Where to Get IRS Form 1040 and Instructions

It used to be that you would walk into any library or post office to pick up your tax forms and instruction booklets, but paper copies are harder to come by now. For most of us, we just need a 1040 form and instructions. But which 1040 form do you need? There's 1040A, 1040EZ, and more.

For some great tips about where to get your 1040 tax form and instructions, check out this link from File My Taxes Online, which is a useful resource with tax information and links. Their article about IRS 1040 forms starts out with some pointers about how to make sure you choose the 1040 form that's right for you.

But where can you find the actual forms? You can download them online, and some local government offices do indeed still carry paper forms and instructions, but be sure to contact your local library, post office, etc to make sure they have the forms you need. Did you know that you can also contact the IRS and ask them to mail you a 1040 form and instructions? I think this is a great option for people who don't want to download and print the info they need.

File My Taxes Online has other good info about what documents you need to collect to file your taxes. They offer some helpful checklists, which I think are good to look at now so that you have plenty of time to order any necessary paperwork that might be missing from your files long before your taxes are due. This article is a great starting point: http://filemytaxesonline.org/where-to-find-irs-form-1040-and-instructions/.

Where to Get Your W-2 Form Online

As we enter 2016, the last thing you probably want to think about is filing your taxes, but it's inevitable! Might as well get things done early rather than waiting until the last minute. One thing you can start on right now with minimal effort (thanks to the internet) is getting your W-2 form(s).

Any company you worked for last year should send your form by January 31, but did you know that you might be able to get your W-2 form online right now? Some of the popular tax filing programs such as H&R Block and TurboTax offer services that will download your W-2 for you. This doesn't work for ALL employers, but you never know if it might work for yours--and more and more employers are allowing online access to W-2 paperwork every year.

Why get your W-2 online? It allows you to file sooner, and you also avoid having paper copies of your documents lying around. Also, in recent years, there have been some forms of identity theft where thieves file for people's refunds very quickly, so you can sometimes avoid a big hassle just by getting your information together and filing as soon as possible.

By the way, if you need information from your W-2 forms from prior years, you can get transcripts from the IRS of anything from the last ten years.

Check out http://filemytaxesonline.org/getting-your-w-2-form-online/ for more detailed information on this and other tax-related topics.

Meet John Eakins of Military Tax Services

One of the main reasons that Registered Tax Return Preparer (RTRP) John Eakins started Military Tax Services is because of all the mistakes he kept seeing on military tax returns prepared by other tax preparation organizations. He also found most military tax returns are prepared by tax preparers who have very little or no military tax law knowledge on a state-by-state basis.

It occurred to John that no one was really one-hundred percent focused on military tax returns in all fifty states on a year-round basis. If the person doing the military tax return was only doing this part of the year on a part-time basis, how much of a military tax expert could they really be? He decided to start a tax preparation firm that is one-hundred percent focused on the military, full time and year round.

The aim of Military Tax Services is to help every one of their clients get the full refund they are entitled to for both Federal and State. MTS does this by carefully analyzing the military tax code and dedicating their services to doing one thing well, military tax returns. Military tax laws are complex. The highly trained professionals at Military Tax Services work exclusively with military taxes for both state and federal returns, staying current on the ever-changing IRS rules and the various regulations for each of the fifty states.

1. What are some of the factors that make tax preparation especially complex for members of the military?

What can make a military tax return complex are all the different state tax laws. Each state has their own way of taxing military income. This becomes especially important on a joint tax return with income from two different states. For example, the active duty person has a home state of North Carolina and spouse has income from a different state. Also, a big percentage of the military will have a different home state from whatever state they happen to be filing their military tax return in for the current tax year.

2. How do you help people make sure they aren't "leaving money on the table" when it comes to their taxes?

Most often when I see money being left on the table, it's due to state taxes. This is an easy fix, and you can always amend a tax return for the past three years.

3. Why would it be a mistake for military families to simply use one of the common tax prep software programs?

Software comes in several different versions and may or may not do a good job depending on your situation. Also, a lot of the free versions are the most basic stripped-down versions. Lastly, I have seen a huge trend towards Q and A in tax software. This does make it easier to complete a tax return, but if you answer any question wrong for any reason, you may be liable for an incorrect tax position.

4. When did you start Military Tax Services, and what do you like the best about your job?

I have been involved in the military market for over ten years and actually look forward to tax season. The best part of my job is helping other people. I take great satisfaction in taking someone who is stressed out about their tax situation and getting them to a point where they are actually happy with their tax situation.

5. If you could give the average person (military or non-military) just three pieces of advice to keep in mind when it comes to taxes, what would you say?

First, if you get any letters from any taxing authority, do not ignore them. Also, if you don't understand what the letter is requesting, seek professional help, take action, and then follow up.

