Filing Your Taxes

[OBIII]

I used to wait until the last minute to file my taxes, as usually I had to pay something. Now that I am Retired and Poor, I usually get all withholding back. Just finished e-filing for free with TurboTax. Fed was free and state was free also. Anyway, how file Ye?

A. As soon as I have everything lined up

B. I usually file for an extension

C. I have a CPA take care of me

D. File What?

E. Snail Mail on April 15th

Let us all know your game plan. With the Donald in now, maybe we should redo it every year to see how it changes. :)
OB

[runfiverun]

pretty much when I get all the paperwork together.
I generally have a tentative appointment for the following year set up at the end of writing the check[s] when we get done filling all the paper work out.

taxes suck.

[mcdaniel.mac]

TurboTax e-file as soon as my company mails the W2s. A bunch of "cost saving measures" have been implemented that mean we don't get electronic W2s until after the paper ones are mailed. Had to paper file last year for state and federal taxes, due to a wierd anomaly with TT'S software.

On a side note, I learned to do my taxes when I was 14. I have been severely disappointed that any if my friends never learned how to do theirs.

[dragon813gt]

Turbo Tax here. Started to do mine as I saw the electronic W2s were available. I'm waiting to make sure any 1099s don't show up. There was a massive screw up w/ my old 401k, that was cashed out, and I've received a bunch of checks this year. I forgot to file a 1099 once and was hit w/ a large bill so I don't want to repeat it.

Taxes will be interesting at the local level because they weren't taken out for the entire year. I have two different W2s stating two different incomes so I need to figure that one out. I have to pay for both federal and state due to deductions. It's a lot cheaper than paying an accountant. Hopefully I can finalize them by the end of the week.

[skeettx]

A, I do my own and file when all the data has been entered, e-file.
Waiting on Social Security stuff and one interest form
Mike

[Hick]

Depends. If I'm paying, very, very last minute. If I'm getting back-- just as soon as I have stuff together.

[DerekP Houston]

depends for us. We process the paperwork as soon as the W2's arrive and do either 1 of 2 things.

if there is a refund DUE to us we file ASAP
if there is money OWED to the gov't I delay as long as possible, why give them an interest free loan for an extra 4 months if I don't have to.

[farmerjim]

I usually don't get my all my S corp forms until after April 15, so I have to get an extension. Have to use a CPA as have too many things that I don't understand. I would report them, but they are my siblings.

[Mtnfolk75]

I have been Medically Retired for 16 years this month, wife usually only makes 12k or so a year. We always E-file as soon as all her W-2's & 1099's are in hand. We normally qualify for the Earned Income Credit and get money back. But, if we are upside down, which has occurred twice in the last 16 years, we E-file on the last Business Day for April 15th.

[funnyjim014]

I used to wate. ...now that I have 2 beautiful tax deductions I mean children, I go to the tax lady as soon as we get our paperwork in. I just wish I could write off more of the child care

[lup]

CE. Wait if you have taxable unearned income like stock or mutual fund sales for the year. If you get an updated form later you get to do your taxes all over again and file an amended return. Mo money mo time. :(

[tygar]

S##$! I quit filing several years ago! I refuse to be complicit in supporting the illegals, druggies, & other low life *** that my $s are going for. (+ the Btards always want more)

So, my wife takes care of it with CPAs. That should take care of it, right? Well, guess what?, NO, every year since she has had them doing it, we get the letter, "give us more $s" (for all the various scum bags) Yes, I have some, "interesting" deductions from real estate, investments etc. But...give me a break.

I've been retired since 93 & have had the IRS pukes want more about 1/3 or more of the 24 yrs, & I make less than 100k & they treat me like a dam gazillionaire!

Just hoping the Trumper fires the IRS & we can just do it on a post card.

Sorry to vent, but, the CPA has been working on ours since summer, trying to get it straight with the govt thieves.

