Talking Tax Forms 2022

Broad City image via Giphy.com

It's finally 2022! Here's hoping that unfulfilled wish from 2021 is finally granted this year. You know the one, that we'll finally be done with COVID-19.

Until that happens, though, we've got to muddle through, both life and taxes.

And one thing is always the same when it comes to taxes. There are always forms, and they are always being tweaked.

OK, that's two things about forms. And that second thing, the changes, is why I'm continuing the ol' blog's special page on tax forms. This feature is now in its third year, evolving (like Internal Revenue Service paperwork) from Tax Form Tuesday in 2020 to Tax Forms Fiesta! in 2021.

On this 2022 iteration, you'll find posts that mention, and sometimes focus on, IRS forms you might run across while filing.

Some are documents you have to complete. Others are the statements (or forms) that you'll get to help you file your return.

While I'm filling out this new Talking Tax Forms 2022 page, you can always peruse the forms that were featured in the aforementioned 2020's Tuesdays and 2021's Fiesta!.

Keep an eye out for IRS letters on COVID relief money, advance Child Tax Credit payments (Form 1040 and Schedule 8812; posted Jan. 4, 2022)
Tax statements you need to file your 2021 return (W-2, W-G, 1095 series, 1098 series, 1099 series, Forms 5498 and 5498-ESA, Letter 6419, Letter 6475, and Schedule K-1; posted Jan. 11, 2022)
Final 2021 estimated tax payment due Jan. 18 (Form 1040-ES; posted Jan. 14, 2022)
Free File 2022 is open; 8 companies offer no-cost tax software (Form 1040, state returns, and tax software; posted Jan. 15, 2022)
Standard deduction amounts for 2021 tax returns (Forms 1040 and 1040-SR; posted Jan. 23, 2022)
Recovery Rebate Credit on 2021 tax return could help get missed COVID stimulus money (Form 1040; posted Jan. 26, 2022)
IRS halts issuance of automated 'missing tax return' notices (IRS Notice CP-80; posted Jan. 27, 2022)
A look at EITC changes on this year's EITC Awareness Day (Schedule EIC; posted Jan. 28, 2022)
Personal cash app transfers are NOT part of new IRS reporting rule (Form 1099-K; posted Jan. 30, 2022)
Made a tax return mistake? Fix it by X-filing an amended return (Form 1040-X; posted Feb. 2, 2022)
Tracking down 2020 — yes, two-year-old — missing EIPs (Form 3911; posted Feb. 9, 2022)
IRS suspends issuance of 14 more taxpayer notices (IRS Notices; posted Feb. 11, 2022)
Reporting gambling winnings, other income on Schedule 1 (Form 1040 Schedule 1; posted Feb. 12, 2022)
IRS sending 1099-INTs to taxpayers who got interest added to tax refunds (Form 1099-INT; posted Feb. 14, 2022)
What to do if you're still missing your W-2 (Form 4852; posted Feb. 23, 2022)
No itemizing needed to claim these 25 tax deductions (Form 1040, Schedule 1; posted March 14, 2022)
Owe the IRS? Got a big refund? Adjust your withholding (Form W-4; posted March 17, 2022)
7 ways to pay your tax bill (Form 1040-V; posted March 22, 2022)
11 medical costs that could make itemizing the best tax Rx (Form 1040, Schedule A; posted March 29, 2022)
Simplified home office tax deduction pays off for some small businesses (Form 8829 and Schedule C; posted March 30, 2022)
Options if you can't pay your tax bill in full (Form 9465 and Forms 433-A, 433-B and 433-F; posted April 7, 2022)
April 18 also is deadline to file FBAR foreign assets report (FinCEN Form 114; posted April 8, 2022)
Taxpayers abroad get until June 15 to file tax returns (Form 4868 and Foreign Earned Income Exclusion; posted April 10, 2022)
Maximizing your itemized tax deductions (Form 1040, Schedule A; posted April 12, 2022)
A quick estimated tax Q&A in advance of the April 18 deadline (Form 1040-ES; posted April 13, 2022)
Need more time to file your 1040? Submit Form 4868 (Form 4868; posted April 14, 2022)
IRS won't accept checks of $100 million or more (Form 4868 redux; posted April 17, 2022)
IRS refund late? At least you'll get some interest, which so far has totaled $3.3 billion (1099-INT; posted May 14, 2022)
$163 billion in unemployment fraud run up during pandemic (1099-G; posted May 15, 2022)
NM wildfire victims get Tax Day, other filing/payment deadlines, pushed to Aug. 31 (Form 1040-X; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return; posted May 17, 2022)
5 tax considerations for young workers and their parents (Form 1040 Schedule C; Schedule SE; W-4; posted June 8, 2022)
Taxpayer Advocate urges more tax e-filing options; IRS provides additional electronic 1040-X forms (Form 1040-X redux; Form 1040-NR; posted June 23, 2022)
IRS approves some fake charities. What's a donor to do now? (Form 1023; Form 1023-EZ; posted July 6, 2022)
OK & MT severe weather victims get IRS tax relief, new filing deadlines (Form 1040-X redux; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return redux; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return redux; posted July 8, 2022)
Kentucky flood victims get new Nov. 15 tax deadline (Form 1040-X redux; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return redux; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return redux; posted Aug. 4, 2022)
Missouri flood victims get new Nov. 15 tax deadline (Form 1040-X redux; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return redux; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return redux; posted Aug. 10, 2022)
Educators' expenses tax deduction rises (finally!) to $300 (Form 1040, Schedule 1; posted Aug. 15, 2022)
Welcome federal student debt relief could create some state tax issues (Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt; posted Aug. 27, 2022)
Teachers deserve more than the current paltry tax deduction for classroom costs (Form 1040, Schedule 1; posted Sept. 10, 2022)
Some Mississippi taxpayers get more time to file in wake of Jackson's water crisis (Form 1040-X redux; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return redux; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return redux; posted Sept. 13, 2022)
Feb. 15, 2023, new tax deadline for hurricane-hit Puerto Rico (Form 1040-X redux; Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return redux; Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return redux; posted Sept. 20, 2022)
Texas BBQ joint employees finally get improperly distributed taxable tips (Form 4070A, Employee's Daily Record of Tips; Form 4137, Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income; posted Sept. 21, 2022)

