The 2019 tax year started awkwardly. The Internal Revenue Service is getting ready to open a filing season that involves the first major tax law changes in more than three decades but it's stymied by a partial government shutdown.
While we're waiting for the folks in Washington, D.C., to get their acts together, life and taxes go on. We still have to deal with the annual onslaught of forms and documents and, of course, numbers.
Then when that's done and we're assessed the damage, we have to make tax moves for 2019 so that our result will be less taxing this time next years.
All this means that we're going to be awash in lots and lots of tax-related numbers.
At least from my standpoint, all these figures provide plenty of fodder for the 2019 version of By the Numbers.
This is the ninth year for this numerical tradition here at the ol' blog.
And in keeping with the numeric posts of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 2017 and 2018, I'll select a new figure each week.
The figures will range from tax rate percentages to dollar amounts to titles of tax legislation to raw numbers and much, much more. Basically, I'll choose any and every thing that can be counted in even a remote tax way as the weekly feature.
Again as in past years, I'll try to get the relevant figures up each weekend, usually on Sunday. But sometimes stuff happens, meaning the number goes up early or, more often than not, late.
Regardless of the timing, you can always find a link to the new number on the ol' blog's home page under the multicolored numbers box (pictured on this page, too!), as well as on this special page. The newest post each week will go at the top of the list.
So welcome 2019. Let's make you count!
- 1.4 percent
Trump's tariffs caused job losses and price increases, says Federal Reserve report (Dec. 29, 2019) - 2020
Tax law changes, from extenders to disaster relief to retirement and more, now official (Dec. 22, 2019) - 30 percent
Greece to require digital transactions to fight tax evasion (Dec. 15, 2019) - 100
IRS criminal investigators tout 2019 successes, look to year 101's tax crime challenges (Dec. 8, 2019) - 4
States continue court fights over SALT deduction limit (Dec. 1, 2019) - 36
Drought-stricken farmers, ranchers get more time to report tax on livestock forced-sale gains (Nov. 24, 2019) - $3,900
Cryptocurrency tax compliance effort a success for asset owners and IRS (Nov. 17, 2019) - 10
10-part series on the 2020 inflation adjustments to popular tax provisions (one post a day from Nov. 6, 2019, through Nov. 15, 2019; link goes to Part 1, which has an index to the other 9 posts) - 23 trillion
National debt passes $23 trillion for first time ever (Nov. 2, 2019) - 7.25 percent
Chicago mayor seeks increase in city's cloud tax (Oct. 27, 2019) - $115,000
Philadelphia collects $115,000 in soda tax fines (Oct. 20, 2019) - $?
The last fee-free PTIN season starts Oct. 16 (Oct. 13, 2019) - 20
Taxpayers in 19 states & D.C. now can get special IRS IP PIN to fight tax identity theft (Oct. 6, 2019) - $1 million
KC Chiefs take $1M sales tax fight to MO Supreme Court (Sept. 29, 2019) - 281
281 people arrested in connection with global email scams (Sept. 22, 2019) - $15 trillion
Tax version of 'Phantom Menace' comes to $15 trillion in global tax haven money moves (Sept. 15, 2019) - 100
IRS celebrating 100 years of capturing tax criminals (Sept. 8, 2019) - $460
New tariffs today mean higher prices for U.S. consumers (Sept. 1, 2019) - $74 million
Projecting marijuana tax revenue is an iffy exercise (Aug. 25, 2019) - $230,000
Treasury and IRS tax auctions offer bargains (Aug. 17, 2019) - 18 U.S. Code Section 1030
Former college student pleads guilty to trying to hack Trump's taxes (Aug. 11, 2019) - 229
U.S. Coast Guard, created to collect some taxes for a young America, turns 229 (Aug. 4, 2019) - 1
Tax scores upset win, this time in horse race, not Congress (July 28, 2019) - 34
Remembering former IRS Commissioner Mortimer Caplin (July 21, 2019) - 1040
IRS proposes Form 1040 changes for 2019 filings (July 14, 2019) - 900,259.362
Tax audits drop, according to latest IRS data (July 7, 2019) - 85 percent and 95 percent
Tax cheating is wrong, say most U.S. taxpayers (June 30, 2019) - $2,215,587 and $735,933
Former government tax attorney pleads guilty to tax evasion (June 23, 2019) - $4.8 million and $1.4 million
Tax Court judges reject companies' payment plan offers (June 15, 2019) - 47.6 percent
Big Jeopardy winner owes more than $1 million in taxes (June 9, 2019) - W-4
IRS reworks W-4 to help taxpayers withhold correct amounts (June 2, 2019) - $102 million
Trump's golf outing costs reach $102 million and counting (May 26, 2019) - 570,000
Mismatched tax ID numbers worry workers, employers and Social Security (May 19, 2019) - 80 percent
Tax break gifts for moms on Mother's (and every) Day (May 12, 2019) - 51 percent
Most small business owners happy with new tax law (May 5, 2019) - Rev. Proc. 2019-18
Pro athlete trades get tax relief from IRS (April 28, 2019) - $2.7 billion
IRS technology upgrade will require up to $2.7 billion (April 21, 2019) - 50 million
5 tax tips for snail mail filers (April 14, 2019) - $50,851
IRS audit interest piqued by DIFferent deduction amounts (April 7, 2019) - $2,915
Tax refund wait prompts alleged assault (March 31, 2019) - 12
2019's Dirty Dozen tax scams repeat last year's list (March 24, 2019) - $1,408,482,000
More than $1.4 billion in tax refunds awaiting claims by taxpayers who didn't file in 2016 (March 18, 2019) - $3.50 and $16
Taxes on your St. Patrick's Day green beer (March 17, 2019) - July 31
Alabama tornado victims' tax deadline now July 31 (March 10, 2019) - $3,143 and $3,226
2019's average tax refunds finally surpass 2018 amounts (March 1, 2019) - $2,640
Smaller tax refunds could slow U.S. economy (Feb. 24, 2019) - 26
Expired tax extenders not yet on track for renewal (Feb. 17, 2019) - $30,000
Grammys swag bag worth a taxable $30,000 (Feb. 10, 2019) - 33
Super Bowl prop bets could pay off nicely for gamblers and the IRS (Feb. 3, 2019) - 14,000
IRS workers calling in sick by thousands during shutdown (Jan. 25, 2019) - $1,000
IRS offers tax penalty relief to some who didn't have enough withheld or paid too little estimated taxes (Jan. 20, 2019) - 22* 35
22 days and counting into the longest federal government shutdown ever (Jan. 12, 2019) *Day count will be updated, well, daily until the shutdown ends. - 6
6 top tax issues of 2018 and what to expect in 2019 (Jan. 6, 2019)