The IRS W9 Form Made Simple
March 21, 2010 by Taxcut Editor
Filed under Personal and Business Taxes
For those who are independent contractors, as well as for people that work for themselves, a W9 Form is wanted to report their Social Security Number or Business Tax Identification Number to their customers. This is a pretty cut and dry bit of paper when it comes to government forms. You may just need to provide your name, your address, as well as your Social Security Number (or your Employer Identification Number, for those that are contractors and are thus considered a separate business entity all their own).
Besides the above information, an IRS W9 Form will also ask whether or not you are subject to backup withholding. What's “backup withholding,” you may ask. Well, that's withholding at a fixed rate of 28 % on payments made to you or your business under certain circumstances. There are 2 common reasons for using backup withholding. 1 explanation is if your name and Social Security Number does not match the name and Social Security Number the IRS has on file for you. One more reason would be if you have outstanding tax debt. In this example the IRS would have informed you you are subject to mandatory backup withholding till the outstanding tax debt is completely paid for.
During the tax season of the year, contractors will be getting W9 forms to complete. Since in that time of the year, clients are preparing to send out their 1099 forms. The 1099 Form is used to report self-employment earnings.
Other places you may be getting a W9 from are brokers and finance institutions. They'd ask for a W9 if you may earn interest revenue, dividends, or trading stocks and other securities. As well as the usual places a few of the people may receive requests for the W9 form from more strange places such as owners and other people or companies. This is exploited to ask, officially, from a person or business their name, address, and taxpayer identification number for the requesting party to correctly issue tax documents to the IRS.
As a rule, any kind of business that requests a W9 Form is one that pays you interest, generally, the sorts of businesses that request Form W-9 is any business that pays you reportable revenue. However if you happen to feel that you have received this form from a weird source you must ask them why they are requesting the form and what they are going to be using it for.
What about foreign subcontractors? With foreign sub-contractors A W9 isn't needed, it's just needed to gather information from US folks and businesses. However if you have a foreign contractor that's working for you, they will very probably be needed to fill out one of the various W8 Forms.
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The earlier you file your taxes, the sooner you get your return
February 9, 2010 by Taxcut Editor
Filed under Personal and Business Taxes
Tax time coming soon
One of the easiest ways to find money now is to get a jump on filing income taxes. Many consumers wait until April to start gathering their paperwork together. They bring them to their tax preparer and want a rush job. The problem with waiting is that it opens the door for mistakes and it makes the time to get a refund that much longer. Anyone wanting to get the jump on filing, here are some tips.
Getting the jump on taxes
The first thing taxpayers need to be aware of is Schedule M. Schedule M is a new tax document that is used to account for the “Making Work Pay” credit money received on paychecks. The new payroll tables from last year that put an extra $ 400 in the pockets of single people or $ 800 for married couples filing jointly. For some taxpayers, however, they may have paid too much into the fund. To correct the over taxation, consumers have to file a Schedule M.
Secondly, you have to get your paperwork together. January to mid-February is when W-2s and other tax-related documents start coming in. Consumers should create a special place for all tax documents. The requisite information for these documents and getting it all together at once will make it easier to finish tax paperwork.
Thirdly, you have to double check things like social security numbers. Though it sounds rudimentary, there are a surprising number of tax returns received without the correct numbers. It holds up processing and refunds for thousands of filers. The correct number is critical, because a lot of transactions are directly tied to them. Everything from income statements to retirement plan contributions are recorded based on the social security number.
Fourthly, you need to know what filing package is the best to get. The IRS package is based on the filing history of a taxpayer, but that can change. Many documents are accessible online or at the library of post office. For taxpayers who had a major change, like marriage, it’s important to find the right documentation. Married couples looking for money now have to file with the right documents and in the right way.
Fifthly, think about electronic filing. Studies have shown that last year about two-thirds of all taxpayers filed electronically. The IRS processed E filed tax returns 50% faster than paper returns. Many of the software programs have a review function, where the return is double checked for innaccuracies and errors. The good news for E-filers is that taxpayers may qualify to file for free. Taxpayers this year with adjusted gross income of $ 57,000 or less for 2009, can file for free thanks to a cooperative program between tax software companies and the IRS.
Finally, taxpayers can elect direct deposit. A paper return takes weeks to get to the IRS, get processed, and a check to be cut and then sent. Conversely, it usually takes 10 to 14 days for a direct deposit to get to a bank account. Taxpayers that desire direct deposit have to file Form 8888, but it speeds up the process.
Filing in 2010
Now more than ever, filing tax returns is being made simpler and simpler for taxpayers. Those who want their tax return money now should follow the above tips to speed the process up. There are millions of tax returns that have to be reviewed and consumers looking for quick ways to file should use every advantage available.
