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April 2020 Tax Season Filing Tips

2020: The year April 15 didn't matter.

Tax tip pencilIf this were a normal tax season (or a normal year, for that matter), right about now millions of taxpayers would be freaking out. The April 15 Tax Day would be bearing down.

No longer. 

The coronavirus exploded exponentially across the United States in March, prompting, among other actions, myriad tax changes. The biggest, at least as far as affecting the broadest swath of taxpayers, is the decision by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service to push April 15 Tax Day to July 15. 

Yay! An extra 90 days to file our 2019 tax returns. That means we can direct all our usual April tax panic energy toward our social distancing and remote efforts.

But even amid your/our new COVID-19 routine, we still need to work on our taxes so that July 15 doesn't sneak up on us. Or to make whatever moves we can to make our 2020 taxes less painful.

So here goes, with the ol' blog's first ever full month of April tax filing season tips. As with its predecessors, these April pieces of  tax advice are highlighted in the upper right corner of the ol' blog.

After their newly extended time in the spotlight, the April tips then will be permanently ensconced on this page. But that collection journey has to start with a first step, so here goes!

  1. 5 tax moves to make this abnormal April — It's April, but it's no longer the month in which our taxes are due. The coronavirus and our efforts to slow its spread have disrupted our tax and regular lives. But in an effort to try to hold onto some semblance of normalcy, here are five tax moves for these decidedly abnormal times. (April 1, 2020)
  2. Retirees will get COVID-19 payments directly — After first saying senior citizens would have to file a special tax return to get COVID-19 payments, Treasury reversed course. The Internal Revenue Service now will send the money automatically to eligible Social Security recipients. (April 2, 2020)
  3. Beware COVID-19 tax scams — The coronavirus economic relief payments are about to go out. The IRS warns that scammers already are looking at ways they can steal them. Don't fall for any of these COVID-19 cons. (April 3, 2020)
  4. Don't overlook 'normal' tax tips — Tax season 2020 definitely is not normal, but we still need to pay attention to some long-standing tax tips when we file our returns this year. Here are a dozen that haven't been changed by coronavirus considerations. (April 4, 2020)
  5. Innocent/injured spouse filings for at-odds filing couples — Do you and your spouse have differences that extend to your taxes? In some cases, spouses that find they come out short in questionable joint filing situations can apply for innocent or injured spouse relief. (April 7, 2020)
  6. July 15 tax deadline expanded — More taxpayers get to mark July 15 on their calendars. That's the official new Tax Day for even more tax actions after the Internal Revenue Service officially expands the 2020 tax filing season due date. (April 11, 2020)
  7. IRS online tool helps nonfilers get COVID-19 payments — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the Internal Revenue Service is expected to directly deposit COVID-19 economic relief payments to 80 million accounts by April 15. If yours isn't among that group because you didn't file a 2018 or 2019 return, use the IRS' new online tool to file a simplified return and get in the payment line. (April 13, 2020)
  8. July 15 also is Tax Day in most states — Most Americans file state tax returns in addition to their federal Form 1040. The good news is that most of the 43 states and District of Columbia with individual income taxes are following the Internal Revenue Service decision in coronavirus tax time to push their state Tax Day deadlines to July 15, too. (April 14, 2020)
  9. Track your COVID-19 payment…if you can — The Internal Revenue Service's online tool to track COVID-19 economic relief payments is live. The IRS says it is working as planned, but some filers (including me!) are still reporting access issues. Give it a try. And good luck! (April 15, 2020)
  10. Audit, collection and EITC actions on COVID-19 hold — In addition to pushing back Tax Day 2020 to July 15, the Internal Revenue Service has established a People First initiative. Part of the program delays some collection and audit actions throughout the extension period. The same leniency is being afforded Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claims under IRS review. But once things go back to whatever is the new world, life and tax normal, every taxpayer needs to be ready to answer IRS examiner questions. (April 17, 2020)
  11. Estimated tax calculation options — The first two estimated tax payments for 2020 aren't due until July 15 thanks to Internal Revenue Service coronavirus precautions. But you still need to look now at how much you owe and what method you use to calculate all your 1040-ES amounts. (April 20, 2020)
  12. FSA OTC Rx rule axed — The COVID-19 law that created the economic relief payments also included an expansion to and key change in the reimbursement process of tax-favored medical accounts, such as flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs). Allowable reimbursable items from these plans now include menstrual products. And for all account holders, over-the-counter (OTC) medications no longer need a doctor's prescription. (April 22, 2020)
  13. Make sure your COVID-19 check is real — Some coronavirus economic relief payments will be sent as paper checks from the U.S. Treasury. These 6 tips can help you make sure your COVID-19 check is real. (April 25, 2020)
  14. Beware COVID-19 paper check scams — Coronavirus economic relief payment Treasury checks are in the mail. That means that scams related to them also are escalating. Since the U.S. Postal Service is delivering these paper checks, its Postal Inspectors are warning of common COVID-19 economic relief payment check scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. (April 26, 2020)
  15. Get My Payment tracking tool updated — Did you (like me) run into problems getting info from the Internal Revenue Service's original version of its Get My Payment COVID-19 economic relief tracking tool? Try it again. The IRS has made some upgrades and it's now working for more people. (April 27, 2020)
  16. Inventory your property before disaster strikes — Spring storms are wreaking havoc across much of the United States. Hurricane season is on the way. Wildfires and earthquakes strike year-round. Don't wait for a disaster. Prepare now, including taking a pre-disaster inventory that can help when you file insurance and/or potential tax deduction claims. (April 28, 2020)
  17. Tax help for the unemployed and uninsured — Losing a job is a double hit for many. In addition to dealing with no income, they also lose their company-provided healthcare coverage. The premium tax credit might help pay for a replacement medical policy. (April 30, 2020)

