tax tips

In their mad dash toward the Form 1040 finish line, late taxpayers often make costly errors. If you're among those last-minute tax filers, first, take a breath. Then take note of these common filing mistakes to avoid.

With just a week to go before April 17, it's crunch time for getting your taxes filed. If you're just now getting started, the first question you have to answer is which form you should use to file. Here's how to figure it out.

Audits are avoidable: From outlandish charitable giving to claiming a home office, there are a host of specific thing that can set of warning bells with the IRS. Here are the things the IRS looks for, and tips to help you avoid its scrutiny.

It happens to even the best investors: Sometimes, what seems like a smart investment turns out to be a big loser. But even if you suffer a complete loss, you can still salvage something from your experience when you file your tax return.

When you're dealing with the soulless bureaucracy that is the Internal Revenue Service, it helps to have a little extra "soul" on your side. And Anita Majors, the Singing Tax Lady, can provide it.

Is the U.S. tax code designed to be confusing? At more than 70,000 pages, its complexity is hard to overstate. But forget its size: Even in its most basic terms, the IRS seems determined to muddy the waters. To help you out, we've unpacked a few of the most weaselly weasel words.

A series of major problems and the whiff of potential fraud at a tax-prep company called "Mo Money Taxes" are a scary reminder: Be smart about selecting the professional who helps with your tax return. Here are some tips to help you avoid the shady characters.

Getting married should be one of the happiest events of your life. But even if everything goes perfectly on your special day, the IRS may spoil the party. That's because getting hitched means big changes on your taxes. Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know.

While the pundits debated the vices and virtues of Mitt Romney's and Newt Gingrich's tax returns, the folks at Kiplinger were scouring them for ideas that could help you. Even if you'll never have a Swiss bank account or own complex foreign assets, these dozen moves could help you lower your IRS bill.

Although the end of 2011 is near, it's not too late to make sure you don't owe more to the IRS than you need to on April 15. Here are some tax-smart moves to make before you head out to that New Year's Eve party.