Your Home Based Business April 15th looms in front of most people every year like a big, full moon full influencing a tax based frenzy, but knowing where to find tax breaks for your home based business can make that frenzy a little less frantic and more beneficial to you and your home based business. Finding tax breaks for your home based business is not overly difficult, but make sure you discuss tax breaks for your home based business with the person doing your taxes. History Of The Federal Income Tax The powers of Congress, and the limitations set upon those powers, are set forth in Article I of the United States Constitution. Section 8 specifies both the power to collect, "Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises," and the requirement that, "Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States. I Havent Filed a Tax Return with IRS in Years, What Do I Do? In elementary school, kids come up with creative excuses why they did not bring in their homework. "My dog ate it" or "It was stolen by invisible space aliens" might be given as a reason why something was not turned in on time.
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