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.

A Resource on Tax Deductions and Refunds

Who doesn't want to get a larger refund from the IRS? I know a lot of people who seem to get a large refund every year, and I'm never quite sure how they do it. Well, after doing a bit of reading, I bet that many of them have learned how to use tax deductions for a bigger IRS refund.

Taxes are one of those things where you can get quickly bogged down and exhausted if you try to read the government tax code itself, but luckily there are a lot of good informational resources to choose from to pick up some tax tips. Just a few moments spent reading could result in a lot of money in your pocket.

Also, the tax laws do change a bit from year to year, so articles like the one linked above can be a good way to keep up with the latest rules and regulations. There are a lot of deductions that people often miss, and as a result, they miss out on extra savings. For example, did you move in 2015? Did you have a student loan? Did you contribute to a charity? These are just three areas where you might be able to add some deductions to your return.

By the way, there are also tax credits that you might be missing, so be sure to check for those, too. Some of the popular tax prep software programs walk you through deductions and credits, but it's also very helpful to have other background knowledge working in your favor when you start to get organized about preparing your taxes for 2016. It's never too early to start on research and preparation!

Two Tax Refund Calculators for 2016

Now that it's fall, are you starting to think ahead for your taxes for 2016? Why procrastinate when you can better estimate your available funds to spend if you think ahead? There are two tax refund calculators for 2016 that can help you figure out your tax refund when you file in 2016.

By calculating your tax refund ahead of time, you can make sure that you don't overestimate your refund and thus spend (or plan to spend) money that you don't really have. On the flip side, if the calculators determine you should be getting a healthier refund than you imagined, maybe you can start making some fun plans to use your refund money. I know that if I don't plan ahead, I end up using my refund to pay for car insurance or some other boring expense, when it would be much more enjoyable to use it for a vacation!

Both H&R Block and Turbo Tax have easy to use and very popular refund calculators, but rather than take my word for it, check out the links to these and other useful tax-related resources on the File My Taxes Online website, a website that serves as an information portal and doesn't try to sell you any tax prep services, etc. They simply give the latest news and links about taxes, tax law, tax-related tools, and more.

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!

Using TurboTax Online in 2015

If you're more organized than I am, you're already thinking about your 2015 income taxes. In fact, instead of reading this right now, you could be using software to enter your 2014 financial data so that you can get your taxes filed right away and get your refund as soon as possible in 2015.

To that end, check out TurboTax 2015 online for more information about e-filing with TurboTax. The site also covers what's new with TurboTax in 2015, as the popular tax filing program is always offering useful updates in line with the ever-changing federal tax codes.

TurboTax is well-known for its "personalized interview" feature which gives you an easy way to make sure you're getting all the deductions you should be getting. I've used it in the past and found it to be straightforward and simple. The program is intuitive and includes a good built-in help feature, too.

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!

TurboTax Discount Coupon

TurboTax has become very popular for people looking for an easy to use software program to help them do taxes. The manufacturers update TurboTax each year to reflect the latest changes in tax laws, so you don't have to keep up with all these details yourself.

For many of us, it's too pricey to see an accountant--or for that matter, our taxes are actually fairly simple as long as we're using a program that asks us the right questions. If you're a do-it-yourself type of person but also feel like taxes isn't your area of expertise, using a software program can be a good and affordable compromise between going completely DIY and hiring professional help.

When you buy TurboTax online, you can find coupons in a lot of places to save money on your software purchase. Here are a couple of specific links for 2014 TurboTax discount coupons that were sent to me by a reader of the blog.

http://www.examiner.com/article/turbotax-2014-discount-coupon-promo-for-a-limited-time

http://www.express-tax-refund.com/turbotax-discount-coupon-code-offers/

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!

Two Tax Related Sources of Information

There is a lot of tax-related information online--and with good reason, because there are so many tax-related questions that need answers. For example, because of last year's government shutdown, there was some delay in people receiving important tax information, and there were questions about even the most (seemingly!) straightforward topics like when people could begin filing their 2013 returns, such as this article discusses: http://www.examiner.com/article/when-can-i-file-my-2013-taxes.

