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Don't Mess With Taxes

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By the Numbers 2020

Welcome to the start of a new decade.

Numbers via 123BF2020 is perfect for a feature on numbers. Not only is there its wonderful symmetry, but the obvious optical connotation is perfect for a look at tax-related numbers.

In fact, I even saw my way (see what I did there?) to getting a head start on the annual By the Numbers tabulating. The first numerical feature of this new year was posted on the first Friday of 2020 instead of the usual weekend day.

But that didn't stop another figure (actually figures) from getting recognized on schedule when the weekend rolled around.

Heck, at this rate, 2020 could be a momentous year for numbers from many and varied perspectives!

What remains the same, this 10th year of the ol' blog's numerical tradition is that the figures are more than just those we enter on our 1040s every year.

In keeping with the numeric posts of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the selected digits each week[end] 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 a figure to be featured each week.

Also as in past years, I'll try to get the relevant figures up each weekend, usually on Sunday. But sometimes stuff happens, meaning the featured By the Number figure goes up a bit later.

Or if I run across some noteworthy numerals that deserve posting before the weekend, then By the Numbers will be posted before or in addition to the expected publication date, like this year. 

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 the year's special By the Numbers page. The newest post each week will go at the top of the list.

So welcome 2020. Let's make you count!

  • 11
    Millions out of luck and money as federal unemployment assistance ends (Dec. 29, 2020)
    This post is the same as the one in the 17 featured below on Dec. 27, 2020. The new 11 figure references the 11 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits that the
    U.S. Department of Labor said would be paid even though the signing of the second COVID-19 relief law was late.
  • 17
    Millions out of luck and money as federal unemployment assistance ends (Dec. 27, 2020)
  • 671 Lincoln Avenue
    Real 'Home Alone' house provides nice annual tax present to property tax collector (Dec. 20, 2020)
  • 12
    It costs less in 2020 to be a True Love 12 Days of Christmas gift giver (Dec. 13, 2020)
  • $400,000
    Tax reform is a global concern in wake of COVID-19's costs (Dec. 6, 2020)
  • Dec. 11
    Congress must meet Dec. 11 funding deadline to avoid another government shutdown (Nov. 29, 2020); Note: legislative extensions ultimately pushed this deadline day to Dec. 28.
  • $435
    A few tax penalties nudged up in 2021 by inflation (Nov. 22, 2020)
  • 21
    Watch out for continuing COVID-19 tax (and more) scams (Nov. 15, 2020)
  • 60 days
    IRS offers tax help to those facing COVID money troubles (Nov. 8, 2020)
  • 12
    12 year-end tax moves to make, or at least look into, in November 2020 (Nov. 1, 2020)
  • CP501, CP503 and CP504
    IRS is resuming issuance of tax balance-due notices (Oct. 25, 2020)
  • 1,659
    Sales tax jurisdictions across the United States (Oct. 18, 2020)
  • 9.3 percent
    Joe Biden's tax proposals: a state-by-state breakout (Oct. 11, 2020)
  • $1.625 million
    Colorado University nets $1.6 million in sports betting deal (Oct. 4, 2020)
  • 4,966 & 10456
    COVID EIPs await non-filers nationwide, especially in some NY ZIP Codes (Sept. 27, 2020)
  • 5.5 percent
    State revenue loss due to COVID-19 not as bad as feared (Sept. 20, 2020)
  • 6
    6 more tax forms added to IRS digital signature list (Sept. 13, 2020)
  • 29.2 million
    6 unemployment tax Q&A for COVID-tinged Labor Day 2020 (Sept. 6, 2020)
  • 3,387
    Irish tax cheat reports skyrocket (Aug. 30, 2020)
  • $18
    COVID-created tax refund interest payments going to nearly 14 million filers (Aug. 23, 2020)
  • March 1 and July 15
    IRS knows some recently issued nonpayment notices are wrong. Now what? (Aug. 16, 2020)
  • 4
    Trump COVID executive actions sidestep stalled Congressional relief talks (Aug. 9, 2020)
  • 70 percent
    Considering more COVID-19 payments on Parents' Day (July 26, 2020)
