More same-sex married couples celebrating Valentine's Day

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5 things to check when hiring a tax preparer

More same-sex married couples celebrating Valentine's Day

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Just in time for Valentine's Day, many gay and lesbian couples in Alabama late last week were taking the ultimate commitment step by saying "I do."

The ability to exchange wedding vows with distinctly Southern drawls was made possible by a federal court ruling. The battle, however, continues in Alabama; the state's supreme court is expected to weigh in next week. At the national level, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of same-sex marriages this summer.

On this day special to lovers, however, there are 38 U.S. jurisdictions where same-sex couples can marry. And on this most romantic of days, 38 definitely earns this week's By the Numbers honor.

States where Same-Sex Couples can be Married
Updated Feb. 6, 2015, by FreedomToMarry.com
**Missouri recognizes marries legally performed in other states.
Click image to go to interactive map for specifics on your state's marriage equality laws.

In case you don't want to count the locations on the map, the 38 places where there are no gender-related legal barriers to saying I do are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.

Love, marriage, tax filing: I've blogged before about what marriage means to your taxes. I won't take up any more of your and my time repeating it here; we've all got better ways to spend Feb. 14.

But I will share the links to some of those posts so when the hearts and flowers and chocolates aren't taking center stage, you can check them out.

Wow! I didn't realize I was such a tax romantic.

For the rest of today, though, I'm taking taxes out of the equation and spending time with the hubby. We both wish you and your sweetheart a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 02:55 PM in DOMA-Same Sex Marriage, Politics, State/Local, Tax numbers, Taxes, U.S. Holiday | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: Alabama, gay, lesbian, marriage, marriage equality, same-sex marriage, tax, taxes, Valentine's Day, wedding

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Today's Tax Tip

10 often overlooked tax breaks — Are you still searching for tax write-offs? Here are 10 deductions and credits, including some that don't require itemizing, that too many taxpayers overlook every filing season. Missing them could be costly. (March 24, 2023)
The 2023 Tax Tips offer ways to file your annual return, along with post-filing advice, important tax news and, of course, ways to cut your current tax year bill. You'll find the monthly assemblages on their own respective pages: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Remember, tax tasks and tips don't stop after you file your annual return!

All About Kay

OK, some about Kay

Kay Bell — Native Texan
(the blog title totally makes sense now, right?). Professional journalist. Tax geek.

My Other Accounts

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Tax Year 2023 Countdown!

Happy New Tax Year! Are you ready to file your 2022 tax return? Me neither. But at least this year we're getting some extra time to file and pay any tax we owe. Even better, it's not COVID-19 pandemic related. Tax Day 2023 is Tuesday, April 18. This later date is because April 15, 2023, is on Saturday, and the next business day, Monday, April 17, is Emancipation Day.
When this Washington, D.C., holiday falls on the day our federal taxes are due, it bumps Tax Day nationwide to the next business day. So this year, we have until Tuesday, April 18, to finish our federal forms and, if we find we owe, come up with the money for Uncle Sam. The states that follow the federal tax calendar, which is most of them, also tend to abide by this date change.

The countdown clock below should help us from missing out on making important tax-saving moves the rest of this year. Plus, the Tax Moves below the counter will list some timely tasks to take care this first month of 2023, and each of the remaining 11 when they arrive. They'll speed by quickly when you're having tax fun!
Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.

Time for Tax Tasks

Hello ☘ March.
Your 2023 arrival is welcome, officially bringing us spring and getting us closer to the end of the main tax filing season. In fact, it's even closer, since this third month of the years also has us spring forward into Daylight Saving Time. So let's not waste any more precious hours and, ahem, march right into this month's tax tasks.

via GIPHY

March 1: It's the last full month of the tax-filing season, so that's a good reason to come at our taxes in the proverbial like a lion March entry mode. The first thing to attack like the feline king is the gathering of all the tax statements you'll need to fill out your 2022 return. This includes the paper ones that you tossed on a stack when they arrived, as well as those sent electronically and that you need to download or at least look at.

March 6: Official tax statements aren't the only things you'll need to help you file. Other documents have information that's relevant to your tax return. So are the answers to some basic life questions. This tax checklist can help guide you as you work on your return. And don't forget about your previous tax return. That prior tax year filing is a good template, especially if your tax life hasn't changed that much.

March 10: Do you work as a server at a restaurant or at any other establishment where gratuities from customers are part of your compensation? I hope you got lots of financial thanks for doing your job well, but remember that those tips are taxable income.

Whether you're dining in or, still COVID leery and getting food delivered to your home, if a tip isn't included on your restaurant or delivery bill, click the image above to calculate how much to tip the person who brought it to you.