Just getting started on your taxes? No problem. You can find the previous months' collected tax wisdom by clicking the links below.

And yes, you can click on May, June and June, too, but you'll just find a guy telling you to whoa up. We're not there yet. Rest assured, those tips will be added as those months arrive.

January 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

February 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

March 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

May 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

June 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

July 2020 Filing Season Tax Tips

Coronavirus Caveat & More Information
In 2020, we're all dealing with extraordinary circumstances,
both in our daily lives and when it comes to our taxes.
The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to reduce its transmission
and protect ourselves and our families means that,
for the most part, we're focusing on just getting through these trying days.

But life as we knew it before the coronavirus will return,
along with our mundane tax matters.
Here's hoping that happens soon!
In the meantime, you can find more on the virus and its effects on our taxes
by clicking Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes.

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Today's Tax Tip

  • Tax-smart financial gifts for grads (and the givers) — Got some new high school or college graduates in your life? Here are six financial gifts, most with some tax benefits, that they (and you) will enjoy. (May 31, 2023)

  • Tax Tip; click pencil for all tax tip links

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

  • Tax Season 2023 Continues!

    Tax Day 2023 is finally over … unless you're one of the millions who have more time to file — looking at you taxpayers abroad and those in major disaster areas — or you got an extension to file your 2022 tax year return. That's fine. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service appreciates some of us spreading out our filings, especially when it means we are taking the time to submit a complete and correct return.

    This tax focus shift means the ol' blog will continue to provide filing tips through the Oct. 16 extension deadline. Yep, it's a day later this year, since 10/15 is on Sunday. But I haven't forgotten my organized taxpayer readers, who are looking for ways to reduce their 2023 tax year bills. Yep, that amount already is adding up, but there are moves you can make. The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column can help everyone, regardless of which tax year now is in your sights.

    Those on extension should also keep a keen eye on the countdown clock below. It will help you track the days tick, tick, ticking off toward that absolutely final fall filing due date. They'll speed by quickly when you're having tax fun, and aren't we always having tax fun?!?
    Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.


