TurboTax Makes Tax Season a Breeze

Financial capability is a major part in an adult’s life. Finishing your degree and getting a job is needed in order to maintain a sustainable life, along with paying taxes. Tax which comes from the Latin word “taxo” meaning rate, is a monetary obligation given to individuals to support the government; it is not a donation or a voluntary contribution, rather it is an imposed donation as mandated by law. Taxes are necessary for the government to function and provide services to the people. There are two forms of taxes levied to individuals: direct and indirect. Direct taxes are imposed directly on the income or property/business of an individual while indirect taxes are imposed on commodities, sales, etc.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)4
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)4 (Photo credit: Antonio Villaraigosa)

Get to Know Your Taxes

  1. Payroll Taxes – tax which is taken out directly from an employee’s wages and calculated based on their earnings. This includes Income Tax Withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes and Unemployment Taxes.
  2. Property Taxes – these are imposed taxes based on property’s fair market value. Generally, it is imposed on realty but some jurisdictions may tax business properties, as well.
  3. Sales Taxes – it is imposed on the retail price of commodities and services.
  4. Inheritance or Estate Taxes – a levy paid by a person inheriting money or property from a deceased individual.
  5. Gift Taxes – it is tax on property or money given by one living person to another. Some “gifts” are not taxed due to exemptions in taxation law.

Tax Season

Tax season begins and it’s time to file the necessary forms such as the W-2 form or the Wage and Tax statement. The W-2 form is an account of earnings (wages and other forms of compensation) that an employer must submit to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the end of the fiscal year. It is an employer’s account of their employee’s compensation and the withheld taxes on their paycheck.

Filing taxes is a gruesome and tiring task where companies or individuals hire professionals in order to file accurate accounts. TurboTax offers a stress-free tax season.

TurboTax in Action

TurboTax helps in filing the necessary taxes along with tax deductions that the company deserves. They ask questions which are relevant to the company’s profile enabling them to see which taxes suit you along with the corresponding deductions to benefit the business. No need to worry about calculations; they will do it all. They will be there every step of the way. Their experienced and expert employees have handled taxes for years and know exactly what works on behalf of the business.

Another feature of TurboTax is that it’s done online. No need to visit a tax store, it’s just a download and a click away. The main idea is to maximize time for other things and not all on taxes, no need to pull your hair out and burn the midnight oil. They handle the IRS too, if they have any questions regarding your taxes.

No need to have your W-2 handy, they can get it from the company. Are you indecisive about which product to get? They can assist in the decision making. No need to worry about making a mistake, they can double check to avoid any penalties; if the IRS still finds mistakes, they’ll pay for your penalty plus interest.

Are the refunds taking too long to be released? They can get it fast for you through efile and direct deposit at no extra charge. Worried about not owning a bank account? Don’t worry; they can have it mailed to you.

After The Events In Boston And Texas, Charity Scams Are Common

Charity Scams Are Common

When you use TurboTax to file your taxes, you may notice that you can write off the money that you gave to charities. This is a good way to reduce your total tax bill or get a bigger return, and you get to help the victims of tragedies at the same time. However, the IRS has said that taxpayers like yourself need to be aware of common charity scams that can cheat you out of your money.

Walk for Cancer - it's raining!
Walk for Cancer – it’s raining! (Photo credit: miamism)

Many charity scams crop up after every tragedy, and the ones in Boston and Texas are no exception. Most of the time, charity scams will be set up to look like real charities that you may have reported contributions to on TurboTax before. They could mimic the name, the color scheme and other important aspects. Always make sure that you check with the IRS to see if the charity is verified before donating.

It is also important that you never give out your social security number, your credit card numbers, or any other personal information. Some charity scams will use these things to steal your identity, and they can then steal your money later on, above and beyond what you donate so that you can write it off on TurboTax. On top of this, you never want to donate cash just in case the organization is a charity scam. It is easier to report transactions on TurboTax if you donate with a check or a credit card, and this means that you have a record of the transaction if it is a scam.

TurboTax Survives Twitter Panic

TurboTax Survives Twitter Panic

The 2013 tax season was fraught with unprecedented problems caused by government budget fights and IRS delays in updating forms.  In addition, some major tax preparation firms, most notably H&R Block, caused problems for taxpayers claiming education credits by not properly updating their own software, delaying some clients’ returns by weeks.  TurboTax managed to escape most of the tax season controversy until the evening before the filing deadline.  On that night, they had their own crisis which was exacerbated by Twitter.

English: Sketch for Twitter. See also the auth...
English: Sketch for Twitter. See also the author’s description on Flickr. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TurboTax admits that on Sunday, April 14th, some of their online users were not able to access their accounts, causing a panic among those who had waited until the last possible moments to file.  The outage was caused by a glitch in the company’s software and the extremely high volume on the web site. According to TurboTax officials, the site was never entirely down, though the outraged tweets on Twitter painted a different picture.

Although the problem only lasted about one hour, from 6:40 pm until 7:50 pm PT, last minute filers panicked and tweeted frantic questions and complaints to TurboTax’s Twitter account.  TurboTax was aware of the problem before the tweets hit, but users had their doubts, and so kept reminding the tax company of the problem.  All was quickly fixed; however, leading many to blame procrastinators instead of the company for the problem.

Twitter users may not have passed on any useful information this time, but the pressure they exerted probably didn’t hurt anything. In the future, TurboTax will surely be more prepared for traffic surges on their site.

Finding The Right Online Tax Prep

Finding The Right Online Tax Prep

During tax time there are all sorts of advertisements for at home tax prep. These sites offer many different features and each claim to be the best one. This is why it is important to understand this battle as well as what it can mean to you when filing your taxes.