And if you want more info on other forms not featured here, check out the ol' blog's Forms category. It will show Tax Form Fiesta! entries, as well as other tax documents that I've posted about over the years, with the newest post first. Just keep scrolling.

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Today's Tax Tip

Beware post-disaster relief, repair scams — Two things are for sure after hurricanes. First, the doctored social media posts of sharks swimming along flooded roads, and second, land sharks, aka predatory scammers, show up trying to take advantage of folks who just endured a disaster. Don't fall for either. Get real help, tax and otherwise. (Oct. 1, 2022)
The 2022 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!

COVID-19 & Taxes

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-… 2022
You can find medical coronavirus resource links further down this column.

All About Kay

OK, some about Kay

Kay Bell — Native Texan (the blog title totally makes sense now, right?). Professional journalist. Tax geek.

My Other Accounts

*************

Tick ... Tick ... Tick

Tax Season 2022 continues!

Tax Day 2022 is finally over … unless you're one of the millions who have more time to file — looking at you taxpayers abroad and those in major disaster areas — or you got an extension to file your 2021 tax year return. That's fine. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service appreciates some of us spreading out our filings, especially when we and the agency still are dealing with all the complications of COVID-19 and taxes.

That's why the ol' blog's focus now is on all y'all still working on returns. But I haven't forgotten my organized taxpayer readers, who are already looking for ways to reduce their 2022 tax year bills. Yep, that amount is adding up, but there are moves you can make. The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column can help everyone, regardless of which tax year you're working on.

Those on extension should keep a keen eye on the countdown clock below. It will help you track the days tick, tick, ticking off toward that absolutely final fall filing due date of Oct. 17. Yep, it's a few days later this year.
Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.

