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Don't Mess With Taxes

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By the Numbers 2016

Wow! Another year is gone. This seems to be happening with alarming speed lately. 

Numbers via 123BFOne of the things that makes the annoyingly surprisingly fast passage of another 365 days a bit more tolerable is the New Year's edition of By the Numbers. This tradition here at the ol' blog is entering its sixth year.

As with the numeric posts of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, a new figure -- ranging from percentages to dollar amounts to titles of tax legislation to raw numbers and much more -- that has a tax connection (as determined by moi) will be featured.

I try to get the relevant figures up each weekend, but sometimes I'm early and sometimes I'm late.

But whenever a new number goes up, you can find the link to it on this special page. The newest post each week will go at the top of the list.

So hello 2016! Here are your numbers!

  • 10
    Some tax penalty amounts increase in 2017 (Dec. 31, 2016)
  • 34
    Amazon to collect sales taxes in 2017 from Iowa, Nebraska and Utah online shoppers (Dec. 24, 2016)
  • 6
    6 MLB teams must pay $74 million in total luxury taxes (Dec. 17, 2016)
  • 63-36
    Tax season 2017 is safe! Federal government is funded through next April 28
    (Dec. 10, 2016)
  • $26,901
    Tax Court denies business deduction for Aston Martin (Dec. 3, 2016)
  • 17-19-21-37-44-16
    Tennessee Powerball ticket buyer wins $421 million (Nov. 27, 2016)
  • -34.34 percent
    Some U.S. corps doing just fine with current tax code (Nov. 20, 2016)
  • 1,380
    Expatriations escalating again. Is it politics or taxes? (Nov. 14, 2016)
  • 237,750
    'Trusted' taxpayers to get more ID theft protection (Nov. 6, 2016)
  • $16,625
    Alec Baldwin accused of avoiding New York sales tax on disputed painting purchase (Oct. 30, 2016)
  • $10 billion & 100,000
    IRS collects $10 billion from 100,000 foreign accounts (Oct. 22, 2016)
  • 1.4 percent
    Here's a HINT about Donald Trump and other rich taxpayers who pay Uncle Sam nothing (Oct. 16, 2016)
  • 9 million
    IRS still waiting on almost 9 million tax returns (Oct. 8, 2016)
  • 23 cents
    New Jersey hikes gas tax by 23 cents per gallon (Oct. 1, 2016)
  • 2
    2-step authentication system on the way for access to more IRS online services (Sept. 24, 2016)
  • 7,200
    IRS to close operations in California, Kentucky & Texas (Sept. 19, 2016)
  • $10,162
    1 GOP candidate down: Mike Pence releases tax returns (Sept. 10, 2016)
  • 38
    Christie plans to end New Jersey-Pennsylvania tax pact (Sept. 4, 2016)
  • $43 million
    Oregon collects almost $26 million in marijuana taxes (Aug. 27, 2016)
  • 105.769 percent
    IRS wants to more than double some payment plan fees (Aug. 19, 2016)
  • £14,301,369,864,489.03
    British man's 14 trillion pound tax bill highlights steps anyone, anywhere should take upon tax notice receipt (Aug. 15, 2016)
  • 17.8 million
    Tax Court awards whistleblower pair $17.8 million (Aug. 6, 2016)
  • $330.6 million
    Remember Powerball players: If you win, you owe taxes (July 30, 2016)
  • 97,100
    California victims of massive methane gas leak won't owe federal tax on some recovery payments (July 24, 2016)
  • 6 percent
    Digital download tax starts Aug. 1 in Pennsylvania (July 16, 2016)
  • 2
    Taxes play role in Mega Millions & NJ jackpot winnings (July 9, 2016)
  • 13
    'Taxation without representation is tyranny' & 12 other tax quotes for the Fourth of July (July 2, 2016)
  • 30
    June 30 deadline looms for foreign account owners (June 25, 2016)
  • 1.9 million
    Tax help for single dads in caring for their kids (June 19, 2016)
  • 5
    IRS picks crowdsourced Tax Design Challenge winners (June 10, 2016)
  • $96,611.23
    'Poor' Donald Trump's property tax break, take 2 (June 6, 2016)
  • 8.25 percent
    Texans enjoy Memorial Day Energy Star sales tax holiday (May 28, 2016)
  • $6 million
    Trump's veterans' fundraiser apparently coming up short (May 21, 2016)
  • 12
    Romney tax return 'hacker' convicted of extortion, fraud (May 14, 2016)
  • 43.5 million
    3 tax tips for moms on Mother's Day 2016 (May 8, 2016)
  • $458 billion
    Tax gap hits $458 billion (April 30, 2016)
  • 75 percent
    You rang? IRS was better at answering in 2016 (April 24, 2016)
  • 18
    18 often overlooked tax deductions and tax credits (April 16, 2016)
  • $28.2 million
    SoFla rappers sentenced for roles in tax fraud (April 10, 2016)
  • 1
    Still waiting for more Bernie Sanders tax returns, too (April 3, 2016)
  • 35 cents
    IRS' 35-cent solution and other tax-filing numbers (March 26, 2016)
  • 17
    The IRS' official tax guide: Publication 17
     (March 18, 2016)
  • $718
    Filing deadline for 2012 taxes -- and almost $1 billion in unclaimed tax refunds -- is April 18 (March 13, 2016)
  • $25,000
    IRS Commissioner Koskinen gets public service award (March 5, 2016)
  • 25 million
    Facing first-time tax filing fears (Feb. 27, 2016)
  • 9
    9 states considering gasoline tax hikes (Feb. 22, 2016)
  • 6 percent
    Maryland shoppers get an Energy Star tax holiday this combined Valentine's Day and Presidents Day weekend (Feb. 13, 2016)
  • 8,800
    TaxSlayer data breach is the 3rd tax software-related security issue so far this filing season (Feb. 6, 2016)
  • Feb. 1
    W-2, 1099 forms delivery deadline is here (Jan. 31, 2016)
  • 89 percent
    Taxpayers want up-front pricing from paid tax preparers (Jan. 24, 2016)
  • $25
    Finding a charity to volunteer with on MLK Day 2016 (Jan. 18, 2016)
  • $900 million $1.3 billion
    5 tax tips for lottery winners (Jan. 9, 2016)
  • 2
    2 sets of twins born just minutes, but tax years, apart  (Jan. 2, 2016)