One of the biggest sites out there is free Turbo Tax 2013. Many people like this because it allows them to file for free on their federal tax forms. A newer site that you can do this with is TaxSlayer. Tax Act is among these as well. The nice thing about these different options is that they are all free and allow you to quickly get your information in so you can receive your refund.

IRS 1040 Tax Form Being Filled Out
IRS 1040 Tax Form Being Filled Out (Photo credit: kenteegardin)

The thing many people wonder is which they should go with. The truth is that it is simply a matter of preference. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when looking at the site you will go with. One is whether they offer free support, as not all do. Will they charge for additional forms, which is especially important if you have your own business. You also want to find out if there are any charges to have the money direct deposited into your account.

You will need to think about what your needs are for your taxes. If you have no clue what you are doing, then it may be beneficial to pay for a service that offers online chat with tax professionals, such as H&R Block at Home. If you know what you are doing or are doing a simple 1040EZ, then chances are you do not have to worry about this.

In the end, you need to go with the site you feel most comfortable with. Each site has benefits and drawbacks. This is the nice thing about these sites is that you can find one that will meet your needs. Just make sure you take the time to see what each has to offer before you get started as having to imput all your information again can take a long time and will be frustrating.

Easy Online Tax Filing With Free Turbo Tax Software

Free Turbo Tax 2013 Software

Having expert tax assistance can be the best way to avoid financial penalties, complete your filing on time, and maximize your refund. Timely and beneficial filing may be the goal of any taxpayer, but preparing your taxes on your own may seem like more than you can handle. Going to an accounting office may seem like the best way to get professional guidance at tax time, but new options for online tax filing can make completing your taxes online a great option even if you are new to the online tax filing experience. Free Turbo Tax 2013 software puts the latest tax information right at your fingertips, and estimating your tax refund may be easier and more convenient to complete than you ever imagined.

English: iphone Deutsch: iphone
English: iphone Deutsch: iphone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Turbo Tax software is designed for easy and straightforward use, and this is what makes online tax filing successful for so many taxpayers each year. Selecting the most appropriate Turbo Tax edition may be your biggest challenge as you consider filing your taxes online for the first time, but the Turbo Tax Taxcaster may help you review your online tax filing software options quickly and objectively. The Taxcaster was designed by tax professionals, and this product is characteristic of the helpful software associated with Turbo Tax. You can download the free Taxcaster in several ways, and the app will allow you to download this helpful tool onto your smartphone, iPad, iPhone, or tablet.

The Taxcaster will calculate your refund once you answer a few questions about your deductions and income, and you will be able to see your estimated refund within minutes. Knowing this kind of information before you file your taxes allows you to make adjustments as needed. You may reduce your tax obligation by adjusting your withholdings and increasing your net income, and this is how many taxpayers end up paying less at tax time. The Taxcaster information lets you take advantage of filing as soon as possible if you will be getting a refund or filing closer to the end of the tax season if you will owe money.

You will need to select an online tax filing edition to prepare and file your tax return, but the Taxcaster software will help you make the most informed decision when it comes to filing your taxes online. The Taxcaster will recommend which Turbo Tax software will be right for your filing situation, and this is what may make your online tax filing experience as beneficial as possible. Downloading the Taxcaster may be your first step towards easy and understandable online tax preparation and filing.

Tax Carnival Ecstasy – March 19, 2013

Welcome to the March 19, 2013 edition of Tax Carnival Ecstasy. In this edition we start with an article from Bill Smith on the effect of the tax code’s bias towards debt decreasing. John Schmoll has 4 Ways to Make Filing Taxes easier every year for us from the site Frugal Rules. Finally, Edward Webber presents The New Tax Code for 2013-2014 in the UK. Hope you enjoy all the articles, bookmark, share, tweet, like on Facebook, and visit a few of our sponsors.

Hitesh Haryani presents A Must Read, If You Want to Trade for a Living posted at OnlyForexTrading.com, saying, “Yes, it is Possible, You can become a Successful Forex Trader by Understanding & Implementing on all the points mentioned in this post with Proper Focus & Dedicated Efforts.”

dominic mondal presents Securing your Pension Plan by Investing in Self Managed Super Funds and Property posted at Recent Articles.

Quick Draw McGraw -- Quick Draw was often acco...
Quick Draw McGraw — Quick Draw was often accompanied by his deputy, a Mexican burro called Baba Looey …..item 1..Too many applicants vying for too few jobs (December 30, 2011) … (Photo credit: marsmet53)

deductions

Bill Smith presents U.S. tax reform – Effect of decrease in the tax code’s bias for debt posted at 2012 Tax – Free Tax Filing Options, saying, “The much awaited tax reform has at last arrived to reduce the tax code’s bias for debt.”

filing

John Schmoll presents 4 Simple Ways to Make Filing Taxes Easier Every Year – Frugal Rules posted at Frugal Rules, saying, “Very few people enjoy doing and filing their taxes. However, with a few simple steps you can make the process easier every year.”

retirement

dominic mondal presents What To Keep In Mind When Looking For Payday Loans Orlando FL posted at Recent Articles.

tax law

Bill Smith presents The Discretion of the President to Plan Cuts Under Debate posted at 2012 Tax – Free Tax Filing Options, saying, “President Barack Obama has been pretty vocal about the effect that automatic budget cuts are going to have.”

taxes

Alan Webster presents A Day in the Life of a Trader posted at TradingAcademy.com, saying, “Have you ever wondered what the average day is like for a trader? In this blog post we interview Steve Moses, an options trader, to sneak a peek into his average day.”

Edward Webber presents The New Tax Code for 2013-2014 posted at TaxFix Feed Update, saying, “In the UK the tax allowance is about to increase. This means that anyone working in the country can earn 9,449 pounds before they need to pay any tax. This post explains all about it.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of tax carnival ecstasy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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