If you got at least $20 in gratuities in January, you must account for the tips today by using Form 4070 to report last month's tips total to your employer.

March 12: Feeling a bit tired after losing an hour of sleep earlier this morning? I'm right there with you. But I do love the extra end-of-day sunshine.

We can use that late-day natural light to work on our tax returns, including state filings if you, like most U.S. residents, live where state (or District of Columbia) personal income taxes are collected.

March 15: This date is more than a literary reference. The Ides of March apply each year to many business taxpayers. Today is the tax filing deadline for partnerships (Form 1065 with K-1 or K-3 schedules) and S corporations (Form 1120S, again with the K schedules).

March 17: Erin Go Bragh and
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

via GIPHY

Enjoy this day, but don't trust lucky charms to get you through tax filing season. Double check your 1040 to ensure you haven't overlooked any tax breaks or made any common filing mistakes.

March 20: Spring has sprung!

That means it's time for spring cleaning. Your gifts won't help with your current tax return, but they could pay off next year as charitable donation deductions if you itemize.

March 27: If you have a tax-deferred retirement account, such as a traditional IRA or workplace regular 401(k), and are in your 70s, you could be facing a required minimum distribution (RMD) due date in just more than a week. If you turned 72 last year and didn't take your initial RMD by Dec. 31, you must do so by April 1. A quick planning note, too, for septuagenarian savers not yet facing RMDs. These mandatory distributions this year kick in when you celebrate your 73rd birthday, thanks to the new SECURE 2.0 retirement law.

March 31: This is it. March is over, which for taxes means you best shed your out like a lamb attitude and get to work on your Form 1040. The IRS recommends we file electronically, which will speed up processing of returns and issuance of any refunds. The tax agency also urges taxpayers to check out Free File, the no-cost online preparation and electronic filing web page for eligible taxpayers created by the IRS' partnership with the Free File Alliance. This year, seven tax software companies are participating.

The Free File income threshold this year remains at adjusted gross income (AGI) of $73,000 or less, regardless of your filing status.

Small Business Tax Calendar: Important filing, deposit and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to know. You can get more tax calendar information at the IRS' online calendar page and view the full year's important business and individual tax dates in IRS Pub. 509.

State Tax Help

Don't forget your state taxes!
Forty-three states and D.C. collect personal income taxes. But even if you live in of the seven states without an income levy, you still face other state (and local) taxes.

State Tax Departments provides links to your state's Web page. The companion page, Tax Tidbits, is the compilation of blurbs about each state's tax laws. And for more state tax news, check out all our state tax bloggings.

Tax Forms

Thanks to our increased use of tax preparers and computer software, many of us don't see our tax forms until we sign and file them. But knowing what's on these documents, either in paper or digital form, and why the IRS wants it is key to understanding our tax system. And knowledge definitely is power, especially when it comes to tax savings. Find this valuable information in the ol' blog's special Tax Forms 2023 page.

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I gotta tell ya ...

AKA Disclaimer:
I am a professional journalist who has been covering tax issues since 1999.
I am not a professional tax preparer.
The content on Don't Mess With Taxes is my personal opinion based on my study and understanding of tax laws, policies and regulations. It is provided for your private, noncommercial, educational and informational purposes only. It is not a recommendation of any specific tax action(s) you should or should not take. Similarly, mentions of products or services are not endorsements. In other words, my ramblings on the ol' blog are free advice and you know what they say about getting what you pay for. That's why when it comes to filing your taxes, I urge you to get additional, professional, paid-for guidance from an accountant, Enrolled Agent or other qualified tax preparer who is familiar with your individual tax circumstances.

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COVID-19 & Taxes

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc
on the 2020 and 2021 tax seasons.
These three Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes pages have details:
March-July 2020,
August-December 2020,
January-December 2021, and
January-December 2022
You can find medical coronavirus resource links in the next section.

COVID-19 Resources

Need help finding a coronavirus vaccine in the United States?
Call 1-800-232-0233
or TTY 1-888-720-7489.
More information and resources at:
CDC Vaccines
CDC Booster Shots
HHS Combat COVID
USA.Gov COVID Info

March 2023

Tell it to the Hill

While it's easy to rail at the IRS, for the most part we can thank — or blame — our tax laws on Congress and the White House. So if you have an issue with tax legislation or want a tax bill passed, you need to let your federal legislators and the White House occupant know of your concerns. You can find out who in Washington, D.C., to contact (and how), as well as get information on your local lawmakers for matters, tax or otherwise, closer to home, at USA Gov.

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