Late Tax Filing Information | PriorTax.com blog

Who Qualifies as a Dependent on Your Taxes?

Posted by admin on May 14th, 2012

Find out who you can claim as a qualifying child and as a qualifying relative

For most taxpayers, claiming a dependent results in a fairly significant tax benefit, oftentimes a refund. But who exactly can you claim as a dependent?

There are actually two different categories of dependent: qualifying child and qualifying relative. Both have different requirements and are treated differently by the tax code. If a credit refers to a “dependent” either category qualifies, but if it refers specifically to a “qualifying child” then you cannot use a qualifying relative to claim it.

In order to claim someone as your qualifying child, he or she must

Be your biological or adopted child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, half sibling, stepsibling, or a descendent of one of these Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: dependent
Category: Tax Tips
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Where Is My State Tax Refund?

Posted by admin on April 30th, 2012

How to check the status of your state tax refund

For all our kvetching, the IRS is *usually* pretty good about sending out tax refunds in a timely manner. In other countries, Australia for example, it’s not uncommon to hear of people waiting 20 or even 30 weeks for their tax refunds. All things considered, the 2 to 3 weeks the IRS makes us wait isn’t really all that bad – especially for government work.

But state tax refunds can be a different matter. They often arrive well behind your federal tax refund which, depending on your perspective, can constitute either be a pleasant surprise or an agonizing wait. Here’s how long you can expect to wait for your state tax refund and how to check its status:

Alabama state tax refund – With your social security number and refund amount you can check your refund status on the Alabama Department of Revenue website. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: state taxes, Tax Refund
Category: State and Local Taxes, Uncategorized
2 Comments »

The IRS Address to File Taxes

Posted by admin on April 13th, 2012

Whether you’re mailing in a late return or just prefer to paper file, here’s where you can mail your return

In 2012, we are well into the era of e-file, so much so that the vast majority of taxpayers now send their return in to the IRS electronically. But there are some people out there who prefer to kick it old school and snail mail a paper copy of their return to the IRS. Alternately, if you are mailing in a late return from a previous year, the IRS doesn’t give you any choice – you have to mail it in.

So after you complete your return and breathe a big sigh of relief (or take a shot of tequila, if you’re Oprah), make sure you know where you’re mailing your return. There’s nothing worse than scrambling to find out where to mail your return as the clock ticks down the final hours of the tax season.

Here are the addresses of the IRS processing centers where you can mail your return, depending on what state you live in and whether you include a check or money order. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: IRS Deadlines, paper file
Category: 2011 Taxes, Tax Tips
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April 17 Is the Last Chance to Get a 2008 Tax Refund

Posted by admin on April 9th, 2012

Late tax filers have three years after the original return due date to file and get a refund

The tax deadline is just a week away – April 17, don’t forget! – and most people are scrambling to get their 2011 tax returns finished and filed with the IRS. But there’s another year you should be worried about too: 2008.

What’s so special about 2008 you might ask? Well, April 17, 2012 is the last day you can get a tax refund from filing a late 2008 return.

You see, the way tax statutes of limitations work, you have three years after the original deadline to file your late tax returns and still get a refund, and the IRS has a full ten years to go after people who owe them back taxes.

You can still file after three years has elapsed, you just won’t get any money back. But why not file your 2008 taxes now? Why sacrifice money you’re entitled to?

Lots of late filers automatically assume that they owe money and on top of that are going to get slammed with harsh IRS late penalties. They assume it’s better to hide than to face the IRS. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: filing taxes late, IRS Deadlines, Reasons to File
Category: 2008 Taxes, IRS Deadlines, Why File?
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Someone Used My Social Security Number to File Taxes – What Should I Do?

Posted by admin on April 5th, 2012

How to alert the IRS of identity theft, how to file your return, and how long your refund will take

After all the time and hassle it takes to complete your tax return, you finally hit the e-file button, glad to know that all of your tax troubles are over until next year, only to have your return rejected by the IRS. A tax return has already been filed with your social security number!

There’s a sinking feeling in your gut and an enveloping sense of dread. What do you do? How will you ever get your refund money now?

The first thing to do is call the IRS and alert them to the fact that your identity has been stolen. The IRS actually has a Identity Protection Specialized Unit and a number, 1-800-908-4490, dedicated to telephone assistance for individuals who believe they may be a victim of identity theft.

You will also have to file Form 14039 [Identity Theft Affidavit] along with photocopies of at least one document verifying your identity. Permissible documents include a passport, driver’s license, social security card, or other valid U.S. Federal or State government issued identification. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: E-File, identity theft
Category: Tax Tips
3 Comments »

How to File City Taxes

Posted by admin on March 29th, 2012

Some cities bundle their income taxes with state tax returns, some require entirely separate forms, and some don’t charge an income tax at all.

