April 2019 Tax Season Filing Tips

Spring is nature's way of saying let's wrap up this tax party.

OK, that quote kicking off this final month of 2019 Tax Season Filing Tips is paraphrased. The late great funny man Robin Williams didn't say anything about taxes.

But I know I'll feel like partying once the April tax-filing deadline has passed. That or sleeping for a week!

Maybe both: a quick party and then a long nap without any tax dreams.

The Internal Revenue Service also will be relieved. When April 15 (or 4/17 if you live in Maine or Massachusetts) rolls around, the federal tax collector will have the bulk of last year's tax returns in hand.

So making it through this filing season, the first in which we've dealt with major tax changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, definitely seems like it's worth some celebration by us taxpayers and Uncle Sam.

But before we pop the bubbly, we've got to get to and through these last two weeks of the main 2019 tax filing season.

Regardless of whether you'll finally submit your 2018 tax year Form 1040 or file for an extension in the coming days, these tips could help.

Since time is ticking away, noted by the countdown clock over in the ol' blog's righthand column, let's get to it!

5 tax moves to make this April — It's April, the final weeks of the annual high tax season. For those of us who haven't yet filed — yes, fellow tax procrastinators, I'm right there with all y'all — here are 5 tax moves you might want to make by April 15 (or 17). (April 1, 2019)
Filing a tax return: Who must, who should — Most of us have to file a Form 1040 each year. Sometimes, though, you should file even if you're not legally required to do so. Here are 12 such reasons to send the Internal Revenue Service a Form 1040. (April 3, 2019)
10 tax audit triggers — The battle to see Donald Trump's tax returns is on, with 45 saying he's "not inclined" to release them, despite House Democrats' official request, until they are no longer under IRS audit. So why are Trump's taxes, as he says, always under IRS review? It could be because, again he says, he's wealthy. Making lots of money is one of the 10 tax audit red flags. (April 4, 2019)
10 tax tasks to take care of by April 15 — Filing a 1040 is the tax season biggie faced by most of us each April. But the mid-April deadline also applies to other tax matters. Here are 10 things that you might need to do by April 15. (April 9, 2019)
Deductions that don't require itemizing — The new tax law made a lot of changes, including increased standard deductions that mean fewer filers will itemize. But it left in place many of the so-called above-the-line deductions. These write-offs now are found on the new Schedule 1 and can be used to help cut your tax bill without having to file Schedule A. (April 10, 2019)
10 common tax mistakes — Tax Day is almost here. If you're working on your 1040, make sure you don't make one (or more) of these common tax-filing mistakes. (April 11, 2019)
How to get a tax-filing extension — Tax Day 2019 is just days away. If you can't get your 1040 filed by the April 15 (or 17) deadline, get an extension. Here's how. (April 12 2019)
13 tax tips for the final filing weekend — Knee (or more) deep in your taxes? You still have time this final filing weekend of the 2019 Tax Season. These baker's dozen tips can help you finish up (or extend) your taxes by April 15. (April 13, 2019)
5 tax tips for snail mail filers — Yes, some folks still snail mail their returns to the IRS. If you're one of them, these tips can help you meet the IRS and Post Office rules and get your 1040 in on time. (April 14, 2019)
Severe weather tax delays — Some folks from East Texas and across the South are not thinking about taxes on this April 15. They are still digging out from deadly storms that rampaged across the area over the weekend. Some areas might be declared major disaster areas, providing extended time to file and a tax break. But just in case, filing an extension when you're dealing with dire circumstances is a good idea. (April 15, 2019)
Tax Day 2019 final tips — It's finally here, Tax Day 2019! If you're done, good for you! Here are some ways to spend the rest of today, including taking advantage of some April 15 (and beyond) freebies and, also no cost, listening to me on the radio! If, however, you're still working on your 1040, here are final filing tips. (April 15, 2019)
5 states have Tax Day after April 15 — Five states don't follow the federal tax return filing schedule. That means Tax Day 2019 has yet to arrive there. (April 19, 2019)

But wait, there's more! You can check out the prior 2019 Filing Season Tax Tips by clicking on the monthly links below.

January 2019 Filing Season Tax Tips

February 2019 Filing Season Tax Tips

March 2019 Filing Season Tax Tips

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Weekly Tax Tip

Reporting your winnings to the IRS — Uncle Sam apparently is Lady Luck's cousin. Your lottery jackpot, other gambling winnings and prizes, too, are taxable income. Here's how to report them to the Internal Revenue Service on Form 1040's Schedule 1. (Jan. 11, 2021)
Check out all the latest post-Tax Day tax advice in the 2020 edition of Weekly Tax Tips. Many of these once-a-week tips will focus on planning moves to cut your 2020 tax bill.
If, however, you got an extension and are still working on your 2019 return, you can get a refresher of the 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips at their respective monthly pages:
January, February, March, April, May, June and July.

COVID-19 & Taxes

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc
on the 2020 tax season.
This Coronavirus (COVID-19) & Taxes page has details.

