Tax Help
Home Based Business Tax Deductions
Running a home based business reaps many wonderful tax deductions that other businesses some times may not claim. Unfortunately to many small business owners end up paying the government taxes every year because they are unaware or several small business deductions that are available.
Most of the time any expenses that are related to your [...]
Tax Records – What You Should Keep And For How Long
Many taxpayers are confused about how long they should keep tax records. The term "tax records" refers to your tax returns and the documents that support the information in the returns. These documents can include receipts, bank statements, 1099s, etc. If you are one of the unlucky few to be audited, these records will [...]
Tax Trap #1 — Waiting to Incorporate: What A Difference A Date Can Make
NOTE: This is the first in a series of 5 articles: "Small Business Tax Traps and How To Avoid Them"
If you're a sole proprietor, perhaps you've considered incorporating your small business or self-employment activity.
And so maybe you've been wondering, "When is the best time to incorporate?"
From a legal standpoint, any time is the best [...]
Tax Trap #2 — Double Taxation: Isnt Once Enough?
Have you been thinking about incorporating your small business or self-employment activity? The advantages are many!
For starters, you'll be protecting yourself and your family from the possible of a business ending lawsuit. Forming a corporation is Step One on the path known as "Asset Protection" — you are moving from the world of unlimited [...]
Tax Trap #3 — IRS Penalties, Interest and Love Letters
As a small business owner or self-employed person, one of the easiest ways to keep Uncle Sam off your back and out of your life is to file your forms, payments and other paperwork on time.
Over the next four months there are several key dates that you dare not forget! Here they are — [...]
Tax Trap #4 — The Quagmire of Depreciation
If you are a Small Business Owner or Self-Employed Person, there's one especially lucrative tax break that not only puts money in your pocket, it also makes the filing of your business tax return much simpler.
What am I talking about? It's called the Section 179 deduction, and if there's one tax break you need [...]
Tax Trap #5 — Ignoring The IRS (and the 5 best ways to contact them!)
We all love to criticize the IRS, don't we? And I'm just as guilty as anyone. It's easy to ridicule a huge organization of government bureaucrats who often seem to be Public Enemy #1.
Our negative attitude toward the IRS can lead to a strong desire to just ignore it altogether. But self-employed people who [...]
How To Get An Extension To File Your Business Tax Returns
Yes, the tax season is upon with the first filing date for some businesses being March 15, 2005. If you can't imagine getting your tax returns together by that date, you need not worry. The IRS automatically gives you an extension if your file the appropriate form. As you might expect, there are different [...]
How to Check the Status of Your Tax Refund Online
So, you were pleasantly surprised to learn that you are getting a refund on your taxes. Congratulations! The question for most taxpayers expecting a return is, "Where is my refund?"
Check Your Refund Status Online
The easiest way to check on your refund is to ask the IRS through IRS.gov. On the home page of the [...]
The Internet Tax Man Cometh
Q: I was contacted by the city tax collector to say that my business is scheduled to be audited to see if I owe sales tax on items purchased on the Internet. Can they really make me pay sales tax on internet purchase? I thought you could buy things online tax free? — Charlie [...]
