Saturday, February 12, 2011

Tax Time

          It is now time to gather your receipts and accounts; the dreaded tax time. Have you already spent the big return that you think you will be getting? Or maybe you are scrambling to pay an anticipated bill. This could be the last year that you will have to live this nightmare. With just a little bit of adjusting you could owe nothing and get nothing. Coming out even is the goal.
         Contact your boss or HR manager to change your W4 form Adjust the number deductions so that the right amount of taxes are withheld; not too much and not too little. There are two benefits to following this system; you will not have to deal with the stress of tax time, and you are likely to increase your take-home pay.
           Check you return carefully. There are often deductions people miss because they are so weird. Believe it or not you can deduct the cost of a babysitter as a charitable deduction if you are leaving the house to do charitable/volunteer work. Unusual deductions like this are lurking everywhere and you are initiated to use any you can find.
         We have used Turbo Tax for a number of years and find that it is very good a t finding the hidden deductions. If you have kept your records in Quicken it will even enter most of your information for you, and remember it for subsequent years. This is an easy fix, but whatever system you choose be aware that you have lots of choices. The aim of the game is to come out even., and the ideal from a sound financial point of view.
        

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