Deciding When To File A Tax Return?

April 15th – “The Day of Reckoning”! Every year, millions of Americans get ready to pay taxes to Uncle Sam, or get ready to collect a tax refund from Uncle Sam; when did this become the great day that it is for taxpayers, and when are we actually required to file a income tax return? Let’s take a look at the beginnings of the income tax date of April 15 and why it was chosen?

The first known income tax that Americans were legally required to pay was enacted during the early 1860s, and the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War was proving very costly to finance, and the President and Congress created the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and enacted a law requiring citizens to pay federal income tax. This could be considered the start of our modern day income tax. This income tax was based on principles of graduated or progressive taxation and of withholding income at the source. The commissioner was given authority to assess, levy and collect federal income taxes. The authority to enforce tax laws by seizure of property and income and by prosecution.

Originally, the deadline for completing and filing your individual income tax was not April 15th. In the beginning, it was first set for March 1st. Then, during 1918, Congress pushed the date out to March 15th. Then, in the great overhaul of 1954, the date was once again moved forward to April 15th, and this is where it remains today. Why April 15th? The main thought from most scholars say the reasoning is that the date gives the IRS more time to handle the work load and more time to hang on to your money before offering a tax refund. This date has only been set this way for a little over 50 years. That’s not very long, in historical terms, and it could possibly be changed again.

If you are an individual taxpayer, you are required to file either a return or an extension of time to file (Form 4868) by April 15th. Corporate and other legal entities are required to file their federal income tax return by March 15th, and if not, they also must file an extension of time to file. What this extension does not do, is to extend the amount of time you have to pay any taxes due the government. So, if you are unable to ready your personal or business financial information in a timely manner, and have no reasonable estimate as to the amount of tax you may owe, you can expect to pay some form of penalty.

In the years following WWII, the burden of tax responsibility was shared fairly equally by the corporate world and the individual taxpayer. Today, however, the shift has been toward more responsibility on the part of the individual, and less on the business backs. To demonstrate how special interests have begun to overtake American politics, during 1867, public opinion was so strong, and the outcry of the general public so loud, that the President and Congress abolished the income tax law in 1872, and from 1872 until 1913 almost all of the revenue for government operation came from the sale of liquor, beer, wine, and tobacco. Although the income tax did make a small come back in 1894, it was found unconstitutional in 1895 by the U.S. Supreme Court because it was not apportioned among the states in conformity with the Constitution.

An interesting time during the formation and eventual taxation of America occurred during 1918. Until that point in time, the vast majority of tax revenue for government funding came from alcoholic beverage sales and high tariffs. In 1919, Congress passed an amendment to the Constitution that made it illegal to manufacture or sell alcohol; what would replace the revenue? American federal income tax was the proposed solution, and we’ve been paying since. Although during the great years known as Prohibition, many “revenue agents” spent their days tracking down “moon shiners” not tax evaders, the American citizen, the individual taxpayer took on the heavy burden of supporting government revenue, and it has become heavier with each passing year. On a side note, although “moon shining” was illegal, the “moon shiners” still had to pay taxes on the moon shine so they were incarcerated for tax evasion and not “moon shining”. Taxes seem to always come into play when looking for a way to prosecute someone.

Then, during 1942, the Revenue Act of 1942 was passed and the “New Deal” era was begun. Since that point in time, government control, power, and expenditures has continued to increase at a phenomenal rate, and today the American taxpayer supports a trillion dollar giant known as the United States government. This ravenous beast consumes more than 10% of our earned income each year, and if the Social Security Administration has their way, will continue to consume even more of our weekly earnings. We can foresee no other relief in sight.

Currently, all the tax regulations for this country are the responsibility of the Internal Revenue Service, and there are four major divisions of this government office: the Wage and Investment, Small/Business Self-Employed, the Large and Midsize Business and the Tax Exempt and Government Entities. Each division has responsibilities as they pertain to their individual specialty.

There continues to be talk on the hill to change the way taxes are calculated and collected. The most common themes are the flat tax and the national sales tax. Until Congress actually has the courage to step up to the plate and change it, taxes will remain as cumbersome as always.

Keith Hoyng

Keith Hoyng is the web master and operator of http://www.quickcash2u.com which is an excellent source of financial, travel, remodeling, and more key information. Visit us at http://www.quickcash2u.com/TaxHelp.html

Filing An Income Tax Return

When the month of April rolls around most of America is preparing their income tax returns. Each year all individuals who made an income are required to report that income to federal and state governments by filing an income tax return.

Taxpayers must file two separate income tax returns. One income tax return goes to the federal government and the other goes to the state government that a particular taxpayer resides in. The majority of taxpaying Americans are able to fill out a Form 1040A: U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Individuals that do not have any children or other qualifying dependents are able to file a federal 1040EZ form. This form is also referred to as the Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents. The 1040EZ is basically a shorter version of the 1040A form; however, taxpayers must meet certain requirements before filing a 1040EZ form.