Happy tax counting!

Filing Season Tax Tips

  • EITC and ACTC refunds are good to go, sort of — Since 2017, the Internal Revenue Service has been required to hold until mid-February tax refunds when the filers claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or additional child tax credit (ACTC). That deadline is here, but if you're affected by this law, be patient. It will take the IRS some time, especially in this government shutdown-affected filing season, for your tax money to be sent. (Feb. 15, 2019)

  • Tax Tip; click pencil for all tax tip links

  • Did you miss a daily tip posted above? No worries. They're collected in the 2019 Filing Season Tax Tips pages, one for each of the three-and-a-half months that we focus on our 1040s: January, February, March and — tah-dah! — April. After a brief break to catch our post-filing deadline breath, the Weekly Tax Tips, like these from 2018, will return.

All About Kay

  • OK, some about Kay
    Open sign
    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 2019 is here!
    Are you ready to file your 2018 tax return? Me neither. But we need to start thinking about it now because April 15 will be here before we realize it and we've got to figure out how the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes will affect our filing — and eventual bill or refund. The countdown clock below will help you keep track of this year's due date. Happy New Tax Year!
    Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.

Time for Tax Tasks


  • monthly tax moves


  • Feb. 1: Hello, February! We're thrilled that the shortest month has arrived.

    January gives way to February_LoveThisPicPinterest

    Although we have only 28 days, that's still plenty of time to make some meaningful tax moves.
    Let's get to them.

    Feb. 2: Happy Groundhog Day!

    Fat Groundhog; click image for Groundhog Day details

    Don't get caught in a Bill Murray loop and end up doing your taxes over and over. Get your 2018 return right the first time, which means waiting for all your necessary tax statements, like your W-2 and the assortment of 1099 forms, that you need to file.

    Feb. 3: Are you ready for some Super Bowl!?! Of course you are, especially if you're placing a now-legal sports bet on the NFL championship game. Even nonsports fans get in on the action through myriad prop bets. Remember, though, that whenever any bet, be it on an on-field event or something tangentially related to the game, pays off, those gambling winnings are taxable income.

    Feb. 11: Does your job include tips? If so and you received $20 in tips in January, use Form 4070 to report them today to your employer. Yes, it's usually due on the 10th, but since that was on Sunday, you have until the next business day to provide details on your gratuities.

    Feb. 12: Black History Month is celebrated every day this month, commemorating the achievements by black Americans and recognizing the role of African Americans in U.S. history.

    The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the nation's oldest and largest grassroots-based civil rights organization, was founded on Feb. 12, 1909. That was the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation twice.

    One of the NAACP's key divisions is its Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
    If you want to support the Fund's work, you can donate to it and, since it is a 501(c)(3) organization, you can still claim it as an itemized deduction. Yes, this part of Schedule A survived the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changes, although you might want to now look into other charitable giving strategies.

    Feb. 14: Happy Valentine's Day!

    Do you and your better half file a joint return? Most married couples do. Remember to look over the 1040 carefully before you sign it. When both spouses sign their jointly filed 1040, each is jointly and severally liable for the entire tax amount due. This means the Internal Revenue Service can come after either spouse for payment of a tax bill, even the spouse who is in more dire financial circumstances.

    Feb. 18: Today is Presidents Day, officially honoring George Washington, the Father of Our Country. Over the years, however, this federal (three-day, yay!) holiday has come to commemorate the contributions of all our Commanders in Chief. And we've got to give a (another) special shout out to Abraham Lincoln, who essentially was father of our income tax system, signing into law a tax on earnings to help pay Civil War costs.

    Nowadays, however, this and other Monday holidays are spotlighted as special shopping days. If you itemize, you can claim a deduction for the state and local sales taxes you pay, although they might not be as valuable on your 2018 tax return due to the overall caps on state and local income tax deductions under the TCJA.

    Feb. 22: February usually is a big filing month. If you're among the millions working on your taxes now, check out Free File. The IRS/tax software industry partnership, known as the Free File Alliance, is in its 17th year of providing eligible taxpayers the opportunity to prepare and e-file their taxes at no cost.

    IRS Free File; click image for details

    This year, qualifying taxpayers — that's those with income of $66,000 or less — can use one of the expected dozen or so special commercial tax software programs at IRS.gov's Free File online page. Even if you make too much to use the online software, you can file using Free File's fillable forms.

    Feb. 28: If you're not a tax procrastinator and have already filed, you can check the status of your return online using the IRS' "Where's My Refund?" tool.

    Small Business Tax Calendar: Speaking of business taxes, you'll find important filing, deposit and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to know in the IRS' tax calendar for small businesses and the self-employed. You also can get more tax calendar information 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.

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

  • Numbers
    Taxes are all about the numbers.
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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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