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10 Things to Know About Filing an Individual Income Tax
Individual Income Tax
Tax season carries a daunting feeling for many individuals in the United States of America. It’s your time to tally up the money you made and find out if you owe additional money or if you’ll receive a tax return from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS collected a staggering $4.1 trillion in income taxes in 2021 alone, and you want to avoid ending up on that government agency’s bad side.
Learning more about what is individual income tax and the best ways to file your individual income tax will serve you well as you move forward with your career. Tax season doesn’t have to be stressful if you know the tax rate you’re facing and have your documents in order.
The good news is that you’ve found the perfect guide to learning helpful tips to use when you file your income taxes. Keep reading to learn more today!
What Is Individual Income Tax?
Individual income tax is the money you pay to the IRS based on the money you’ve earned over the past fiscal year. Filing your taxes allows the government to determine your tax responsibilities and obligations, and that money goes toward infrastructure and education in your area.
The government needs your taxes to provide public services. Failure to pay your income tax results in regulations and punishments from the IRS. They use complex rules for deductions, credits, and taxable income.
The money you’ve made from investments and other ventures is included when you file your taxes. Your income tax money also goes toward your Social Security benefits. You’ll gain access to that money when you retire and file for Social Security.
Tips for Filing Your Individual Income Taxes
Now that you know more about individual income taxes, it’s wise to learn about the best routes for filing your taxes. Taking the proper steps allows for a stress-free tax season and a much clearer picture of your financial situation. Here’s a closer look at the tips you should use when filing your taxes in 2023.
1. Consider Filing an Extension
One perk many individuals need to be made aware of with individual income taxes is the right to file for an extension. Filing for an extension gives you more time to organize everything and file your taxes without facing fines and penalties. It’s a wonderful route to take if you’re employed by an LLC or other type of business.
Self-employed individuals and others who pay quarterly taxes cannot take advantage of this tax filing perk. People employed by corporations do not require a reason to file for an extension, though that doesn’t provide an extension on the taxes you owe to the government.
It’s best to pay what you think you’ll owe if you believe you’ll owe money on your taxes. Pay that amount by the filing deadline to protect your wealth and avoid unnecessary fines. It’s much easier to reconcile your income taxes after you file them later in the process.
You risk paying interest on the taxes you owe if you pay late or need to pay more. It’s also wise to check the due dates for your state income taxes to file them promptly.
2. Document Your Charitable Contributions
Donating your hard-earned money to charity is an excellent way to make a difference with your resources. This path also offers some notable tax benefits that you can use to help with your individual income tax brackets. The IRS is cracking down on charitable donations, so document each contribution you make.
A written acknowledgment is the way to go if you plan to include your donations in your income tax return. Donations worth more than $250 should come with this documentation so you can file your taxes without facing punishment from the IRS.
The letter should include the charitable organization’s name, a description of the cash donated, the date, and the value of goods or services received for your donation. You should also ensure that the charity is a qualified organization for the IRS. You can confirm this through the IRS website.
For donations less than $250, keep your own documentation of the donation. Include that donation in your tax returns to deduct it from what you owe when tax season arrives.
3. Know When to Amend
You’ll encounter several reasons why you need to amend your tax returns when you start paying income taxes to the federal and state government. Schedule K-1 and Form 1099 are the two most significant reasons individuals file amended tax returns in the United States of America.
Amendments add more stress to the tax filing process, but you won’t need to send an amended tax return if the difference in income is less than $100. Taxes filed with this slight difference will get approved by the IRS since the difference is minimal. It’s not worth stressing over if your amended tax returns are not changed massively by your Schedule K1 or Form 1099.
4. Think About Disaster Losses
Hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters could have a significant impact on your personal finances. If your home is located where a federal disaster is designated, you can include that information when filing your individual income taxes. The loss gets included as an itemized deduction when you file your taxes to the IRS.
Keep in mind that you can’t file every loss due to theft or disaster. The disaster must be federally declared for the loss to qualify when filing your taxes. To qualify, the loss must also relate to your home, vehicles, and household items.
The salvage value and insurance payments will deduct from what you can include in your tax return. The Schedule A form is the correct location to include this information if you’ve suffered property damage and losses from a federal disaster.
You may also qualify for a net operating loss if the property loss is greater than the income you made during the year. You don’t need to be a business to qualify for a net operating loss if your property was damaged or destroyed by a hurricane or other federal disaster.
