Tag Archive for tax refund

Taxpayers May Forfeit More Than $1.4 billion In Refunds

Taxpayers May Forfeit More Than $1.4 billion In Refunds

“Time is running out for more than a million people to get their tax refunds for 2019,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “Many people may have overlooked filing a 2019 tax return due to the pandemic. We don’t want people to miss their window to receive their refund. We encourage people to check their records and act quickly before the deadline.”

That deadline is quickly approaching: July 17, 2023

The Three Year Rule
Refunds have to be claimed within three years or they are forfeited to the government. The unclaimed $1.4 billion comes from over 1 million taxpayers who still haven’t filed returns for the 2019 tax year. Often the people who leave these refunds behind are young adults, college students, senior citizens and low-income taxpayers.
What’s new this year is the July 17 deadline versus the traditional April 15 deadline due to a filing delay during the pandemic.

Why Refunds Go Unclaimed
Most readers of this June alert will breeze right past this friendly reminder. But not so fast, everyone who reads this tip probably knows of someone that will be donating their 2019 refund to the federal government. Here are some examples:

Forgetting withholdings. Even if you have very little income, your employer may have taken some money from your paycheck for federal tax withholdings. The only way to get it back is to file a tax return. This impacts part-time employees and students.

Not claiming refundable credits. Many tax credits are “refundable credits.” This means you can receive a refund even if you owe no income tax. Common examples available to students and parents are the earned income tax credit and the premium tax credit.
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Written by | Posted in Tax Refund • TaxConnections

Get An Early Tax “Refund” By Adjusting Your Withholding And Foreign Accounts Reporting Requirements

Get An Early Tax “Refund” By Adjusting Your Withholding

Each year, millions of taxpayers claim an income tax refund. To be sure, receiving a payment from the IRS for a few thousand dollars can be a pleasant influx of cash. But it means you were essentially giving the government an interest-free loan for close to a year, which isn’t the best use of your money.

Fortunately, there’s a way to begin collecting your 2018 refund now: You can review the amounts you’re having withheld and/or what estimated tax payments you’re making, and adjust them to keep more money in your pocket during the year. Read More

Written by | Posted in Income Tax Act • Tax Refund

Sales Tax Consultant Having Success Recovering Georgia Sales Tax Refunds For Hospitals And Healthcare Industry

Georgia sales tax exemptions for healthcare providers, including hospital, clinics, and medical practice groups include several categories of purchases. One Georgia sales tax exemption for healthcare providers that a sales tax consultant from Agile Consulting Group has been recovering a significant amount of refunds for relates to prosthetic devices. Georgia Code Ann. § 48-8-3(54) states that prosthetic devices that are sold or used pursuant to a prescription are exempt from Georgia sales and use tax. Our sales tax consultant has learned that the prosthetic device may be purchased exempt from Georgia sales and use tax by a hospital, clinic, or medical practice group if it is sold or used pursuant to a prescription under federal or state law and title and possession is permanently transferred to a natural person to whom a prescription for the device is issued, per Georgia Comp. Rules & Regulations § 560-12-2-.30(5)(a). Read More

Written by | Posted in Georgia Tax • Sales Tax

2017 IRS Data Book Shows Chances Of Being Audited

The IRS has published the 2017 version of its annual IRS Data Book, which contains statistical information about the IRS and taxpayer activities during the previous year. The IRS Data Book helps illustrate the breadth and complexity of the U.S. tax system. According to the Data Book, during fiscal year 2017 (Oct. 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2017), the IRS collected overall more than US$ 3.4 trillion from taxpayers, processed more than 245 million tax returns and other forms, and issued more than $436 billion in tax refunds.

The IRS also audited almost 1.1 million tax returns during fiscal year 2017.  Almost 90% of the audited returns were individual income tax returns. While the percentage of overall returns audited was relatively low at 0.5% overall, the percentages were significantly higher for two types of taxpayers – wealthy individuals and individuals filing international returns. Read More

Written by | Posted in Audit • IRS

Taxpayers Should Report Name Changes Before Filing Taxes

When a taxpayer changes their name, that change can affect their taxes. All the names on a taxpayer’s tax return must match Social Security Administration records. A name mismatch can delay a tax refund. Here’s what a taxpayer should do if anyone listed on their tax return changed their name:

  • Reporting Taxpayer’s Name Change. Taxpayers who should notify the SSA of a name change include:
    • Taxpayers who got married and use their spouse’s last name.
    • Recently married taxpayers who now use a hyphenated name.
    • Divorced taxpayers who now use their former last name.