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Overlooking Simple Deductions can cost Taxpayers
January 29, 2010 by Taxcut Editor
Filed under Personal and Business Taxes
Most taxpayers are honest
The vast majority of American taxpayers are honest when it comes to filing and paying their taxes. The million dollar tax cheats are very rare. Instead of taking advantage, the opposite is in fact the case – most US taxpayers don’t take advantage of deductions and overpay. The IRS reports that taxpayers tend to make the same mistakes each year. The number one mistake on returns every year is forgetting to include a social security number on the return. Luckily, this will only cost the taxpayer time and not money.
Convenience can be costly
Approximately 85 million taxpayers choose to take standard deductions as opposed to itemizing their tax returns. Only 46 million people itemize their returns. The smaller group of taxpayers actually claims twice the amount of deductions as the larger group. Itemized deductions account for a trillion dollars of deductions while standard deductions account for a cheeky half trillion. Only legitimate deductions are included in the figures from the IRS, so itemizers aren’t cheating. Most people admit to filing only the standard form out of convenience and lack of documentation. This convenience and lack of proper record keeping could be costing some taxpayers to pay four times their rightful tax obligation.
State sales tax most overlooked
Everyone is entitled to claim state sales tax they paid during the course of a tax year. The IRS has tables that show how much can be deducted, depending on the state you live in and your income. The biggest advantage is for those people living in states that do not have a state income tax, but everyone can benefit from this deduction. Also, there are items that can give a taxpayer a bigger deduction that what tables will show you. For example, if a boat, car, or airplane was purchased, that sales tax can be added to the amount shown in the table. State sales tax on home building supplies are also deductible.
Giving could get you a deduction
Most tax payers already take the appropriate deductions for contributing to charitable organizations in the form of money. Taxpayers deduct money they contributed to religious groups, homeless shelters, etc. That said, most taxpayers don’t capitalize on the out of pocket deductions for doing good things. For instance, a cake baked for a church fundraiser is a charitable contribution, and thus the cost of ingredients is deductible. The taxpayer can also claim 14 cents per mile for delivering the item.
Children benefit from Mom and Dad’s help
Interest paid is a common deduction. Most people know to deduct interest paid on mortgages and student loans. College students and graduates, that aren’t claimed as dependents, can benefit from help from the parentals. The IRS treats interest paid on a student loan by a parent as money given to the student who then paid the debt. As long as the child isn’t claimed as a dependent, the child deduct the interest on their return.
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Tax Deduction for Alimony Payments
June 24, 2009 by Taxcut Editor
Filed under Personal and Business Taxes
Over 50% of marriages end in divorce in the United States. Many divorce decrees include provisions for the payment of alimony. The IRS takes the position that such payments constitute a form of income and create an alimony tax deduction for the person making payments.
According to the IRS, alimony payments are taxable to the recipient in the year received. In turn, the person paying the alimony can claim a deduction for the payments if the following tests are met:
1. You and your spouse or former spouse do not file a joint return with each other,
2. You pay in cash (including checks or money orders),
3. The divorce or separation instrument does not say that the payment is not alimony,
4. If legally separated under a decree of divorce or separate maintenance, you and your former spouse are not members of the same household when you make the payment,
5. You have no liability to make any payment (in cash or property) after the death of your spouse or former spouse; and
6. Your payment is not treated as child support.
If you are receiving or paying alimony, you must use Form 1040 for your personal taxes. Regardless of income levels, deductions or miscellaneous tax issues, you cannot use Form 104A or Form 1040EZ.
In preparing your tax return, the person receiving alimony will report the information on line 11 of Form 1040. That person must also provide their social security number to their former spouse or face a fine of $50. The person paying the alimony can claim the deduction on line 34a of Form 1040.
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Gambling Income and Expenses – Tax Requirements
June 18, 2009 by Taxcut Editor
Filed under IRS News Items
Hit a big one? With more and more gambling establishments, keep in mind the IRS requires people to report all gambling winnings as income on their tax return.
Gambling income includes, but is not limited to, winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and dog races and casinos. Unfortunately, gambling income also includes the fair market value of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other non-cash prizes.
Generally, if you receive $600 ($1,200 from bingo and slot machines and $1,500 from keno) or more in gambling winnings and your winnings are at least 300 times the amount of the wager, the payer is required to issue you a Form W-2G. If you have won more than $5,000, the payer may be required to withhold 25 percent of the proceeds for Federal income tax. However, if you did not provide your Social Security number to the payer, the amount withheld will be 28 percent.
The full amount of your gambling winnings for the year must be reported on line 21, Form 1040. If you itemize deductions, you can deduct your gambling losses for the year on line 27, Schedule A (Form 1040). You cannot deduct gambling losses that are more than your winnings.
It is important to keep an accurate diary or similar record of your gambling winnings and losses. To deduct your losses, you must be able to provide receipts, tickets, statements or other records that show the amount of both your winnings and losses.
Face it, the IRS gets you coming and going. Well, I’m off to play poker.
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