Don't Mess With Taxes

2022: The year where, once again, April 15 isn't Tax Day.

Ah, April. The month of showers, spring-like weather, and Tax Day.

But not, at least tax-wise, in 2022.

As happened last year, the April 15 tax return filing and tax due paying deadline has been moved.  However, this year it's not because of the coronavirus pandemic.

2022's new Tax Day is is just a couple of days from the regular deadline. It's April 18 because of the plain old calendar and how the Internal Revenue Service deals with tax deadlines falling on weekends or federal holidays. The affected due dates get bumped to the next business day.

April 15 this year is on Friday, which also is the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C. Tax law says that when this mid-April commemoration of the freeing of slaves in the District of Columbia falls on Tax Day, the filing deadline gets moved to the next business day. So we set our tax sites on Monday, April 18.

In addition to more time to get our 1040 forms done (and 2021 tax year bills paid), we also get another couple of days to put money into and count it as 2021 contributions to traditional or Roth IRAs, health savings accounts (HSAs), Archer Medical Savings Accounts (Archer MSAs), and Coverdell education savings accounts (Coverdell ESAs).

Unless we are taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts. April 18 is Patriots Day, a legal holiday in these two New England states. So those filers get until Tuesday, April 19, to complete their tax filing.

I know, it's one day into April and I'm already exhausted by tax technicalities.

The following tax tips, however, should help all of us get our taxes done by the slightly extended due date. So, once you're rested and ready, here goes!

1. Don't fall for these 10 tax myths — The intrawebz and social media have made April Fools' Day even more sketchy, so be careful out there today! And on this April 1st or any day of the year, don't be fooled by these persistent tax myths. (April 1, 2022
2. 5 April tax filing moves — Welcome to April, the month of spring showers, MLB baseball (finally!), and Tax Day. Yep, the Internal Revenue Service has us taxpayers back on a mid-April schedule after two seasons of COVID Tax Day delays. Here are some April Tax Moves to consider as this year's April 18 deadline nears. (April 4, 2022)
3. Ways to pay your tax bill — If you owe taxes this filing season, the IRS offers plenty of ways to pay . Five are electronic. (April 5 2022)
4. Some IRS TACs open Saturday, April 9 — If you need to talk with an Internal Revenue Service rep in person about a tax matter, 40 of the agency's Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) in 24 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, will be open this Saturday, April 9. Find the one near you and just walk in, no appointment required. (April 7, 2022)
5. Ways to pay a surprisingly large tax bill — You finished your tax return, but discovered you owe Uncle Sam much more than you expected. Worse, you don't have the cash to cover your total tax bill. What now? Here are some ways to deal with a tax balance that's just too darn big to pay in one fell swoop. (April 9, 2022)
6. Picking the proper filing status — Most folks' filing status stays the same from tax year to tax year. But a change (or two, or more) in your personal situation could mean you need to revisit how you file your return. The Internal Revenue Service gives us 5 filing status choices. Pick the proper one. It could make a big difference in your tax bill. (April 10, 2022)
   
   
   

   Yes, it's tax time déjà vu. In this last week leading up to Tax Day 2022, some of the following tax tips are repeats of ones run in prior months. I'm just trying to make things a bit easier for all the frantic filers rushing to meet the April 18 deadline. For all y'all taxpayers who got your taxes done on time, smugness is allowed. Thanks, too, for your patience with those of us who are still, and will be for the next few months, working on our tax year 2021 Form 1040s.

   
   