Everyone knows they have to file federal and – in most cases – state taxes when April rolls around. But what about city income taxes? Do you have to file those too?

For the most part, local taxes are on the same schedule as federal and state taxes, which means they all share the same mid-April deadline. Thus, the best time to take care of them is right after you complete your federal and state returns, when you’re already in a state of flow and all the numbers are fresh in your head.

First, figure out which cities you need to file taxes in. The vast majority of people do not owe local income taxes, but you should check the city you live in and then all the cities in which you earn money. In some cases, city income taxes will be withheld from your pay during the year.

Here are some major cities that levy an income tax: Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: city taxes
Category: State and Local Taxes
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File 2010 Taxes

Posted by admin on March 21st, 2012

File 2010 taxes and you could get a refund, or at least use your AGI to e-file your current year 2011 return

Still haven’t filed those 2010 taxes? It’s not too late. You can still file and there are plenty of good reasons to do so.

First of all it’s the law, and if you don’t file you could potentially face prosecution from the IRS. While this is a remote possibility, and an extreme step on the part of the agency, it is still a repercussion best avoided.

On the brighter side, you could very well be due a refund. Many late filers just assume the IRS will heap tons of fees and penalties on them, but that’s not usually the case. The majority actually get money back – but you have to file soon. The IRS only hands out refunds for the last 3 years.

If you do owe tax money, filing a 2010 tax return sooner rather than later will cut down on the penalties and interest that you end up owing on your back taxes. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 2010 taxes, filing taxes late, Reasons to File
Category: 2010 Taxes
2 Comments »

Do You Have to Pay Taxes If You Are Unemployed?

Posted by admin on March 16th, 2012

The unemployed still have to pay taxes, even on their unemployment benefits. Here’s what to report and how.

Whether or not you have to file a tax return has nothing to do with your employment status. It depends entirely on how much income you receive.

If your income falls above the income threshold for your filing status, you have to file a tax return. Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter to the IRS if you happen to be out of a job.

For 2011 taxes, the filing threshold is $9,500 for single filers and $19,000 for married couples filing jointly. For a full explanation of filing thresholds (including those for other filing statuses) refer to my previous article “Who Must File a 2011 Income Tax Return.”

The unemployed should note, however, that unemployment benefits do qualify as taxable income, counterintuitive as that seems. So, for example, if you are a single person who received more than $9,500 in unemployment benefits, you owe Uncle Sam tax on that income. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Reasons to File, Recession, unemployment
Category: 2011 Taxes, Why File?
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How to File a Tax Extension

Posted by admin on March 12th, 2012

File a tax extension and get an extra six months to complete your tax return

The tax filing deadline is still over a month away, but no doubt many of you are already staring at the mound of tax documents and receipts strewn across your desk and realizing that you’re not going to be able to make the deadline.

Never fear! The IRS will give you a six month extension on your taxes without slapping you with the nasty failure-to-file penalty that often accompanies a late tax return.

To get an extension all you have to do is file Form 4868 [Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return] by the normal tax deadline. This date is usually April 15, but for the 2012 tax season it’s April 17.

While it tends to be pretty easy to get an extension, the bad news is that you don’t get any extra time to pay. Form 4868 actually requires that you estimate (and pay) your tax liability. Basically, an extension only grants you extra time to turn in your paperwork, not extra time to pay your tax bill. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: filing taxes late, IRS Deadlines, Tax Extension
Category: 2011 Taxes, IRS Deadlines
1 Comment »

Where Can I Get Tax Forms for 2010?

Posted by admin on March 9th, 2012

Retrieve IRS Documents from a Previous Year So You Can File Your Late Tax Returns

Running a few years behind on your taxes? Still trying to get your 2010 tax return in to the IRS, but missing the necessary forms?

You can fill out a previous year tax return for any year from 2005 to 2010 on PriorTax and our tax application will automatically select the correct version of the forms you need to submit to the IRS and fill them out for you. You don’t have to worry about a thing.

But what about the tax forms that contain the information you need to input into the PriorTax system in order for it to complete your return? We can help with that too. We can retrieve missing forms from the IRS to help you complete a late tax return. These documents may also prove useful for securing a mortgage or student loan or filling out other legal documents.

PriorTax can help you retrieve IRS authorized transcripts of the following forms from 2008-2010: Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: filing taxes late, Tax Forms
Category: 2010 Taxes
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