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Get Ready for Taxes: What to do before the tax year ends Dec. 31
WASHINGTON –The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers there are things they should do now to get ready for the tax-filing season ahead.
Charitable Contributions
For most taxpayers, Dec. 31 is the last day to take actions that will impact their 2019 tax return. For example, those who plan to itemize deductions should know that charitable contributions are deductible in the year made. Donations charged to a credit card before the end of 2019 count for the 2019 tax year, even if the bill isn’t paid until 2020. Checks to a charity count for 2019 if they are mailed by the last day of the year.
Retirement Plans
Taxpayers who are over age 70 ½ are generally required to take distributions from their individual retirement accounts and workplace retirement plans by the end of 2019. However, a special rule allows those who reached 70 ½ in 2019 to wait until April 1, 2020, to receive them.
Most workplace retirement account contributions should be made by the end of the year, but taxpayers can make 2019 IRA contributions until April 15, 2020. For 2019, the basic limit for 401(k) contributions is $19,000, plus another $6,000 for those who are at least age 50.
For 2019, total contributions to all traditional and Roth IRAs cannot exceed $6,000, or for taxpayers age 50 and older, $7,000. Taxpayers should check IRS.gov for more information about contribution limits, as well as cost-of-living adjustments affecting pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2019.
Some taxpayers may be eligible for the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, also known as the Saver’s Credit. The income limit is $64,000 for married couples filing jointly, $48,000 for heads of household, and $32,000 for singles and married individuals filing separately for 2019.
Refunds
The vast majority of taxpayers get their refunds faster by filing electronically and using direct deposit. It is simple, safe and secure. This is the same electronic transfer system used to deposit nearly 98% of all Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits into millions of accounts.
Just as each tax return is unique and individual, so is each taxpayer's refund. Here are a few things taxpayers should keep in mind if they are waiting on their refund but hear or see on social media that other taxpayers have already received theirs.
Different factors can affect the timing of a refund. Even though the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, it's possible a particular taxpayer's refund may take longer. Some tax returns require additional review and take longer to process than others. It may be necessary when a return has errors, is incomplete or is affected by identity theft or fraud. The IRS will contact taxpayers by mail when more information is needed to process a return.
By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds to people claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. The law requires the IRS to hold the entire refund, including the portion not associated with the credits. This helps ensure taxpayers receive the refund they're due by giving the IRS more time to detect and prevent fraud.
Taxpayers should not count on getting a refund by a certain date, especially when planning major purchases or paying other financial obligations.
Update address
Taxpayers who moved during 2019 should tell the US Postal Service, employers and the IRS. Notify the IRS by mailing IRS Form 8822, Change of Address, to the address listed on the form’s instructions. Taxpayers who purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace should also notify the Marketplace when they move out of the area covered by their current plan.
For name changes due to marriage or divorce, notify the Social Security Administration so the new name will match IRS and SSA records. Also notify the SSA if a dependent’s name changed. A mismatch between the name shown on a tax return and SSA records often causes refund delays.
ITINs
Taxpayers with expiring Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers can get their ITINs renewed more quickly and avoid refund delays next year by submitting their renewal application soon.
An ITIN is a tax ID number used by any taxpayer who doesn't qualify to get a Social Security number. Any ITIN with middle digits 83, 84, 85, 86 or 87 will expire at the end of this year. In addition, any ITIN not used on a tax return in the past three years will expire. ITINs with middle digits 70 through 82 that expired in 2016, 2017 or 2018 can also be renewed.
Affected ITIN holders can avoid delays by starting the renewal process now. Those who fail to renew before filing a return could face a delayed refund and may be ineligible for some important tax credits. More information, including answers to frequently asked questions, is available on IRS.gov/ITIN.
IRS extends Oct. 15 and other upcoming deadlines, provides other tax relief for victims of Tropical Storm Imelda
WASHINGTON – Victims of Tropical Storm Imelda in parts of Texas, including the Houston area, have until Jan. 31, 2020, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
The IRS is offering this relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as qualifying for individual assistance. Currently this includes Chambers, Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery and Orange counties in Texas, but taxpayers in localities added later to the disaster area will automatically receive the same filing and payment relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov.
The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Sept. 17, 2019. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Jan. 31, 2020, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period. This means individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2018 return due to run out on Oct. 15, 2019, will now have until Jan. 31, 2020, to file. The IRS noted, however, that because tax payments related to these 2018 returns were due on April 15, 2019, those payments are not eligible for this relief.
The Jan. 31, 2020 deadline also applies to quarterly estimated income tax payments due on Jan. 15, 2020, and the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31, 2019. It also applies to tax-exempt organizations, operating on a calendar-year basis, that had a valid extension due to run out on Nov. 15, 2019. Businesses with extensions also have the additional time including, among others, calendar-year corporations whose 2018 extensions run out on Oct. 15, 2019.
In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Sept. 17, 2019, and before Oct. 2, 2019, will be abated as long as the deposits are made by Oct. 2, 2019.
The IRS disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.
The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.
In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.
Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2019 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2018). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number − 4466 for Texas − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547 for details.
Third quarter estimated tax payment are due Sept. 16
Online tools at IRS.gov help people stay current
WASHINGTON – With major tax reform now in its second year and taxpayers seeing its full effect on 2018 returns, the Internal Revenue Service today reminded people who pay estimated tax that their third quarter payment for 2019 is due Monday, Sept. 16.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), enacted in December 2017, fundamentally changed the way tax is calculated for most taxpayers, including those with income not subject to withholding. By making quarterly estimated tax payments, however, people can better stay up to date with their taxes throughout the year.
Who needs to pay quarterly?
Most often, self-employed people, including many involved in the sharing economy, need to pay quarterly installments of estimated tax. Similarly, investors, retirees and others often need to make these payments as well. That’s because a substantial portion of their income is not subject to withholding. Other income generally not subject to withholding includes interest, dividends, capital gains, alimony and rental income.
Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers, fishermen, casualty and disaster victims, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those who receive income unevenly during the year.
Taxpayers can avoid an underpayment penalty by owing less than $1,000 at tax time or by paying most of their taxes during the year. Generally, for 2019, that means making payments of at least 90% of the tax expected on their 2019 return.
Taxes are pay-as-you-go
This means taxpayers need to pay most of their taxes owed during the year as income is received. There are two ways to do that:
• Withholding from pay, pension or certain government payments such as Social Security; and/or
• Making quarterly estimated tax payments during the year.
As a result of tax reform or a recent life change such as marriage, many taxpayers may need to raise or lower the amount of tax they pay each quarter through the estimated tax system.
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Tax Filing Season
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Tax Filing Season