Another site with a lot of articles on tax issues is http://www.express-tax-refund.com/. Recent articles on this site cover the basics of TurboTax software and how Obamacare affects tax credits and related issues.

The tax code changes from year to year, and there are a lot of places to look up info online. I find that I generally start by looking at irs.gov but then end up using Google to find more plain-language explanations of what I want to know!

Meet Emma Simpson, Managing Director of CheaperAccountant.co.uk

Emma Simpson is the Managing Director of CheaperAccountant.co.uk, a firm of accountants who have established a reputation across the UK for the provision of quality yet affordable accountancy services to small businesses. Cheaper Accountant has grown in population over the last few years and the company now works with more than 1,000 clients across the UK to provide cheap accountants for a variety of businesses.

1. At Cheaper Accountant, how do you keep your expenses and fees down?

We only operate online and take full advantage of modern technology to complete all of our communications with clients and for all of our marketing efforts. This means that our cost base is extremely low and much lower than a traditional high street accountant. Our website is our shop front and costs very little to operate, and the bulk of our online advertising is via social media which is completely free. So it is easy to see that without expensive high street rents and rates, newspaper advertising, property maintenance, and even an office secretary our rates can be reduced to a fee which is considerably less than the fees charged by other accountants. We may not be popular amongst other accountants, but we are popular with small businesses across the UK.

2. What are a few things that a small business owner can do to simplify their record-keeping when it comes to taxes?

This is a great question and something I am always happy to answer. Regulations stipulate that appropriate accounting records must be kept, but this task is now far easier in the modern world than ever before. Modern cloud accounting software allows the user to upload bank statements into the accounting system and then to simply click and allocate business expenditure to the correct category. Furthermore, modern iPhone applications allow business owners to scan receipts and then to upload the scanned document into the accounting system. With the growth of online, cloud-based accounting software business owners can now access their accounting records from a web browser anywhere in the world.

3. What inspired the founding of Cheaper Accountant?

I created CheaperAccountant.co.uk as I believed that small businesses should be offered a better deal for their accountancy work. Accounting for a small business is often more straightforward and less time-consuming than accounting for large businesses, and the fees charged to small businesses should reflect this. I firmly believe that all fees should represent the level of work and service provided, and I will never charge a client more than a fair price for my work. This has become the ethos of my company.

I also wanted micro businesses with very low turnover to have access to an accountant at a fair price. Sometimes it can take time to create a successful and profitable business, and in the early years of trading turnover and profits may be very low. We created a unique pricing structure for clients with turnover less than £10,000 and reduced our prices even further to ensure that even the smallest of companies can afford a qualified accountant.

4. Do you think there are any common misconceptions people have about hiring an accountant?

Yes I do. The major misconception people often have is that they can't afford the services of an accountant because all accountants are far too expensive. We have made it our mission to change people's minds on this and to prove to business owners that they can afford a professional and qualified accountant who is experienced to complete all of their accountancy work. Furthermore, we often save clients money by ensuring that they don't pay more tax than is absolutely necessary and ensure that all allowances are fully utilized. I have also received a number of tax refunds for a variety of clients and the reduction in tax obtained has often been more than the fees we have charged.

5. For people who are "going it alone" instead of hiring an accountant, what might you say to encourage them to consider giving working with an accountant a try?

I would say that working with a qualified accountant really can pay for itself and the gain can be greater than the cost. After all, how much do you know about accounting rules and concepts, and can you get your accounts right and avoid being fined? An accountant will ensure that your accounts are produced to a professional standard and will ensure that everything is submitted on time to the correct authorities. In addition to this, specialist accounting software is required to produce accounts in the iXRBL format mandated by HMRC and it is far more cost effective to pay an accountant to prepare your accounts in this format for you.

Editor's Note: Please click the following link for more information about cheap London accountants.

Thanks, Emma!