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Don't Mess With Taxes

Translating taxes into money-saving English

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February 2022 tax tips

Tiger, tiger burning bright,
like the light in my tax accountant's office all the night … 

Tax tip pencilEnding up spending hour after hour with your tax preparer is nobody's idea of a good time.

That's why you need to make sure as we head into this first, albeit short, full month of the tax season that you, and subsequently your tax pro, have a good handle on your taxes.

One of the key things is to make sure all your information is correct. You can't take liberties, like I did with William Blake's famous poem "The Tyger."

Aside from altering the meaning of the poem, I misspelled the central feline character, at least from Blake's perspective.  Back in the 18th century, the English poet's first stanza went:

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Even a one-letter mistake like tyger/tiger in a taxpayer name — yours or your spouse's or a dependent's — on a tax return could cause processing problems.

Math mistakes, even innocent ones, are worse. Your 1040 form could be held up and an Internal Revenue Service examiner likely will have some questions.

But that's why we have the monthly tax tips. February's collection will help you avoid mistakes and find ways to save on the 2021 tax return you're working on now, as well as make moves to help reduce the 2022 tax year version.

As always, February's tax tips will be highlighted in the upper right corner of the ol' blog. After their time in the spotlight, those tips then will be permanently ensconced on this page.

So, since we only have 28 days, here goes!

  1. 3 tax moves to make in February 2022 — Happy Year of the Tiger. As we head into the 2022 Lunar New Year and deeper into tax filing season, direct your inner fierce feline toward some tax-smart moves. Here are three to make in this shortest month of the year. (Feb. 1, 2022)
  2. Be sure to report cryptocurrency activity on your tax return — Do you own Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency? The Internal Revenue Service wants to know of your crypto transactions last year. If you don't 'fess up when you file, you could find yourself in big tax trouble. (Feb. 3, 2022)
  3. Personal cash app transfers are NOT part of new IRS reporting rule — Online entrepreneurs, take note. The Internal Revenue Service will know how much you make this year from your online business if you take in $600 or more and get paid by a peer-to-peer app. But your personal cash app transfers remain just that, personal. They aren't part of the part of new 1099-K IRS reporting rule, with the forms being delivered to you, and copied to the IRS, in 2023. (Feb. 5, 2022)
  4. Special Saturday hours for walk-in taxpayers at some IRS TACs — If you need to talk face-to-face with an Internal Revenue Service rep in person, some of the agency's Taxpayers Assistance Centers are opening for special Saturday hours in February, March, April and May. No appointments needed. The first one is this Saturday, Feb. 12. (Feb. 8, 2022)
  5. Winning Super Bowl bets are taxable income — If your Super Bowl LVI bets pay off, remember that money is taxable income. Here's how to report gambling winnings, along with myriad other income, on Form 1040 Schedule 1. (Feb. 13, 2022)
  6. Signs married couples should file separate 1040s — Valentine's Day is for lovers, but when it comes to taxes, sometimes couples need to go their own ways. Here are 6 signs married couples should consider filing separate tax returns. (Feb. 14, 2022)
  7. Adjusting your withholding — You filed your taxes early and learned you're getting a big refund (yay!) or owe a lot (oops!). Those are among the reasons why you need to adjust your tax withholding now. (Feb. 17, 2022)
  8. Why your refund is smaller than you expected — Millions of taxpayers rely on refunds every tax-filing season. It's their forced saving account at the Bank of Uncle Sam. However, some folks might find their tax refunds this year are smaller than they expected. Here are 5 reasons why that could happen. (Feb. 22, 2022)
  9. No W-2? Here's what to do — Jan. 31 was the deadline for most tax statements to individual taxpayers. But some folks are still waiting for forms, such as their workplace W-2 or assorted 1099 forms. Here are some steps to take if you're missing some key tax filing documents (Feb. 28, 2022)

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Line of hearts

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Looking for some more tax tips? Then click on the January link below to see what was featured that month.

And yes, you can click on the March through December links, too. They are live.

But you'll just 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.

January July
February August
March September
April October
May November
June December

 

 

 

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Today's Tax Tip

  • What the one big tax bill could mean for you — It’s official. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is law, signed at a White House July 4th ceremony. Taxes are a major part of the nearly 1,000-page measure. Here’s a collection of articles on what the new tax (and more) law could mean for your tax planning and ultimate Internal Revenue Service bill. (July 5, 2025)


  • Tax Tip; click pencil for all tax tip links

  • The 2025 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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  • Tax Year 2025 Continues!

    We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 27, the IRS said it expected more than 140 million individual tax returns for tax year 2024 to be filed by April 15. When the month started, the agency was around 39 million short of that number. While many taxpayers no doubt got their 1040s in by Tax Day, million every year get an extension to file. That's fine.

    In fact, the Internal Revenue Service appreciates some of us spreading out our tax submissions. It gives the agency time to process the surge of returns that arrive en masse on April 15.

    But enough about Uncle Sam's tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y'all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Let's get started on meeting that new Oct. 15 deadline. It will be here before you know it.

    The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column can help you finish up your extended Form 1040. There also will be tax tidbits each month that make sure you meet other tax deadlines. And, of course, you'll find advice on ways to cut your 2025 tax bill.

    The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column can help you finish up your extended Form 1040. There also will be tax tidbits each month that make sure you meet other tax deadlines. And, of course, you'll find advice on ways to cut your 2025 tax bill.
    Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.


Time for Tax Tasks


  • monthly tax moves


  • Welcome July!
    🗽 USA 🎆 Birthday 🎉 Time! 🦅


    This first full month of summer really knows how to get the season started: Fireworks across the country on July 4!
    Or, if your neighborhood is annoyingly like mine, fireworks from July 1 through July whenever the pyrotechnics are all boomed!