Time for Tax Tasks


  • monthly tax moves


  • ☀️ Hello 🌞 June! ☀️
    We are so happy to see your radiant face, bringing us the start of summer. Some brightness and warmth and a sunny attitude are definitely what we need to fully recover from tax season, even one that wasn't that bad.


    via GIPHY


    June 1: Summer conjures dreams of lazy beach days. But for full-time coastal residents, June is less welcome. Today is the start of the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico hurricane season. While there's a low pressure in the Eastern Gulf, at least we made it to opening day without an official system forming. That gives us time to prepare for hurricane season, a chance some folks got recently thanks to special sales tax holidays.

    Hurricane satellite image

    Uncle Sam's official forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center expect 2023 to bring 12 to 17 named storms, with five to nine possibly becoming hurricanes. As many as four of those storms could reach major status, which is category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher. Regardless of the count, it only takes one to wreak havoc. The countdown clock below can help you keep track of how many more days you have to worry about tracking any size or type of tropical storms.



    You also might want to check out the ol' blog's special Storm Warnings.
    These multi-page collections of posts offer tax advice on preparing for, recovering from and helping those who sustain damages from the many ways that that weather goes wild. That includes claiming uninsured losses from a major natural disaster as an itemized tax deduction.

    June 5: With school out, working parents need to make child care arrangements. Consider day camps. Not only do they offer some supervision of your kiddos while you're at the office, the activities' costs also count toward claiming the child and dependent care credit.

    June 12: 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 don't forget that those tips are taxable income.

    restaurant check tip iStock
    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.

    And you, as the server or delivery person, must account for those tips. If you got at least $20 in gratuities in May, you must report the amount by today (it's usually the 10th, but since that was Saturday, it moves to the next business day) by using Form 4070 to let your employer the total of the tips you took in last month.

    June 14: Happy Flag Day! It's not a day-off-work federal holiday, but Flag Day has been an official day to celebrate the Star-Spangled Banner since 1949. If you need to buy a U.S. flag to fly today, you also might get a tax break. Several states exempt the national symbol from sales tax. Check with your state's tax department to see if you can save on your patriotic display.

    June 15: It's Tax Day, this time for U.S. citizens or resident aliens living and working abroad, as well as military personnel stationed outside the United States.

    This mid-June day also is the deadline for the second estimated tax payment for the 2023 tax year.

    June 18: Happy Father's Day!

    Happy Father's Day

    Dad might not say so, but he appreciates being recognized, so take time today to let him know you care. And if your father is getting on up in years, take the time when you visit to make sure he doesn't need some added help from you. If you provide Pop a little, or even a lot of assistance, there's a chance you could get some help from a couple of tax credits.

    June 19: It's Juneteenth. This date marks when Texans finally received word that all slaves were free. And although it is our newest federal holiday, it is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

    Juneteenth


    June 21: It's official at 10:58 a.m. Eastern Time. Summer is here, arriving on this longest day of the year.

    Summer sun

    Many charitable groups help people cope with the heat. If you itemize, your gift to such IRS-qualified nonprofits could be tax deductible on next year's tax return.

    June 26: If you missed spring cleaning, summer's also a good time to determine what you can do without. If that includes clothing or household items, you also can donate those and claim the fair market value of the items.

    June 30: If you got an extension to file back in April, or by June 15 if you're a taxpayer living overseas, remember that Free File, the online preparation and electronic filing web page for eligible taxpayers created by the IRS' partnership with the Free File Alliance, is still operational.

    IRS Free File; click image for details

    You can prepare and e-file as its name says at no cost if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $73,000 or less, regardless of your filing status. You should be able to find a software that works for you from the seven tax prep companies that are participating.

    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

  • 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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    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

  • COVID-19
    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

  • COVID-19
    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

June 2023

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18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30  

Tell it to the Hill

  • DMWT Politics Posts
  • 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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