Second, everyone has a different tax situation. And yes, someone with the same rank and pay can receive a larger refund than someone else. This can be because of extra taxes being withheld, filing status, credits for education or savers credit, and dependents.

Third, if you are positive you are receiving money back in your tax return, don't stress out over your filing date. But remember, the Government owes you money! If you don't file within three years, you have given up your chance to file, and the Government keeps your hard-earned money.

Thanks, John!

Planning for Your 2015 Tax Refund Today

Who isn't curious about when their tax refund will arrive? A lot of people plan special trips or purchases--or particular bills and expenses--around their tax refund money. As 2014 starts winding down, would you like to know the IRS tax refund schedule for 2015?

The IRS also has resources to let you check the status of your refund by phone or online--or even using a smartphone app. So once you file, it's easy to track your refund status.

Of course, the amount of time it takes to get your refund will vary depending on whether or not you file online. Many people still prefer to file on paper, but did you know that this will slow down the time it takes for you to receive your tax refund? There are a lot of good tools for e-filing, and you don't have to be particularly tech-savvy or tax-savvy to to use them.

For a variety of informative articles on tax-related topics, check out File My Taxes Online.

A Free Tax Calculator

Sometimes I think the only thing that makes me feel better about taxes is finding free tax tools online. Doesn't a freebie cheer you up, too? If you're planning ahead and looking for a tax refund calculator for 2015, it's nice to know that Turbo Tax has a calculator that they let you use for free, even if you aren't a paid user of their software.

Of course, many of us might wait until the last minute to figure out tax-related stuff, but the benefit of experimenting with a tax calculator right now is that you can make some adjustments ahead of time to avoid a hefty tax bill later. I know that I have adjusted my deductions in the past, and it's made a huge difference in terms of not owing taxes when April 15 rolls around.

For more information about the Turbo Tax free calculator and other tax tools and ideas, check out the Best IRS Tax Refund site.

IRS Tax Refund Schedule Dates

It's been a bit of a strange year for taxes with the government shutdown last year delaying tax forms and other relevant information from the federal government. On the other hand, some of us might say that every year is a bit of a strange year for taxes, as such is the nature of the beast, but I digress!

We get used to remembering April 15 as our filing date, but even that is subject to change, and when you file at different times, you can expect your refund at different times, as the following two articles indicate:

http://www.examiner.com/article/current-irs-tax-refund-schedule-dates-for-2014

http://www.examiner.com/article/irs-efile-2014-tax-refund-cycle-chart-for-2013-taxes

On the plus side, e-filing has made filing your taxes and getting your refunds a lot quicker. And really my favorite part of thinking about taxes is thinking about getting a refund and figuring out how I'll spend the money. But there are a lot of factors that can slow down your refund. For example, if you're needing to file amended returns, this can slow you down quite a bit.

This isn't a tax blog, of course, but sometimes readers send me links related to taxes, and I try to share information when I can!

Some Sites with Info on Printable Tax Forms

Did you know that printable tax forms are readily available to use? If you have yet to file your taxes for 2014, you can find free printable tax forms through many links online, including the IRS website.

Even if you do your taxes online, it's good to have a hard copy backup, so printable forms are a plus. The IRS recommends that everyone keep copies of their own tax records. I know that personally I try to maintain both digital and print records just in case.

Another resource about printable tax forms for the current year is this Facebook page called, you guessed it, Printable IRS 2014 Federal Tax Forms. The page has links to various forms as well as different articles with tax-related information.

I always say that the IRS website is the best resource for tax-related forms and information, but it can also be enlightening to gather the perspectives of other people when looking at your options for filing, record-keeping, and more. There are countless issues to think about when it comes to taxes!

Jassen Bowman and TaxMarketingHQ.com

We've all heard people complain about taxes, and many of us have been guilty of our own share of complaints, but Jassen Bowman takes a more optimistic approach. He's an Enrolled Agent, which means that he's licensed directly by the IRS to represent taxpayers who have problems with the IRS. Jassen has been negotiating the resolution of tax debts for over five years now. He set up his website, TaxMarketingHQ.com, in order to teach other tax professionals (including CPAs, tax attorneys, and other Enrolled Agents) how to do the same thing.

Jassen's blog has an emphasis on providing excellent customer service, and he suggests a variety of useful tips that professionals can use to help market their tax business more effectively. He also draws from his own experience to offer ideas that professionals can apply today to make their businesses more efficient. The blog has a friendly and helpful tone.

Given the educational nature of the blog, it's not surprising that Jassen has developed other educational materials. In fact, he offers a full training course which teaches tax resolution. Tax resolution is a very lucrative field for tax professionals to be engaged in, and Jassen has written an ebook on the subject as well.

He also offers training courses teaching tax professionals how to market their services to grow their practices, and he writes a lot about "best practices" in actually operating their businesses. Anyone in the tax field or interested in entering it would do well to check out Jassen's informative site.