    Even more exciting, tax-related sparklers continue through the month. In fact, as the calendar of tax tasks below notes, they started before the wicks on any official Independence Day firecrackers were lit.

    toddler with flag background
    Click on the image for some fireworks safety tips and warnings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

    I know, you're feeling like the youngster above, not quite ready yet to hear about taxes. But when you do take your hands off your ears to hear — or rather, scroll down to read — you’ll find some tax information to note and tax moves to make in July.

  • July 1: The majority of state individual and corporate income tax policy changes follow the calendar year and take effect each Jan. 1. But, notes the Tax Foundation, many sales and excise tax changes take effect today, July 1, which is the beginning of the fiscal year for all states except Alabama, Michigan, New York, and Texas. That’s why that notable tax changes will take effect in several states today.

    July 4: Happy 249th Birthday, America!

    Most of us will never be totally independent of taxes, but we can celebrate fewer tax hassles by paying attention to what we might owe and how we can reduce that amount throughout the year. As for that owed amount, if you meet most of your annual tax federal obligation via paycheck withholding, now is a good time to review that amount. If you need to adjust your withholding, the amounts will be less noticeable by being spread across 2025’s remaining six months.

    July 10: If your job is as a server at a restaurant or at any other establishment where gratuities from customers are part of your compensation, I hope you get all the tips you deserve for doing your job well. Remember, though, that those tips are taxable income.

    restaurant check tip iStock
    Whether you're dining at your favorite eatery or getting food, groceries and/or prepared meals, 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 June for your extraordinary services as a food server or hair stylist or parking valet or whatever job where tipping is common, you must report that amount by today. Use Form 4070 to let your employer know the total tips you took in last month.

    July 11: Today kicks off the first of the annual summer state sales tax holidays. During these special shopping events, usually touted as back-to-school tax holidays, certain items are exempt from the states’ and usually the local sales taxes. Announced July sales tax holidays are (so far) in —
    Mississippi from July 11 to 13;
    Alabama from July 18 to 20;
    New Mexico from July 25 to 27, and
    Tennessee from July 25 to 27.

    July 18: If back in April you got an extension to file your 2025 tax return, you don’t have to wait until the final Oct. 15 deadline to do so. You can get this tax task out of the way so you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the summer. You also might be able to file electronically at no cost if your adjusted gross income (AGI), regardless of your filing status, is $84,000 or less by using the official IRS.gov Free File website.

    IRS Free File; click image for details

    Eight software companies are part of this year’s IRS-Free File Alliance partnership option at IRS.gov. They will be available through the Oct. 15 extension deadline, but again, you don’t have to wait. And if your income is too high, you still can file for free by using Free File's Fillable Forms option.

    July 24: Millions of us head to the beach to beat summer’s heat. But when the waters heat up, too, they can feed tropical systems. So far, the 2025 Atlantic (and Gulf of Mexico) hurricane season, which runs through Nov.  30, hasn’t been that bad. But federal forecasters say just wait. They once again are forecasting a more active than usual hurricane season. Before another tropical system forms, now is the time to get ready.

    Hurricane satellite image

    Uncle Sam's official forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center say we could get 13 to 19 total named storms, which are those with winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those, six to 10 are forecast to become hurricanes, meaning winds of 74 mph or higher. Three to five of the storms this season could become major hurricanes; that’s category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher.



    The countdown clock above 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 Storm Warnings collection of special pages with posts offer tax advice on preparing for, recovering from and helping those who sustain damages from the many ways that that weather goes wild.

    July 31: Summer is a great time to make home improvements. And there’s some added urgency this year if you’re relying on tax credits to help cover the cost of energy-efficient residential upgrades. Congress has targeted green energy tax breaks in its massive One Big Beautiful Bill. Many of the tax breaks will expire sooner than originally scheduled, so get your home improvements — and other environmentally friendly moves, like buying an electric vehicle — in under the tax law change wire.

    Small Business Tax Calendar: If you run your own company, you know there are myriad important filing, deposit, and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to meet. You also can track key business and individual tax deadlines in IRS Pub. 509.

State Tax Help

  • Don't forget your state taxes!
    Forty-two states and D.C. collect personal income taxes. But even if you live in of the eight states without any 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 2025 page.

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    You also might enjoy these other tax tips from some of my tax-writing colleagues:

  • J.K. Lasser 2025 Taxes
    J.K. Lasser 2025 Taxes

  • Tax Savvy for Small Business 2025
    Tax Savvy for Small Business 2025

  • Taxes, Accounting, and Bookkeeping Bible 2025
    Taxes, Accounting, and Bookkeeping
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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 interpretation and 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. While I work to ensure each post's accuracy, the items are not recommendations of any specific tax action(s) you should or should not take. Similarly, mentions of commercial tax products or services are not endorsements.

    In other words, my ramblings on the ol' tax blog are free advice, and you know what they say about getting what you pay for. That's why when it is time for you to file your own taxes, I urge you to get additional, professional, paid-for guidance from an accountant, Enrolled Agent, or other reputable, 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 five Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes pages have details:
    March-July 2020
    August-December 2020
    January-December 2021
    January-December 2022
    …and so it continues into 2023
    …and, alas, into 2024
    It is 2025 and, yes, it's still an issue
    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:
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    USA.Gov COVID Info

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  • Uncle Sam representation on vintage postcard
    Uncle Sam on vintage postcard.
    ...............................................

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 — Congress and the White House for our tax laws. 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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