How can I check the status of my refund?
To check your status with the IRS (Federal Return), follow this link: https://www.irs.gov/refunds Please note: You will need your exact refund amount when checking the status. If you opted to pay our fee out of your refund, you need to enter the refund amount before any fees are deducted. To check your status with the […]
My boyfriend/girlfriend lives with me and my kids and wants to use one on his/her tax return. Is this OK?
There are many rules regarding what qualifies a person as your dependent. So the answer can be complicated. One of the more important rules regarding dependents is the relationship test. We often hear “they are basically my kids” or “they are my step-kids”. The IRS rules are very clear on this. So in most of […]
I am married but I heard it’s better for me to file separately from my spouse, is that true?
Yes, married individuals can file as Married Filing Separately, which is legal and sometimes beneficial. However, many mistakenly recommend filing as Single or Head of Household to qualify for low-income credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is illegal if you’re married. Be cautious with tax advice from others.
I am selling my property. Do I need to reinvest the proceeds to avoid paying taxes?
The simple answer is no (with one exception). Reinvesting the proceeds will not help you avoid paying taxes on the sale. Here are the most common scenarios: Selling your primary residence. If the home you are selling has been your primary residence for two of the last five years, you do not have to pay […]
How much money does someone need to make to have to file taxes?
We get this question all of the time. Many people that make under the filing threshold may not “need” to file but may still benefit (aka get a refund) from filing their return. They may be entitled to refunds due to tax withholding, and other credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child […]
I am being asked to provide my tax return transcript. Is that something you can provide me?
No. We only have access to your tax return that we prepared in our office. A transcript is something different. It can only be provided by the IRS. It’s the IRS’ version of your tax return. Here is a link to request transcripts. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript The quickest way is to request them online, if that does […]
I need to file some old tax returns and I do not have all of my paperwork. Can you help me?
Yes. If you do not have all of your information (or are just not sure if you have it all) the process is pretty simple. The first step is to request wage/income transcripts from the IRS. Here is a link to the IRS website where you can submit this request: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript The quickest way is […]
I noticed that the account listed on my return is incorrect. It’s some weird long number that I have never seen before.
This is normal if you chose to pay our fees via your refund. When you choose this option, the process is a little different than if you had paid us out of pocket. Our partner bank creates a temporary account in your name (you’ll notice your SSN is part of the account number). This temporary […]
I already did my taxes but I want to update my bank account before they send the refund.
Once your return has been accepted by the IRS and/or the state, it is not possible to update your bank account. What will happen is that they will send the funds to the account shown on your return. If the account is closed, the bank will reject the funds. Once the funds bounce back, the […]
I bought a new house. What do I need to bring in?
Make sure to bring in the following: Buyer’s final closing statement. This is given to you by the title company upon closing Form(s) 1098 (mortgage interest statement). These will show up usually in January or early February. Many times it’s an additional page in the regular mailing, so make sure to double check. It’s also […]