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Written by | Posted in Tax Filing

The Clawback: Receiving A Proper Refund

Very often there may be a Ponzi Scheme financial theft, in which certain taxpayers have profited since they made early investments and were paid unusual profits that did not exist. Often taxpayers in Ponzi Schemes that have benefited from the financial loss of others are called upon by a trustee to forfeit the profits made in the Ponzi Scheme. Read More

Written by | Posted in Fraud • Tax Refund

Time Is Ticking: Taxpayers Pay Attention

Every year, millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes. These taxpayers should have paid the tax they owed by the April deadline, but those who requested an extension should mark Monday, Oct. 16 as the extension deadline for 2017.

Every year, millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes. These taxpayers should have paid the tax they owed by the April deadline, but those who requested an extension should mark Monday, Oct. 16 as the extension deadline for 2017.

While the deadline normally falls on Oct. 15, that date falls on a Sunday this year so the due date is moved to the next business day. Every year, millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes. These taxpayers should have paid the tax they owed by the April deadline, but those who requested an extension should mark Monday, Oct. 16 as the extension deadline for 2017. While the deadline normally falls on Oct. 15, that date falls on a Sunday this year so the due date is moved to the next business day. Read More

Written by | Posted in Tax Payments • TaxConnections

Where’s My Refund? – IRS Changes

John Stancil, Tax Connections

So you get all your tax information together early and go to your preparer so you can file your tax return early and get the refund quickly. Not so fast. Certain refunds will be delayed and will not be released by the IRS until February 15. This is due to a provision in the PATH Act, enacted by Congress in 2015, prohibiting the IRS from releasing certain refunds prior to February 15. This provision takes effect this year. Note that the 15th is the release date, so it will take a few more days for you to receive the refund. Read More

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Frequent IRS Questions Answered For Tax Time

MileIQ

The IRS is urging tax payers to “avoid the rush” and use IRS.gov to find quick answers to frequently-asked questions. We’ll go over some of these questions below and be sure to let us know any other you have in the comment section.

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Written by | Posted in Advertorial

Tax Return Tips For Your 2015 Tax Returns

John Stancil

As The United States Tax Code gets more complex, one would think that the number of individuals utilizing a paid preparer would be on the increase. However, that is not the case. More and more individuals are filing their own returns. I see at least two reasons for this. The individual tax return market can be viewed as consisting of two segments – very simple returns with no itemized deductions or other complications in the return and more complex returns utilizing multiple tax schedules and tax forms. As the standard deduction increases, more taxpayers are taking the standard deduction, so their tax return is fairly simple to prepare. Adding to the simplicity of the return is the second factor – availability of inexpensive or free preparation software. Since these typically guide the taxpayer in preparation, the task becomes even simpler.

However, taxpayers of all stripes should be aware of certain factors involved in filing their returns. I have provided my “Ten Best Tips for Filing your Return.” These tips can be useful for those preparing their own returns, but they can also guide the taxpayer using a CPA or other professional preparer in assembling their information for the preparer.

• File tax returns on time, even if you cannot pay now. You will be assessed a penalty and interest for failure to pay, but you will avoid the failure to file penalty. This penalty is 5% per month of the amount of taxes owed, up to 25%. If you don’t owe, there shouldn’t be a penalty. Read More

Written by | Posted in Income Tax • IRS • Tax Management • Tax Refund • Tax Return

Unpaid Debt Can Take Your Tax Refund

TaxConnections Member Barry Fowler

As the 2015 tax season approaches, you may be getting excited about your potential tax refund.

However, that excitement may be premature if you have outstanding federal or state debts. The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) issues federal tax refunds, and Congress authorizes BFS to reduce your refund through its Treasury Offset Program (TOP) to pay:

• Past-due child and parent support;

• Federal agency non-tax debts;  Read More

Written by | Posted in Tax Refund

Are Lower Income Taxpayers Taking Full Advantage Of The Earned Income Credit?

The earned income credit (EIC) is a major tax credit that is specifically designed for lower income working families and individuals. The amount of the credit varies depending on your level of income and how many dependents you support. You can claim this credit with or without qualifying children, but greater tax credit is given to those who have qualifying children. This credit can be valued at over $6,000 if you have three or more qualifying children. The earned income credit is a refundable credit, which means that you will receive a tax refund whether or not you had any taxable income.

As the name implies, the earned income credit is provided as an incentive for individuals to work. Consequently, to qualify for this credit, you must have some form of earned income during the year. Earned income includes wages you get from working, and Read More

Written by | Posted in Tax Credit
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