[alamogunr]

I'm just waiting for the rest of my info from the broker. When I get it, I will make an appointment with the accountant. I like to sit down with him and make sure I have gathered everything pertaining to my taxes. I've been retired almost 11 years and did my own taxes until last year. Always had the nagging feeling that I was missing something.

This year I think I will get a large refund since my wife had extensive dental work done and I had to go on some very expensive meds. Also bought a car so that is extra sales tax deduction. Hopefully, the accountant will find something else.

The peace of mind is worth the extra I pay him.

[OS OK]

Interesting poll. I used to do mine before I incorporated as a Contractor, then it became very tedious with all the schedules and equipment, trucks etcetera...I was a professional at my chosen trade and not talented enough to wear two professional hats...besides the CPA and Attorney will represent me in court or for an IRS audit. He said that there are ways to file year after year so that nothing sticks out and becomes a red flag, it's not always all for me and nothing for the government, there is some fair play involved.
In all my years of filing...KNOCK ON WOOD...I have never been audited...KNOCK ON WOOD.

[dkf]

Considering I pretty much always have to pay money in, I set an appointment with the CPA mid March and send everything in on the due date. I have to wait for my money, so can they. The difference is that I earn mine.

[Beagle333]

My bookkeeper does mine. I just wander in there sometime around the end of March with some papers, envelopes, receipts and paper scraps in a shoebox and she calls me when it's done, usually later that day.

[6bg6ga]

I filed my first tax return when I was 13 and had a part time job. I filed joint returns when the wife and I were married but soon learned the benefits of going to someone that specializes in tax returns. Working for someone and having a business on the side make things more difficult. Working at home allows me to use some badly needed deductions. Anymore paying a company that only deals with taxes makes my life a heck of a lot easier. Its done in one day and electronically mailed.

[tim338]

I have a CPA do it for me because of the business. Between the holidays and taxes I HATE this time of year. Very depressing.

[Geezer in NH]

Our CPA does them as soon as all our w2's and other stuff is together. He files them electronically when he has finished. If we get refund [mostly never] it gets deposited in the checking account. When we owe [mostly always] we send the payment in the week before due with the form he supplied us.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

With Turbo Tax around April 1st. Any earlier and some late statement is bound to show up. When setting up withholding I aim for a small refund. It usually works out.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Every year it's the same story.
I try to file as early as possible, then some mole hill turns into a mountain, and I end up filing after that mountain is whittled back down to a mole hill. Every year, it's a different hill.

[kingstrider]

I usually start working on mine as soon as I file them for the previous year with a spreadsheet of expenditures etc. Just waiting on Uncle Sam to release my W-2s so I can get it done now.

[garym1a2]

I figure out if I owe or get back in Jan, if I get a refund I file ASAP. If I owe its 4/16.

[Wayne Smith]

ASAP - beat the scammers!

[Lon246]

Sent for Federal Tax Forms first week in Jan. Still haven't got 'em.

[Harter66]

We file as soon as we have the W2s . We do get a dividend statement but it's always March before it comes in and uncle I'm sure will let me slide on $7-25 .

I guess as a single parent I make too much money now my EIC is down to $274.50 per kid .......... Not hardly worth keeping them around anymore :)

[Johnch]

One decent thing about how I am disabled
I have not had to file any tax in the last 4 years

When I get my settlement I will have to restart

John

[Handloader109]

Well, this year might be different, but we've usually had small refunds, so I have filed once I get everything. Too easy to do yourself.
Taxact software. Had issue with the H&R SW a few years ago and swapped. I've been out of work half the year and have some extra $ that I'll have to pay taxes on so I expect I'll wait till April...... And Keep praying for more income to come in.

[imashooter2]

We hired a CPA a few years back when our taxes got significantly more complex due to rentals.

[shoot-n-lead]

We normally do not file until Oct...the last extension date, allowable. The CPA knows that all of our stuff is late...so, he files the extension and will finish it up when we get the stuff to him.