Time for Tax Tasks

Hello 👻 👻 👻 Ghouls
Spooky October is here!
Halloween, of course, is one reason that October is the most BOOtiful month of the year.
But the impending mid-October extended tax filing deadline, which is on the 17th this year, also is pretty darn scary!

Read about the history of jack o'lanterns

And, yes, some of us are still spooked a bit because of this season's new COVID-19 variants and monkeypox. But the October tips below should help at least ease our tax fears this month.

Oct. 1: While not technically today, the U.S. Department of Education says that it will make available a simple application for student loan debt relief by early October. While canceled debt usually is taxable income, that won't apply in this case at the federal level. However, several states are likely to tax any forgiven student loan amounts.

Oct. 5: OK. With less than two weeks until your extended 2021 tax return is due, you're finally ready to finish up that Form 1040. Great! Now make sure you don't overspend to do so. Check out Free File, the online no-cost tax preparation and e-filing partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance. The official electronic filing webpage is Free File on IRS.gov is available to qualifying taxpayers until midnight, Eastern Time, on Oct. 17.

Taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less can use this year's Free File. That income level applies to all filing statuses. There are 8 software programs participating this year.

And while the tax software will walk you through the process, you also might want to check out the ol' blog's tax tips. Near the top of this column, you'll find links to the special pages of tax tips for each month this year, with those earlier in 2022 offering advice for folks who met the original April 17 deadline, and now for you!

Oct. 10: So we're heading into another week and you've still not finished your extended tax return. No judging. I've been there. The good news is that today is the federal Columbus Day holiday or, in many states and cities, now designated Indigenous People's Day. If you don't have to head into the office or check in on some work from home Zoom calls, this is a great day to deal with your tax return.

Oct. 11: 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.

Whether you're dining in or 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 September, you must account for the tips today by using Form 4070 to report last month's tips total to your employer. And yes, for all those tax-savvy servers, the reporting date usually is the 10th of each month, but since that was a legal federal holiday, the due date moves to the next business day, which is today.

Oct. 17: This is it! The absolutely final deadline to file your 2021 tax year return. Not to belabor things, but in addition to the filing tips mentioned earlier in this October tax to-do list, the IRS has some suggestions on getting the job done electronically. Or if you're old-school and mailing a paper return, get to your local U.S. Postal Service branch in time to have your envelope postmarked today. That's proof that your paper filing was on time.

Oct. 24: Now that your 2020 return is finally done, it's time to work on reducing your 2021 tax bill. One easy step to take now is to review your payroll withholding. If you find, whether you filed this month or back in April, that you owed a lot or got a big refund, you should use the IRS' online withholding tool to make sure a more appropriate amount of income tax comes out of each of 2022's remaining paychecks. If your withholding tweak gets you more money each payday, consider putting some of it into retirement savings, either your workplace 401(k) or a traditional or Roth IRA .

Oct. 31: Sure, it's Halloween. But even scarier than the ghosts and monsters wandering your neighborhood tonight is the knowledge that we still have another month of the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico hurricane season ahead of us.

Horrific Hurricane Ian, which came ashore well south of the projected Tampa landfall, underscored how, despite modern forecasting tools, tropical systems have a mind of their own and can change at any time. The best we can do is be ready for the next system. And we're likely to get one, since the season officially runs through November. The countdown clock below can help you keep track of how many more days we have to worry about tracking any size or type of tropical storms.

And while it looks like (we hope!) we won't get near the original number 20+ storms forecast by the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, remember that it only takes one to wreak havoc. So if you haven't yet prepared — physically, financially, and tax wise — it's time to do so.

The ol' blog's special Storm Warnings pages also can help, whether you're preparing for, recovering from, or helping those who sustain damages from the many ways that that weather goes wild. That includes claiming uninsured losses from a major natural disaster as an itemized tax deduction.

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

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 Talking Tax Forms page.

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How to Keep More
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Tax Reading Room
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Kudos Et Cetera

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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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October 2022

Tell it to the Hill

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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