5. Know Your Individual Income Tax Bracket
Having a clear picture of where you fall in the IRS’s tax brackets is a great aid when you’re filing your annual tax return. You won’t find a standard tax rate in the United States. The IRS uses seven different tax bracket options to determine how much money you owe the government based on your annual income.
You get taxed based on your adjusted gross income. This is the amount of money you made during the year after the removal of credits and deductions. The lowest tax rate is 10 percent, and the highest is 37 percent.
The largest jump in tax rates occurs if you make more than $40,000 in a fiscal year. Less than that amount results in a 12 percent tax rate, while more than $40,000 results in a 22 percent tax rate. You will avoid paying the 37 percent income tax rate if you make less than $510,000 during the fiscal year.
6. Know Your Tax Deductions
Tax deductions are an excellent way to save money when you’re filing your tax return. Most individuals opt for the standard deduction when they file, which is $12,200 for single individuals and $24,400 for married couples filing jointly. You can also use personal expense deductions to offset the taxable personal income when filing.
The tax code is confusing, so it’s worthwhile to consider hiring an accountant to help you out. Templeton is an excellent option if you want to make the most of the deductions you can utilize on your tax returns for 2023. Itemizing your deductions provides the best chance you have to save money when you file your annual taxes.
You can deduct contributions you’ve made to your savings accounts and retirement investments, medical expenses, and charitable contributions. Investment losses and property taxes are other deductions you can use when you file taxes to the IRS.
7. Get Professional Help
Filing your taxes on your own is daunting and stressful, but working with a professional accountant will provide you with the guidance you need for an accurate tax return. The government has taken steps to simplify the process of filing taxes in the U.S., but the results of those changes are up for debate.
Income thresholds change each year, as do eligible deductions, so staying on top of what you owe is confusing. A seasoned accountant is up to date on these changes and can provide the guidance you need to file your taxes correctly. You don’t want to risk underpaying and facing fines.
A trusted accountant or financial advisor is an excellent person to turn to if you’re unsure of how to proceed with filing your taxes. They’ll point you in the right direction and help you make the most of your eligible deductions.
8. Know the Documents You’ll Need
You’ll need certain documents when you file your individual income tax return at the end of the fiscal year. Tax forms will start flying into your mailbox as tax season approaches, so gathering and organizing these documents is vital to file your taxes in the correct manner. Collect your documents on your personal income and expenses for an easier filing process.
Everything from your mortgage interest statements to your W-2 forms is crucial for filing your taxes at the end of the fiscal year. Payment receipts from your credit cards and interest paid on student loans are also important to have for your taxes.
Your accountant will have an easy time determining how much you owe and how much you can deduct from your federal and state taxes. You run the risk of filing your taxes incorrectly if you don’t have your documents organized.
9. Know When Your Return Will Arrive
It’s a good rule of thumb to expect your tax return to come in 21 days after you file your taxes, though it could come sooner if you file your taxes online. Mailing in your taxes results in a slower return process for your money. Always double-check your tax return for potential issues that could result in delays with your finances.
The most important areas to check are your name, address, social security number, and banking details. Failure to check these small details could result in more work on your end to get the tax return you deserve.
You can also open an IRS account to make filing your income taxes an easier process. The process takes a matter of minutes when you browse the IRS website. The benefit of opening an account is the easy access you’ll gain to all your essential tax information.
Filing your individual income tax return is much easier with all your vital information stored securely and in one place. You can also find past tax returns, which is essential if you want to take out a loan to finance a large purchase like a new home.
10. Understand Tax Credits
Tax credits and tax deductions are not the same, so you shouldn’t treat them the same when filing your annual taxes. Tax credits allow you to reduce the amount of taxes you owe at the end of the year. They don’t change your taxable income or tax bracket in the eyes of the IRS.
They’re designed to help low-income families receive tax relief and manage their financial situation. An estimated 5 million taxpayers in the United States miss out on tax credits that they’re eligible for. Don’t make that mistake, as it could cost you thousands of dollars on your annual tax return.
Start Preparing to File Your Individual Income Tax Return Today
Filing an individual income tax return is a massive task, but having the correct documents and filing for an extension for your 2023 taxes will allow you to move through the process with ease. Hiring a professional accountant to help you stay within IRS regulations is wise, as is using the tax credits available to you. It’s also helpful to know the tax bracket you fall into with your annual earnings.
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