Due to their unrelenting stubbornness and absolute refusal to embrace technology, my parents will never know the joys of filing their taxes online. Even if you are far from tech savvy, you can still successfully file your taxes from the comfort of your home office. The process is not complicated, though it requires a little bit of research. And by research, I mean reading some simple instructions, and then following them to the letter. If you do not complete the online forms correctly, there’s a chance you could be slapped with a penalty for filing late. Bottom line: Read all … Continue reading →

If you’ve watched even five minutes of television in the last two weeks or so, then you’ve likely seen H&R Block’s new commercial offering free tax filing to Americans who didn’t make a ton of money in 2011. The ad is saturating the airwaves. Heck, last night I saw the commercial five times in less than two hours, and I thought the same thing each time I viewed it: Too good to be true. Of course, I’m a cynic. And by cynic I mean realist. Regardless, like many deals that feature the word “free” this one also comes with a … Continue reading →

If you spent all or part of 2011 working part-time or less, you may be wondering if you even have to file taxes this year. Many self-employed workers wonder the same, especially if they didn’t generate much money in the last 12 months. To determine whether or not you earned enough cash to warrant filing taxes, you must first consider your age, employment status, and total earnings. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines “earnings” as wages, salaries or tips paid to you by an employer (or yourself, if you are self-employed). In addition, the IRS also counts long-term disability benefits … Continue reading →