The majority of taxpayers will have the federal income tax forms they need mailed to their home. The option to have federal income tax forms mailed to a taxpayer is given on the previous year’s tax forms. Taxpayers who do not wish to receive federal income tax forms but do need them can get the forms from a number of sources. Many paper forms are available for pickup at many local post offices, banks, and libraries. Taxpayers can also visit the website of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) which is found at http://www.irs.gov. The Internal Revenue Service has a collection of federal income tax forms that can be downloaded and printed.http://www.taxhelpdirectory.com/federalincometax/

When a taxpayer reports their income earned to their state government they will also have to fill out a state tax return form. Each state has their own income tax return forms. The form numbers will all be different because they vary from state to state; however, some forms will have the same heading. It is not uncommon for a state income tax form to be known as the Resident Income Tax Return. As with federal income tax returns, the majority of states have a long income tax return form and a short one. Taxpayers who are able to fill out and file a short state income tax return are encouraged to do so because it saves many taxpayers a large amount of tax preparation time. As with most federal income tax forms, state tax return individuals are likely to have a packet of state income tax forms mailed directly to their home. It is also possible for taxpayers to find their state tax forms at their local post office, financial institution, or library.

In addition to the traditional taxpaying individual, there are others who have to report and possibly pay an income tax. All businesses and estate properties of an individual who has passed on are subject to an income tax. A small business owner or the executor of an estate property will have to file different federal and state income tax forms than the traditional taxpayer. These forms can be obtained at the same places where standard federal and state forms are available.

Gray Rollins

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for the TaxHelpDirectory.com. To learn more about income taxes, and tax filing, please visit our site.

Need A Copy Of Your Tax Return Information?

Taxpayers have two easy and convenient options for getting copies of their federal tax return information — tax return transcripts and tax account transcripts — by phone or by mail.

A tax return transcript shows most line items from the tax return (Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ) as it was originally filed, including any accompanying forms and schedules. It does not reflect any changes you, your representative or the IRS made after the return was filed. In many cases, a return transcript will meet the requirements of lending institutions such as those offering mortgages and student loans.

A tax account transcript shows any later adjustments either you or the IRS made after the tax return was filed. This transcript shows basic data, including marital status, type of return filed, adjusted gross income and taxable income.

Request either transcript by calling 1-800-829-1040, or order by mail using IRS Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. The IRS does not charge a fee for transcripts, which are available for the current and three prior calendar years. Allow two weeks for delivery.

If you need a photocopy of a previously processed tax return and attachments, complete Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Form, and mail it to the IRS address listed on the form for your area. There is a fee of $39 for each tax period requested. Copies are generally available for the current and past 6 years.

Richard Chapo

Richard Chapo is CEO of http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com - Obtaining tax refunds for small businesses for overpaid taxes. Discovery tax strategies and deductions in our tax articles section.

Who Must File a Tax Return

If you are a United State citizen, you must file a federal tax return if your income is above certain levels. Other factors such as age and type of income you receive are also taken into consideration. If you are unsure as to whether you are required to file for income tax return, you can find out more information from the official Internal Revenue Service IRS website, or you can consult professional efile tax service providers. If you wish to avoid getting into any kind of trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, it's always wise to file, whether you need to or not.

There are situations where even if your income level falls below the stipulated level of income, you should still file your tax returns. For example, you may quality for certain income tax refunds. Such refunds will be credited to you only if you file for tax returns. Refundable credits include Earned Income Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Health Coverage Tax Credit.

Sometimes, it is difficult or cumbersome to try and determine whether you qualify for the refund credits or not. In this case, you can consider filing for tax returns online. This method of tax filing is commonly known as e-filing or efile.

E-filing is an electronic process that any United States citizen can use to file for tax returns. Of course, the assumption here is that whoever is e-filing should know how to operate a computer. Anyone who knows how to use the computer to surf the Internet will have no problems submitting tax return information using e-filing processes.

You should only e-file with Internal Revenue Service authorized websites. This is to ensure that security measures are implemented. Obviously, security measures are important because e-filing means submitting sensitive information through a public network. Therefore, it is only right to submit personal financial information through an IRS Internal Revenue Service authorized site.

E filing is simple. It can take a little bit of time though. But you can speed up the process by having your w2's and other information on hand. The entire process is guided in a step by step process. When you start submission, read the instructions carefully. There will be fields that are mandatory, and fields that are optional. These will be clearly indicated. As you submit, you may find that there are some pieces of information that you do not have at that moment. Don't worry about it. You can proceed filling in the rest of the information. You will then be allowed to save the submission, and come back at a later date to fill in the missing information.

Also, when you e-file, the system will automatically do the calculations to see whether you qualify for credit refunds. So you don't have to worry about changes or update to any policies.

Unless you are retired with no (or very little) income, chances are you must file a tax return. You may even end up with more money in your pocket!

