What do I do if I receive a notice from the IRS about
my taxes?
Don’t panic! the first thing to do is carefully read
the notice—to determine why it was sent, what the IRS
is requesting, and what they want you to do. It may be
nothing of importance; it may even be a notice in your favor.
After reading it you should bring it to our attention.
What do I need to bring when I am having my taxes
prepared?
Following is a list of the more common items you should bring
if you have them.
- Wage statements (Form W-2)
- Pension, or retirement income (Forms 1099-R)
- Dependents' Social Security numbers and dates of birth
- Last year's tax return
- Information on education expenses
- Information on the sales of stocks and/or bonds
- Self-employed business income and expenses
- Lottery and/or gambling winnings and losses
- State refund amount
- Social Security and/or unemployment income
- Income and expenses from rentals
- Record of purchase or sale of real estate
- Medical and dental expenses
- Real estate and personal property taxes
- Estimated taxes or foreign taxes paid
- Cash and non-cash charitable donations
- Mortgage or home equity loan interest paid (Form 1098)
- Unreimbursed employment-related expenses
- Job-related educational expenses
- Child care expenses and provider information And any other
items that you think may be necessary for your taxes.
The best way is to use the Check Your Refund link from the
Resources pages of our website! To look up the status of your
federal or state refund, you will need your social security
number, filing status, and exact amount you’re
expecting back.
What are the differences between a Roth and a
conventional IRA?
A traditional IRA lets you deduct contributions in the year
you make them, and the distributions are included as
income on your return when you withdraw from the IRA after
reaching age 59½. A Roth IRA does not let you deduct
the contributions, but you also do not report the
distributions as income, no matter how much the Roth account
has appreciated. With a Roth, you can exclude the income
earned in the account from being taxed.
My employer tells me I will receive a 1099. What does
this mean for my taxes?
When you receive a 1099, it means you are considered an
independent contractor. You will not have any withholding or
payroll taxes deducted from your pay. You should keep track
of all business expenses and a journal of your mileage driven
for work. If the amount you expect to receive is substantial,
you should probably be making estimated tax payments. Please
contact us if you have any questions about this.
How should I keep records for my business
driving?
Keep a log in your vehicle and record the purpose and mileage
of each trip. You also need to record the odometer readings
at the beginning and end of each year, as the IRS will ask
you for total miles driven during the year. Keep your repair
bills as these normally record odometer readings when the car
is serviced.