5 Ways to Pay the IRS Less Next April
If you're still in shock from the amount of taxes you just paid, start working now to reduce what you send the IRS next year. Here are five ways you can shave your tax bill.
tax deductions
How to Amend a Tax Return
If you're just now realizing that you missed out on a tax deduction or credit for 2012, don't worry: You can file an amended return for up to three years.
Crazy Tax Deductions: Swimming Pools, Breast Implants and More
It's April -- prime hunting season for tax deductions -- and you won't believe what your fellow taxpayers have tried, and sometimes gotten away with, on their returns.
Last-Minute Tax Filing Tips
Use these tax filing tips to avoid missing deductions or credits and paying the IRS more than you owe. Or worse, making mistakes that could get you in trouble with the taxman.
A Radical New Proposal for the Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction
The Common Sense Housing Investment Act would help millions more Americans claim the mortgage-interest tax deduction -- and still boost the government's tax revenues.
Don't Get Burned by Your Charitable Deductions
Making a charitable donation is one way many Americans help to reduce their overall tax liability, but if not done properly, you could lose that cherished deduction.
Tips to Help You Finish Your 2012 Tax Return Now
If you've been putting off the onerous task of finishing your tax returns, these tips for filing your 2012 return will help you breathe easier.
The Last-Minute Tax Move That Could Be Worth $100,000
If you've got all your tax paperwork but are still stalling here's something to motivate you: a last-minute tax move you can make that could be worth over $100,000 to you.
It's Not Too Late to Start Saving for Retirement
The single most effective thing workers can do to increase their chances of having a secure and comfortable retirement is to start saving -- now.
8 States Making Tax Changes: Some Painful, Some Pleasant
As you prepare your tax returns for 2012, be warned: A number of states have made or are considering big changes to their state income taxes. With some of those changes already having taken effect, you need to know whether you're in the line of fire -- or in line for a tax break.
Saving on Your Tax Bill: 3 Things You Might Not Have Considered
Before you start planning for 2013, you still have 2012 taxes to worry about. Take these three steps to keep your bill as low as possible.
6 Strange New Taxes That May Be Headed Your Way
With both the sequester and tax filing season under way, most people thinking about taxes have their minds on Washington, D.C. But a new Time article points out six new, and frankly strange, state taxes that may be coming your way in the near future.
Picking the Right Tax Preparer (Hint: It's Probably Not Uncle Ed)
The tax code is incredibly complicated, and it changes often, so hiring a skilled pro to help you file your tax return can be a good investment. But even that isn't simple: There are many kinds of tax preparers. Here's how to find the one who's right for you.
How to Do Your Taxes if You're a Homeowner
If you're a homeowner, you've got a slice of the American dream, and the tax breaks that go along with it. Whether you bought, sold or just happily lived in your home this year, we'll walk you through all the tax stuff you need to know.
Could Itemizing Save You on Taxes? Find Out
Though we all groan about having to pay taxes, the government is nice enough not to tax us on everything we earn. There are two big buckets of deductions the government gives us: The first are called "above the line," and the second are called "below the line," and those are what we'll cover here.
Doing Your Taxes: How to Decide Your Filing Status
If there is one thing to make sure you get right on your taxes, it’s your filing status. It can determine how much you pay in taxes, and it’s one of the things that will definitely land you in an audit if you get it wrong. Take a look at this handy flowchart.
IRS 'Where's My Refund?' Website Flooded by Eager Taxpayers
The Internal Revenue Service has a message for taxpayers eager to learn the status of their tax refund: Please don't check the IRS "Where's my refund?" website and smartphone app every five minutes. Once a day is enough.
Will Cupid's Arrow Stick You With a Higher Tax Bill?
It's hard to think of a less romantic topic than tax planning. But if Valentine's Day happens to bring a proposal, you might want to know a bit more about some of the financial consequences of you and your honey tying the knot.
Filing Taxes: What You Need to Know About Tax Exemptions
Tax exemptions are the easiest way to lower your tax burden. They put money straight back into your pocket, and the good news is, the possibilities for claiming dependent exemptions are greater than you might realize.
How to Do Your Taxes if You're a Same Sex Married Couple
2012 was a banner year for the gay marriage movement, but there's still a shadow hanging over the celebrations of those victories: In the eyes of the federal government, couples in legal same-sex marriages are still single. Here's how that affects their taxes.
E-Filing Tips: How to Get Your Federal Tax Refund Faster and Safer
The best way to get your tax refund fast is to e-file your return. However, if you don't do it right, electronic tax filing can cause some big problems -- problems we want to help you avoid. Here's how e-filing works, and how to get it done right.
Identity Theft's Taxing New Trend: Scammers Are After Your Refund
Beware the hottest trend in identity theft: tax identity theft. This year, the IRS expects upwards of 1 million fraudulent tax returns will be filed by scammers stealing refunds. And while the IRS can't protect you, you can protect yourself.
Frugal Benefits of Filing You Taxes Online -- Savings Experiment
Andrew Schrage of Moneycrashers.com explains how to save money by filing your taxes online.
Tax Help: 2013 May Be the Year You'll Need to Hire a Professional
It's hard enough doing your taxes in normal years. But with the major tax code changes the fiscal cliff deal created, this might be the time for even stalwart do-it-yourselfers to hire a professional tax return preparer.
Aging America: Changing Family Dynamic May Lead to Tax Relief
Members of the sandwich generation - caught between supporting elderly parents whose assets are nearly exhausted and adult children without jobs - might find some relief come tax time. The bottom line is, who's a dependent?
5 Ways to Avoid an IRS Audit
Getting audited isn't the end of the world, but we'd all prefer not to be. To minimize your chances of getting a surprise letter from the IRS, here are five things to do when you file your tax return this year.
Your W-2 Tax Form Is Coming: 3 Key Numbers to Review
Tens of millions of workers will soon be getting W-2 tax forms. Included on that form is a lot of the key information that will determine whether you get a refund or will owe more to the IRS this year. And it also has three numbers you can use to improve your tax planning for the future.
Will Tax Refunds Go Out on Time? Late AMT Fix Has IRS Scrambling
The fiscal cliff compromise has been signed, clearing up a host of questions about taxes for the near future, and the year that just ended. But the long wait for answers left the IRS in limbo, and that may mean millions of refund checks will be delayed too.
11 Easy and Great Ways to Save Money in 2013
With the prospect of higher taxes and federal budget cuts looming on Dec. 31, here are 11 easy ways you can save money and/or put a few extra dollars back in your pocket in 2013.
9 Year-End Tax Tips for Non-Millionaires
If you're a millionaire, lowering your taxes can be complicated. But for the rest of us who are not near the top tax brackets, minimizing payments to Uncle Sam can be simpler. Here are some tips to help you lower your tax bill.