   
7. Tips for tax-filing newbies — Are your filing your first-ever tax return this year? Welcome to the 150-million-plus taxpaying club. These 8 tips for tax newbies could help make your initiation a bit easier.  (April 11, 2022)
8. Maximizing itemized tax deductions — Most taxpayers claim the standard deduction when they file their tax returns. In some cases, though, itemizing makes for more tax savings. Here's how to maximize the expenses you can claim on Schedule A. (April 12, 2022)
9. Time running out to claim 2018 tax year refunds — If you didn't file a tax year 2018 return three years ago and missed out on a refund back then, you've got until this approaching April 18 Tax Day to get that old paperwork to the Internal Revenue Service. If you miss the deadline, Uncle Sam gets to keep your money. Also, check out how much unclaimed, potentially forfeited refund money is available in your state. (April 12, 2022)
10. Estimated tax deadline also April 18 — Don't forget about estimated taxes if you make money that isn't subject to withholding. The first 1040-ES payment for the 2022 tax year also is due on Tax Day, Monday, April 18. (April 13, 2022)
11. 25 tax deductions without itemizing — Most taxpayers don't itemize, especially since tax law changes back in 2017 created much larger standard deduction amounts. But standard deduction filers, and itemizers, too, can claim some write-offs directly on Form 1040's Schedule 1. There are 25 possibilities, still referred to as above-the-line deductions, and they include popular write-offs such as educators' out-of-pocket expenses, contributions to IRAs, and a variety of self-employed breaks. (April 14, 2022)
12. 10 last-minute tax filing tips — Are you still working on, or about to start, your 2021 tax return? Here are 10 last-minute tax filing tips that could help you complete the job by Tax Day on April 18. (April 14, 2022)
13. Form 4868 will get you more time to file — The April 18 tax filing deadline is just days away, but you need much more time than that to finish filling in your return. No worries. Instead, file Form 4868 to get six more months to finish your taxes. Just be sure to pay any tax you owe when you get your extension so that you won't face added penalties and interest charges. (April 15, 2022)
14. FBAR filing deadline also is April 18 — If you've gone financially global by adding international assets to your holdings, a key deadline is nearly here. You must file Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, or FBAR, by Tax Day, which this year is April 18. Here are some FAQ about these filings. (April 16, 2022)
15. Extra day for NE taxpayers — If you live in Maine or Massachusetts, you get 24 more hours to file your 2021 tax return. While Tax Day this year is Monday, April 18, because of the Emancipation Day holiday, as noted in the intro to April's tax tips, it's also Patriots Day in those two New England (yes, NE stands for that, although northeast works, too) states. So those filers get until Tuesday, April 19, to file their returns. (April 16, 2022) 
16. Disasters delay Tax Day for filers in 5 states & Puerto Rico — Most U.S. taxpayers (except those noted New Englanders in #13) must meet tomorrow's April 18 tax filing (and paying) deadline. However, some in 5 states and Puerto Rico have even longer. May 16 is the due date for some of the states' filers; June 15 is Tax Day for those living in the U.S. island territory. Jealous? Don't be. These taxpayers get more time because they live in areas hit by major disasters. (April 17, 2022)
17. Don't forget your state taxes — If you have to file a federal tax return, you probably have to file a state one, too. Most states follow the Internal Revenue Service lead in asking their residents to submit returns electronically. Most also offer free online state tax filing options. (April 17, 2022)
18. 7 tips to get you through Tax Day 2022 — Tax Day 2022 is here. If you're ready to finish up your tax return filing, great. If you're not, here are some tips that could help. You'll also find some tax moves you might want to consider regardless of where you are on the filing spectrum this April 18th. (April 18, 2022)
19. Didn't file on April 18? Do this now! — So you missed Tax Day. It happens. Don't panic. But don't dawdle. Here are some post-filing tax moves to make as soon as possible. They will limit any penalty and interest charges that started accruing at 12:01 a.m. April 19. And if you didn't legally have to file, check out #5 for a good reason to do so as soon as possible anyway. (April 20, 2022)
20. Form 1040-X can help fix tax filing mistakes — No one wants to file more than one tax return, but sometimes mistakes on a 1040 mean a re-do is required. Your amended return is filed on Form 1040-X. Here are 7 tips to make that additional filing easier. (April 25, 2022)
21. 5 post-filing tax tasks to take care of now — You sent the IRS your 1040 so you're done with taxes for this year, right? Not quite. Here are five other post-filing tax tasks you might want to make before you close the 2022 filing season book. (April 27, 2022)

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Looking for some more tax tips? Then click on the links below to see what was featured that month. One warning, though, in the months yet to come, which right now is May through December, you won't find any tips.

Instead, you'll be greeted by an animated nay-saying fellow making good use of one of my favorite Texas sayings. Tax info will replace that fun and folksy GIF as the months arrive.

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