[Green Ghost]

I usually file as soon as I get the paperwork together. Usually about the middle of Feb. This year all the paperwork came in early.

Jerry

[TXGunNut]

I have a CPA file one return and I do my personal one. Last several years I've jumped thru the long form hoops and then taken the standard deduction. Since writing a check of any size to the IRS makes me physically ill I put it off as long as possible.

[shdwlkr]

that is my accountants headache mine is getting the stuff to them and signing when they are done
Only good thing about taxes is they only come once a year

[dragon813gt]

Submitted mine tonight. The IRS has pushed back issuing refunds by a few weeks. I wanted to be at the front of the line to avoid any potential fraud issues. Don't need anyone submitting one for me.

[skeettx]

Filed mine yesterday, YEEEE HAWWW
Mike

[OBIII]

I jut got my MD state refund. 8 days. Too bad it's already gone. :(
Now waiting on Federal.
OB

[Idaho45guy]

Been using Turbo Tax for years and it has worked fine. But, last year I cashed out an old 401k and that is going to hurt. Not sure if I should hire a CPA to try and weasel me out of paying a bunch, or if there is any way to get out of paying my "fair share" this year.

[dragon813gt]

Been using Turbo Tax for years and it has worked fine. But, last year I cashed out an old 401k and that is going to hurt. Not sure if I should hire a CPA to try and weasel me out of paying a bunch, or if there is any way to get out of paying my "fair share" this year.

There isn't, trust me. I didn't intentionally forget to file the 1099 when I cashed mine out. It came late after mine were already submitted. Figured I'd roll the dice and see what happens. Got a large tax bill this year, mind you the cash out was years ago. I thought all the taxes were taken out at disbursement. Wrong on that one, only some were.

They took away a lot of other deductions, one of them being the child tax credit. I had three weeks to pay or decide to fight. The clock starts running on the interest if you decide to fight. I paid up to make it go away. They will find out so it's best to pay up now so they don't take more than they should later.

[mcdaniel.mac]

Finished filing today. First time in several years I've only filed in one state. I goofed up my math somewhere, ended up with a refund again. I guess MGM may be getting an order from me in just a bit!

[tygar]

S##$! I quit filing several years ago! I refuse to be complicit in supporting the illegals, druggies, & other low life *** that my $s are going for. (+ the Btards always want more)

So, my wife takes care of it with CPAs. That should take care of it, right? Well, guess what?, NO, every year since she has had them doing it, we get the letter, "give us more $s" (for all the various scum bags) Yes, I have some, "interesting" deductions from real estate, investments etc. But...give me a break.

I've been retired since 93 & have had the IRS pukes want more about 1/3 or more of the 24 yrs, & I make less than 100k & they treat me like a dam gazillionaire!

Just hoping the Trumper fires the IRS & we can just do it on a post card.

Sorry to vent, but, the CPA has been working on ours since summer, trying to get it straight with the govt thieves.

WELL the CPA finally filed the taxes she was working on all summer & winter! Instead of the $7500 the scumbags wanted, she said we should be getting back about $700???? (unless they do their normal BS!)

She also had this years (2016) done & we are supposed to get $400 back. Sure a change from previous yrs.

If it all stays good, she looks like a keeper CPA!

[Rufus Krile]

Done my own taxes forever. Had 18hrs of accounting... including tax... in college and i'm still as confused as five blind lesbians in a fish market. Last year they told me I didn't have to pay ANY tax on my SS receipts and returned a chunk of money to me. I figured it was a trap. Went all thru their worksheets and whereas'... "divide this sum by the square-root of the height in inches of your first-born child, add to it the current temperature in centigrade, and double it. If this is larger than line 8, then blue." They sent back, along with the check for more money, a perfect explanation... "You were wrong, Here's the right number." I'm gonna try it again this year and roll 'em up a phatty with my return. Can't hurt.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Sorry, this is a little off topic, but my 16yr. old son asked me why do they withhold from his paycheck to spend on all the insanity he sees in gov't, and he CANT VOTE!