Matthew Snelling

For more information on Filing tax returns and efile tax returns please visit e-file-tax-returns.org.

Filing Your Tax Return

We all work so hard for our money that the thought of parting ways often makes us restless, yet everyone knows that our government was designed to function with our tax paying dollars. Many of us out there feel as though the only thing you can count on is death and taxes. Often times we ask ourselves, "Would the government know if I didn't pay my taxes?" Yes, the Internal Revenue Department is adamant that we all do our part to keep the country economically viable. Ever heard of Al Capone? The FBI tried for years to convict him of his many heinous crimes. Who finally got him and trotted him off to jail where he died? Yes, the IRS tried him for income tax evasion and put him in prison. Finally, one of the most notorious criminals of the Twentieth Century went to jail because he didn't pay his taxes. Obviously, we all need to understand the basics of Income taxes or we can join all of those other criminals sitting in jail because they thought they could beat the IRS.

According to federal and most state laws, if you made some sort of an income last year, than you must file an income tax return. Income tax returns are required regardless if you had income tax withheld or not; while all businesses except partnerships must file an annual tax return. For the individual, when determining whether you must file or not, the IRS takes into account your income, filing status, and age.

We must understand that the requirement of filing an income tax return is not voluntary, rather mandatory and extremely important. The Internal Revenue Service has clearly stated out the requirements for filing in the following codes §§ 6011(a), 6012(a), et seq. If you fail to file an income tax return it is considered a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $10000 fine. While the penalty for filing a frivolous income tax return is only $500, the penalty.

Thanks to modern technologically we now have the option of filing our taxes faster than before. The fastest way for you to file is electronically or you may still prefer to file the old fashion way via the mail. Whether your return is complicated or easy, both these methods will work. The primary form for the income tax return is either the 1040 NR or 1040 NR-EZ. The average time to process an accurate tax return is between six and eight weeks. Your tax return is due on April 15th. If the income tax return is late (even one day), there is an automatic tax due of 25% of your tax return. If you know that you're going to be late, file an extension, taxpayers are granted an automatic six month extension for filing an individual income tax return.

Filing an e-turn can be very beneficial to you, especially if you are waiting to receive money back from the government. If you should choose to e-file your tax return you then have the option to use direct deposit, this allows you to receive your return in as little as 10 days. Even if you do not choose the direct deposit option, you will usually receive your tax refund in half the time by e-filing.

Keep in mind that one of the most important things when filing your federal or state tax return, if filing by mail, is remembering to sign it. In some cases you may need to get a hold of your previously filed tax return. You can obtain this information in a written request to the IRS.

It is extremely important to file an income tax return. There are several non-profit organizations with trained volunteers who provide basic income tax return preparation and free tax counseling for senior citizens. If you need help, contact the IRS or a tax service. Tax returns leave no room for mistake.

Kenneth L Myers

Do You Know When To File A Tax Return?

Every year, millions of Americans dread the inevitable; they have to gather all of their receipts and records and get ready to file their Federal Income Tax Returns. When was tax season first initiated? Here, we will take a look at that magic day of April 15 and why it was chosen as tax day.

During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency in the 1860’s, were first legally required to pay income taxes. The President and Congress created the Commissioner of Revenue and enacted a Federal Income Tax law in order to fund the costly Civil War.

The original deadline for submitting your income taxes was March 1, not April 15. It was in 1918 when the Congress pushed the date out to March 15. Then in 1954, the date was once again moved, this time to April 15, the date we still know as tax day.

If you are an individual taxpayer, you are required to file either a return or an extension (Form 4868) by April 15. Corporate and other legal group entities must file their tax return or an extension by March 15. The extension merely gives you extra time to file your tax return, not extra time to pay if you owe.

For some years after World War 2, the tax burden was shared relatively equally by the corporate world and the individual taxpayer. Today, the shift seems to be toward the individual carrying the load of the tax burden.

An interesting event that occurred during formation of income taxation laws in America occurred during 1918. Up until then, a lot of revenue for government funding came from alcoholic beverage sales.

Then came Prohibition. In 1919, Congress passed an amendment to the Constitution that made it illegal to manufacture or sell alcohol. In order to replace that lost revenue, income tax was the proposed solution, and despite the repeal of Prohibition, we’ve been paying income taxes ever since.

When the Revenue Act of 1942 was passed and the “New Deal” era was begun, government control and expenditures has continued to increase exponentially, and today the American taxpayer supports a multi-trillion dollar National Debt.

Currently, all the tax regulations for this country are under the management of the Internal Revenue Service, in which there are four major division: Wage and Investment, Small/Business Self-Employed, Large and Midsize Business, and Tax Exempt and Government. Each division governs the taxpayers and the laws as they are relevant to their particular department.

Ken Snowie

Discover more about tax and tax returns by visiting http://www.discover-tax.info