  • 555
    IRS' 555 telephone exchange is real (July 19, 2020)
  • 1040-ES
    How to make the 2 estimated tax payments also due July 15 (July 12, 2020)
  • 37 percent
    Options to deal with tax bills that many worry they can't pay (July 5, 2020)
  • 6
    Most people use COVID stimulus money to cover expenses (June 28, 2020)
  • 2 million
    Father's Day child tax credit tip, along with other tax breaks for all parents (June 21, 2020)
  • June 15 and 29
    IRS employees returning to offices in 9 more locations (June 14, 2020)
  • Form RD-109NR
    COVID-changed work patterns mean tax hassles, possible KC workers' refunds (June 7, 2020)
  • 10 million
    IRS workers returning June 1 to offices and 10 million pieces of unopened snail mail (May 31, 2020)
  • 152 million and $258 billion
    IRS has distributed 152 million COVID-19 relief payments worth $258 billion (May 24, 2020)
  • 4
    Hurricane season 2020 early start means it's time to prepare (May 17, 2020)
  • Noon on May 13
    May 13 at noon is deadline to give IRS info for direct deposit of COVID-19 money (May 9, 2020)
  • May 5
    SSI, VA recipients must update family status by May 5 to get full COVID-19 payment (May 2, 2020)
  • 88.1 million and $158 billion
    88.1 million have received COVID-19 payments, says IRS (April 24, 2020)
  • 22 million
    Some states struggling to pay coronavirus-created unemployment claims (April 19, 2020)
  • April 11
    IRS makes first COVID-19 payments, with online option to alter delivery coming soon (April 12, 2020) 
  • $3,058
    Tax filings are still sluggish, but refunds are larger (April 5, 2020)
  • $1,200, $2,400 and $500
    Compare COVID payments using 2019 or 2018 tax return (March 28, 2020)
  • July 15, 2020
    July 15 tax filing and payment deadline Q&A (March 21, 2020)
  • 3.14
    A tasty Pi Day tax tip on rounding tax form entries (March 14, 2020)
  • $12,200, $18,350 and $24,400
    Time and tax deduction method changes (March 08, 2020)
  • 19,513
    Special clinics help low-income taxpayers resolve IRS issues (March 1, 2020)
  • 20%
    20% of Canadians say tax cheating worth the risk (Feb. 23, 2020)
  • 2015
    Tax return filing & refunds are off to a slow 2020 start (Feb. 16, 2020)
  • 5
    Oscars contender 'Joker' benefited from NJ film tax breaks (Feb. 9, 2020)
  • 02022020
    Hurray for Palindrome Day 02022020 (Feb. 2, 2020)
  • 10
    IRS watchdog report indicates continued tax refund delays (Jan. 26, 2020)
  • 55 percent
    Esports join NFL, other traditional games as jock tax target (Jan. 19, 2020)
  • Jan. 15
    Final annual estimated tax payment due Jan. 15 (Jan. 12, 2020)
  • 31 and 1
    Babies' birthdays determine tax year tax breaks
    (Jan. 5, 2020)
  • $18,428,370
    Mortgage relief scammers hit with $18.5 million judgment (Jan. 3, 2020
    )
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Today's Tax Tip

  • IRS TACs holding special Saturday hours for walk-ins — To help taxpayers who can't make a weekday appointment at an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC), the tax agency will open some of them across the country on four upcoming Saturdays nationwide. The first Saturday TAC sessions will be this weekend, Feb. 11. The other special openings will be on March 11, April 8, and May 13. Best of all, no appointments needed at any of the TAC Saturdays. (Feb. 8, 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
    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 Year 2023 Countdown!

    Happy New Tax Year! Are you ready to file your 2022 tax return? Me neither. But at least this year we're getting some extra time to file and pay any tax we owe. Even better, it's not COVID-19 pandemic related. Tax Day 2023 is Tuesday, April 18. This later date is because April 15, 2023, is on Saturday, and the next business day, Monday, April 17, is Emancipation Day.
    When this Washington, D.C., holiday falls on the day our federal taxes are due, it bumps Tax Day nationwide to the next business day. So this year, we have until Tuesday, April 18, to finish our federal forms and, if we find we owe, come up with the money for Uncle Sam. The states that follow the federal tax calendar, which is most of them, also tend to abide by this date change.