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

Tick ... Tick ... Tick

Tax Season 2021 is here!
Happy New Tax Year! Are you ready to file your 2020 tax return? Me neither. With all the delays last year due to COVID-19, it seems like that prior tax season just finished. But time and taxes wait for no taxpayer. The Internal Revenue Service, which started 2021 by delivering more coronavirus economic relief payments, says it will be ready for our returns. So let's get prepared, too. The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column should help us focus on our taxes and make the filing of them by go more smoothly. Also keep an eye on the countdown clock just below. It will help us keep track of how much time we have until Tax Day on April 15, just in case some of us want to put things off until the final hours. .
Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.

Time for Tax Tasks

Oh, 2021. I cannot tell you how happy we are to see you. You will be better than 2020, right? Right?!?

via GIPHY

And just so there's no confusion, that's a question New Year 2021, not a challenge. So don't you dare try to outdo the just-past Year of COVID-19 and its many, many complications, including in the tax world.

Jan. 1: While there's some good news with vaccines going out to fight the coronavirus pandemic, we'll still be dealing with it for a while. The Internal Revenue Service is delivering the second round of relief payments and the commissioner promises that the agency will start the 2021 filing season as usual later this month. I hope that's correct, but we shall see.

Jan. 4: If your job made it through the tough last year, good for you and your company and welcome to the New Year's first work week. It's the perfect time to refine your payroll withholding. This is particularly applicable true for federal employees, including members of the military and even IRS personnel, whose withholding was suspended that last few months of 2020. That money must be paid to Uncle Sam, but a new late-year law says the repayment isn't due until the end of 2021. Adjustment withholding now will give you 52 weeks to spread it across, making the per-paycheck bite less painful.

Jan. 7: The IRS' online withholding assistant or your tax pro can help you with your withholding amount and other tax numbers, but it's also a good idea going into a New Year to have an idea of your tax bracket and income tax rate. The rates tend to hold steady (until Congress starts fiddling!), but the brackets are adjusted annually for inflation. You can check out the 2021 income brackets (and 2020's for comparison) in the first post in the ol' blog's annual inflation series. At the end of that item, you'll find a directly to the other nine inflation items.

Jan. 11: Continuing coronavirus precautions mean some restaurants are still closed for in-house dining. Other eateries are managing with take-out meals and deliveries. Whether you're able to enjoy table service in or getting food brought to your house, remember to tip your server or delivery person.

If a tip isn't included in your food delivery charge, click the image above to calculate how much to tip the person who brought it to you.

As for servers who are still on the job, remember that your tips are taxable income. If you at least $20 in job-related gratuities last December, you need to account for them today by using Form 4070 to report your tips today to your employer.

Jan. 13: Did some of those tips come from a side hustle? That's just one of the tax matters to think about when you are part of the gig economy. In these freelance or contractor situations, you'll need to pay estimated taxes.

Jan. 15: The final estimated tax payment for the prior year, 2020 in this case, is due today. The other three payments are for earnings in 2021 that aren't subject to withholding and are due on April 15, June 15 and Sept. 15. And be sure to account for your self-employment tax in figuring your estimated amounts.

Jan. 18: Many people spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day each year as a day of service.

Click image to find out ways
you can volunteer on MLK Day.
Taking time on Dr. King's holiday to volunteer at a charity isn't tax deductible, but some costs associated with volunteering could help reduce your tax bill if you itemize. Most filers, however, claim the standard deduction and a new tax law gives them a tax break, too. On your 2020 return, you can claim up to $300 in donations directly on your Form 1040. In 2021, the $300 amount remains, but is doubled for couples who file jointly.

Jan. 21: If the IRS meets its usual timetable, the annual tax-filing season will start soon. If you can get your tax material together, then there are several good reasons to file your return early.

Jan. 25: Millions of filers find electronic tax options are great ways to get returns to the IRS as soon as possible. The tax agency agrees. In fact, for almost two decades, the IRS has partnered with the Free File Alliance to offer eligible taxpayers access to online tax software and e-filing through the aptly named Free File site at IRS.gov.

Last year, Free File was available to filers with adjusted gross income of $69,000 or less, regardless of filing status. That threshold has been bumped up to $72,000 for this filing season. If you're eligible, be ready to log-on when Free File officially opens, which usually around this time.

Jan. 29: Of course, regardless of how you file your taxes, you can't do so until you all the necessary documents, such as W-2 and 1099 forms. Employers have until the end of the month (or Feb. 1 this year since Jan. 31 falls on Sunday) to get the to you, so be on the lookout for all the documents you need to file.

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 Fiesta! page.

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Mapping Your Tax Route

Do you get lost doing your taxes? Check out the Taxpayer Advocate Service's Taxpayer Roadmap.

This publication, designed along the lines of a subway map, shows the many routes and detours of a taxpayer's journey through our elaborate Internal Revenue Code and the Internal Revenue Service's enforcement of our tax collection system.

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ...

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Kudos Et Cetera

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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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