I told him to call his Congressmen , they'll fix it!

[HeavyMetal]

AS long as I can file a simple 1040 & CA 540 I'm good to do it myself, usually file by mid march!

I do snail mail my return in, usually get a small small refund in relations ship to my income, but I feel if these dorks are gonna make me do their bookkeeping I'm going to make them do it manually rather than give them the auto check on a computer.

I think the refund is an insult and there are better ways to compute tax's with out withholding what they do, even worse is the rare case where I need to send them money!

To add insult to injury last year I did my Cali tax's and had a refund coming, 5 weeks later received a letter saying I owed an additional $4500.00??!

Turned out the person who checked my tax's at the FTB entered my income twice, must have been out of coffee that morning, when I called to find out how they messed it up the FTB agent informed me of my corrected income, I advised him to things: A check the W2 for the right income and B if I really made that much money I'd be going home to a 20 year old stripper and I wasn't, LOL!

Guy had a good sense of humor and after we got done laughing he fixed the paper work and promised me a check in 3 weeks, which happened on the
nose.
Most likely the only Republican in the building, LOL!

HM

[marlin39a]

The first day off I have in February. I get it over with fast.

[dragon813gt]

Sorry, this is a little off topic, but my 16yr. old son asked me why do they withhold from his paycheck to spend on all the insanity he sees in gov't, and he CANT VOTE!

I told him to call his Congressmen , they'll fix it!

Had this same discussion w/ my step daughter. She asked why they took so much of her money. I told her welcome to the adult world. We will see how she turns out in the long run but she seems to grasp reality.

[44man]

I am retired many years, had medical expenses last year from eye surgery and could not reach the standard deduction. WV the worst, had to pay over $550 but only $50 to the fed.
I lost a lot of retirement when the PBGC took it over and can't deduct the loss anymore from the state.
I only make about $26,000 a year and have to pay taxes on some SS. Blame the Democrats for that. I need to change my name to Gonzales.

[William Yanda]

I hate to let the govt handle my money so I try to arrange deductions to minimize my return. I realize some folks look at it differently and use it as a savings plan. I also belong to the file early to discourage identity thieves club. To keep peace in the family and utilize all applicable rules we use a tax preparer. Now that I am semi retired and we are empty nesters it may be simplified enough to go back to self preparation.

[whelenshooter]

Considering I pretty much always have to pay money in, I set an appointment with the CPA mid March and send everything in on the due date. I have to wait for my money, so can they. The difference is that I earn mine.

this^^

[lightman]

I have had mine done by a CPA for a long time. When I worked and ran a side business I just about had to. I usually get the info to him shortly after I get all of my W-2's and 1099's in. Some years there were a lot of them and some of them would be late. I'm retired now but I still use the same guy.

[km101]

A. E file and get $ back, so I want it asap.

[rockrat]

Haven't filed yet, be a few more weeks. Self-employed here. Have to pay estimated tax. One year I got a tax bill from the state saying I owed $$. Called them up and found out that they zeroed out my estimated taxes!!! I told the lady that you can't zero out what I paid and claim I owed the amount I had already paid and she told me "well, we did!" She insisted I owed the money so I asked for a supervisor. Supervisor took one look and went "what, why did they do that?? I will get it straightened out for you"", which she did.

[alamogunr]

rockrat's post reminded me that last September I sent in my federal estimated payment. When the check had not cleared in 3 weeks, I got concerned. Had a stop placed on the check and sent another check in mid October. Cost about $40 to place a stop but was worth it for peace of mind. Explained all this in a letter with the 2nd check.

[DCP]

Filed tax 3/20 Turbo Tax
Accepted on the 3/21
Refund was in checking 3/24

Now that was fast