    The countdown clock below should help us from missing out on making important tax-saving moves the rest of this year. Plus, the Tax Moves below the counter will list some timely tasks to take care this first month of 2023, and each of the remaining 11 when they arrive. They'll speed by quickly when you're 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 February, and ❤ to our new 2023 Valentine, the Internal Revenue Service. OK, maybe love for the IRS is a little much, but we at least want to make nice with Uncle Sam's tax collector this month as it goes into the first full, albeit short, month of the tax season. That means some taxpayers will be getting their refunds in February!

    via GIPHY

    With just 28 days, it will mean some full days for both IRS employees, some of whom are still trying to catch up on that lingering COVID-19 pandemic backlog, and all of us who'll file this month. So let's not waste anymore time, and get to some tax tasks for this shortest month of the year!

    Feb. 1: Employers and other third-party payers were to have issued us our W-2 and associated 1099 forms by Jan. 31. If you're still waiting, be patient and give them a tad more time. And don't forget to check your email, as many issuers sent out electronic notices of the online availability forms and other statements you need to file your taxes instead of relying on the U.S. Postal Service.

    Feb. 2: Happy Groundhog Day!

    Fat Groundhog; click image for Groundhog Day details

    The main reason to wait for the correct tax statements is to avoid getting caught in a Bill Murray kind of tax loop, where you have to file an amended tax return because you entered wrong info on your original 1040.

    Feb. 7: 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 this month, specifically on Feb. 12, 1909, 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, during Black History Month or any day of the year, you can donate to it and, since it is a 501(c)(3) organization, claim your gift as a charitable tax deduction if you itemize. Sorry, filling out Schedule A is your only option this filing season, since Congress didn't renew the option to claim cash gifts of up to $300 for single filers or $600 for married filing jointly couples directly on Form 1040.

    Feb. 10: 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 remember 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.

    If you got at least $20 in gratuities in January, you must account for the tips today by using Form 4070 to report last month's tips total to your employer.

    Feb. 12: Are your ready Chiefs, Eagles, and special television commercial fans? It's finally Super Bowl Sunday! Not only will today's 57th Super Bowl decide American professional football's champion, it's also the biggest single betting day of the year. The NFL, like the other professional U.S. sports leagues, have embraced betting. Just remember, if any of your wagers pay off, you owe tax on your winnings. Note, too, that even if your winnings are part of a fantasy sports bet, the associated taxes are very real.

    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. I don't want to spoil your Heart Day celebration, but this means the IRS can come after either spouse for payment of a tax bill, even the husband or wife who is in more dire financial circumstances.

    Feb. 15: Today is the day that the Internal Revenue Service finally can issue refunds to filers who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or additional Child Tax Credit. But don't spend the money just yet. Even if you're getting your tax refund directly deposited, the IRS' general processing time plus protocols of financial institutions receiving the refunds you’re your tax cash probably won't actually show up in your account until the end of this month.

    Feb. 20: Today is one of the reasons for tax refund delays. It's the Washington Birthday federal holiday, 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 is popularly known as Presidents' Day. That means we've got to give another 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.

    Feb. 24: You're ready to work on your tax return, but you're on a budget. No worries. The IRS and its Free File Alliance partners again offer no-cost online tax preparation and electronic filing to eligible taxpayers at the IRS' special Free File web page. This year, seven tax software companies are participating.

    IRS Free File; click image for details

    The Free File income threshold this year remains at adjusted gross income (AGI) of $73,000 or less, regardless of your filing status.

    Feb. 28: Wow! February really did speed by, especially since we were having so much tax fun. Or maybe you weren't having any fun at all trying to do your taxes yourself, even with software's prompts, and have decided to turn to professional tax help. That's a smart move, and here are some tips on how to find the perfect tax professional for your filing and planning needs. Note, though, that at this point in the filing season, you're likely to be placed at the end of that tax pro's very long client queue, as reputable tax preparers' calendars fill up fast. So again, be patient. You're at least now in tax filing line.

    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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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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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

February 2023

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28        

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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