By Bill
Tips for Taxpayers Who Can’t Pay Their Taxes on Time
If you find you owe tax after completing your federal tax return but can’t pay it all when you file, the IRS wants you to know your options.
Here are four tips that can help you lower the amount of interest and penalties when you don’t pay the full amount on time.
1. File on time and pay as much as you can. Filing on time ensures that you will avoid the late filing penalty. Paying as much as you can reduces the late payment penalty and interest charges. For electronic payment options, see IRS.gov. If you pay by check, make it payable to the United States Treasury and include it with your return.
2. Consider getting a loan or paying by credit card. The interest and fees charged by a bank or credit card company may be lower than IRS interest and penalties. For credit card options, see IRS.gov.
3. Request a payment agreement. You do not need to wait for IRS to send you a bill before requesting a payment plan. You can:
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Use the Online Payment Agreement tool at IRS.gov, or
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Complete and submit Form 9465, Installment Agreement
Request, with your tax return. Find out about payment agreement user fees at IRS.gov or on Form 9465.
4. Don’t ignore a tax bill. If you get a bill from the IRS, contact them right away to talk about payment options. The IRS may take collection action if you ignore the bill, which will only make things worse.
In short, it is always best to file on time, pay as much as you can by the tax deadline and pay the balance as soon as you can. For more information on the IRS collection process go to IRS.gov or see IRSVideos.gov/OweTaxes.
By Bill
Five Things to Know if You Need More Time to File
The April 15 tax-filing deadline is fast approaching. Some taxpayers may find that they need more time to file their tax returns. If you need extra time, you can get an automatic six-month extension from the IRS.
Here are five important things you need to know about filing an extension:
1. Extra time to file is not extra time to pay. You may request an extension of time to file your federal tax return to get an extra six months to file, until Oct. 15. Although an extension will give you an extra six months to get your tax return to the IRS, it does not extend the time you have to pay any tax you owe. You will owe interest on any amount not paid by the April 15 deadline. You may also owe a penalty for failing to pay on time.
2. File on time even if you can’t pay. If you complete your return but you can’t pay the full amount due, do not request an extension. File your return on time and pay as much as you can. You should pay the balance as soon as possible to minimize penalty and interest charges. If you need more time to pay, you can apply for a payment plan using the Online Payment Agreement tool on IRS.gov. You can also send Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request, with your return. If you are unable to make payments because of a financial hardship, the IRS will work with you. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to discuss your options.
3. Use Free File to request an extension. Everyone can use IRS Free File to e-file their extension request. Free File is available exclusively through the IRS.gov website. You must e-file the request by midnight on April 15. If you e-file your extension request, the IRS will acknowledge receipt of your request.
4. Use Form 4868 if you file a paper form. You can request an extension of time to file by submitting Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. You must submit this form to the IRS by April 15. Form 4868 is available on IRS.gov.
5. Electronic funds withdrawal. If you e-file an extension request, you can also pay any balance due by authorizing an electronic funds withdrawal from a checking or savings account. To do this you will need your bank routing and account numbers.
For information about filing an extension and the various methods of paying your taxes, visit the IRS website at IRS.gov.
By Bill
Get Credit for Making Your Home Energy-Efficient
If you made your home more energy efficient last year, you may qualify for a tax credit on your 2012 federal income tax return. Here is some basic information about home energy credits that you should know.
Non-Business Energy Property Credit
- You may claim a credit of 10 percent of the cost of certain energy saving property that you added to your main home. This includes the cost of qualified insulation, windows, doors and roofs.
- In some cases, you may be able to claim the actual cost of certain qualified energy-efficient property. Each type of property has a different dollar limit. Examples include the cost of qualified water heaters and qualified heating and air conditioning systems.
- This credit has a maximum lifetime limit of $500. You may only use $200 of this limit for windows.
- Your main home must be located in the U.S. to qualify for the credit.
- Not all energy-efficient improvements qualify, so be sure you have the manufacturer’s credit certification statement. It is usually available on the manufacturer’s website or with the product’s packaging.
- The credit was to expire at the end of 2011. A recent law extended it for two years through the end of 2013.
Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit
- This tax credit is 30 percent of the cost of alternative energy equipment that you installed on or in your home.
- Qualified equipment includes solar hot water heaters, solar electric equipment and wind turbines.
- There is no limit on the amount of credit available for most types of property. If your credit is more than the tax you owe, you can carry forward the unused portion of this credit to next year’s tax return.
- You must install qualifying equipment in connection with your home located in the United States. It does not have to be your main home.
- The credit is available through 2016.
Use Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits, to claim these credits. You can get Form 5695 at IRS.gov or order it by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
By Bill
Top Six Tax Tips for the Self-Employed
When you are self-employed, it typically means you work for yourself, as an independent contractor, or own your own business. Here are six key points the IRS would like you to know about self-employment and self-employment taxes:
1. Self-employment income can include pay that you receive for part-time work you do out of your home. This could include income you earn in addition to your regular job.
2. Self-employed individuals file a Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, or Schedule C-EZ, Net Profit from Business, with their Form 1040.
3. If you are self-employed, you generally have to pay self-employment tax as well as income tax. Self-employment tax includes Social Security and Medicare taxes. You figure this tax using Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax.
4. If you are self-employed you may have to make estimated tax payments. People typically make estimated tax payments to pay taxes on income that is not subject to withholding. If you do not make estimated tax payments, you may have to pay a penalty when you file your income tax return. The underpayment of estimated tax penalty applies if you do not pay enough taxes during the year.
5. When you file your tax return, you can deduct some business expenses for the costs you paid to run your trade or business. You can deduct most business expenses in full, but some costs must be ’capitalized.’ This means you can deduct a portion of the expense each year over a period of years.
6. You may deduct only the costs that are both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your industry. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your trade or business.
For more information, visit the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center on the IRS website. There are three IRS publications that will also help you. See Publications 334, Tax Guide for Small Business; 535, Business Expenses and 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax. All tax forms and publications are available onIRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).