DIY

It’s All In Your Hands

Are you looking to file your taxes? You’re finally there. The big day is here, and you’ve got everything together to file your taxes. The only thing left to do? File them yourself, without any help from an accountant or tax professional.

3 Ways You Can Get Your Taxes Done By Yourself:

Paper Forms:

Paper forms are great if you want to get your taxes done quickly. You can fill out the forms by hand and mail them in or submit them over the Internet. And don’t worry about paying a hefty fee for getting everything filled out by hand because paper forms are free. The IRS won’t automatically mail these anymore – they’re all available online now. You’ll need to download your tax forms online and then find the correct mailing address where you should send them.

Tax Software:

Tax software is an easy way to file your taxes at home. Software is a great way to have all your tax information and forms pre-populated, so you never have the hassle of filling them out yourself. As these programs grow more advanced, they can now lead you through the process of claiming rebates and credits. Plus, there’s an easy tracking system with software that lets users know when their refund was applied and when to expect it. Most programs allow you to e-file immediately after completion, which means that you’ll get a faster refund since they’re available right away.

Free IRS E-Filing:

Did you know that you can file your taxes online for free at the IRS website? The only catch is that it can take a little longer to get your tax refund since you’ll have to wait a few weeks after the IRS has received and approved your return.

What You Need to Know About Filing Your Taxes:

– Keep track of everything, don’t estimate. Save every receipt, canceled check, and credit card statement that represents money spent or income received. If you are buying something for future use(e.g., clothes), you can still document it by keeping the receipt or other proof of purchase. Be sure it isn’t reported as income until you start using it so that way there is no confusion about what should have been included in taxable income for this year versus next year.
– The best place to keep all of this documentation is in a file folder or envelope that’s easy to access at tax time because, let’s face it, it’s not the most organized thing to do.
– Keep track of any changes in your income, deductions, or credits throughout the year; you might need it when tax time comes.
– If your situation is straightforward and there are no exceptional circumstances that will affect what you have to report on your taxes, using a tax software program can be very helpful.
– The tax forms that you need will be labeled as something like “1040”. These are the primary forms where you report information about yourself and any dependents, calculate your taxable income, and figure out how much tax you owe.

How to Prepare Your Own Documents

– The first thing to do is gather all of your documents to be easily accessible when filling out these forms.
– You’ll need to know some basic information about yourself such as name, address, social security number, any dependents you have living with you (and their ages), and marital status. If filing jointly for married couples, you should both fill out separate copies of these forms because some questions will apply only to the taxpayer filing, while others will apply to the spouse.
– The most basic form is 1040 because it’s where you report the total income you received during the year.
– There are several types of taxable income, including wages, salary, interest, dividends, and gains from selling assets reported on separate forms, so make sure to check what types of income apply for your situation when filling out these forms.
– It’s also important to note whether this is your first time filing taxes or if there were changes to your tax situation in any way throughout the year. If it is your first time filing, you might be eligible for certain tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) or Child Tax Credit (CTC), which might affect the amount of tax you end up owing. Household expenses like homeowner’s contributions and your charitable donations can also reduce the taxable income you have to report or any additional taxes you owe. You should also know how much money was withheld from your paycheck if you were employed during the year, and how many dependents were claimed on your W-4 form. These amounts will be subtracted from your income.
– Keep track of any adjustments to your original income such as alimony paid, IRA contributions made, or property taxes paid throughout the year. These changes could affect what tax credits or deductions apply to you as well.
– Whether filing jointly married couples or just filing separate returns for yourself, each person’s tax situation is different, so everyone should fill out their separate copy of these forms.
– You’ll need your income information to calculate the amount of taxes you owe or might be eligible for a refund on your federal taxes. It’s also important to consider any credits you might qualify for, which are subtracted directly from the total tax owed, before determining how much money you have to pay by April 15th.

– There are several types of credits available, but if you have children, you might be eligible for the Child Tax Credit (CTC), which reduces the taxable income that has to be reported. Suppose you were unemployed during part or all of last year. In that case, there could be additional credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC) or additional general tax credit that you might be eligible for, and these credits can reduce the amount of tax you owe.
– There is a set of worksheets to help taxpayers figure out which forms to file by figuring out their taxable income and any credits they’re eligible for. These can be found online.
– You should know your adjusted gross income(AGI), taxable income, filing status, whether you qualify for any dependents, and if you filed married separately from your spouse when filling out these worksheets.
– This is where you’ll find all of the information needed to complete the W-4 form that was included in your packet, along with instructions on how many dependents were claimed and marital status.
The amount of tax you owe or the total refundable tax credits you might qualify for can be calculated by filling out these forms.
When filing married jointly, both spouses should fill out their copy of these forms to kno