Free From Broke

A Personal Finance Blog for Regular Folks

What You Need to Know About Taxes

Most people don't enjoy paying taxes. But the more we know about them the better we can plan for them. Articles here contain information on new tax rules as well as how to save and plan for your taxes.

Don’t Forget Your 401(k) When You Leave Your Job! Here’s What You Can Do With It

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A 401(k) plan is an awesome vehicle to save for retirement!  

You get to lower your tax basis (the income you get taxed on).  You might get a great company match… What’s not to like?

But what do you do with your 401(k) if you leave your job? 

Do you take the 401(k) with you?  Where do you put it?  Should you leave it?

You have some choices for your 401(k) which I’ll outline for you below:

Choices For Your 401(k) When You Leave Your Job

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TurboTax Online Review 2013 Return

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We’re in the middle of tax season and one of two major problems is about to happen to every single one of you:

  1. Either you think your taxes are simple so you file the most basic return and miss out on getting a better tax refund, or
  2. You think your taxes are so complicated you spend hundreds of dollars paying a CPA to prepare them for you.

Both situations are costing you money.

Here’s what you need to know: filing your tax return yourself doesn’t have to be complicated, doesn’t have to result in you leaving money on the table, and doesn’t have to take ten hours.

How can you get the best of both worlds?  TurboTax online tax software.

TurboTax is the nation’s best-selling, #1 rated tax software.

The company offers 100% accurate calculations, guarantees you will receive your maximum refund, and provides free audit support in the unlikely event the IRS wants to dig deeper into your tax return.

Let’s dig a little deeper ourselves to see how TurboTax works and what to expect.

TurboTax Online and Mobile App Tax Software Review

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Don’t Be Late! Federal Income Tax Due Dates to File Taxes for 2014

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We’re now into that time the year that accountants and other tax preparers refer to as “tax season.”

For the rest of us it’s panic season.

We scramble to get together our tax documents and hope that we won’t have to pay taxes.

How many of you have filed your return the day it was due?  I’m raising my hand (not easy to type like that).

Stressful, isn’t it?

Add to the stress the fact that not everyone files taxes the same.  Some are individual filers while others file as self-employed.  Corporations file taxes too (and they have a different due date).

But the tax deadlines aren’t all the same in every case.  It’s enough to make your head spin, wondering “when are the tax due dates for my taxes?”

Below you will find Federal Income Tax deadlines for 2014.  Use these due dates to your advantage and plan enough time to prepare your taxes before they are due. [Read more…] about Don’t Be Late! Federal Income Tax Due Dates to File Taxes for 2014

DOMA Goes Down: What Does it Mean for Same-Sex Finances?

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Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that the portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that denies federal recognition to same-sex couples is unconstitutional.

Due to the ruling, there are a few things that same-sex couples need to consider as they plan their finances in a post-DOMA world.

First: What the Ruling Doesn’t Do

It’s important to note that the ruling doesn’t force all states to recognize same-sex marriages.  In fact, some rather thorny issues are being raised by the ruling, which essentially says the federal government has to recognize as marriage what a state sees as marriage.  So far, only 13 states plus the District of Columbia recognize same-sex unions.  Here’s a list of the states that currently allow same-sex marriage.

If you live in a state where same-sex marriage is recognized, and you are legally married there, there is no problem.

Things get a little dicey if you are married in a state that recognizes same-sex unions and you live in a state that doesn’t recognize such marriages.  If you are married in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, but move to Utah, where your marriage isn’t recognized, what happens?

That’s something that hasn’t been worked out yet.
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What Should You Do If You Are Audited?

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It’s the ultimate financial nightmare: What if you are audited?

Many of us live in FEAR of a possible IRS audit.

However, less than 1% of taxpayers are audited each year.

Some audits come because of red flags that the IRS recognizes, and others are simply the result of random chance.  In many cases, all that is needed is for you to mail in some documentation that backs up your claim of a deduction or credit.  Getting an audit letter is no reason to immediately panic.

But there is always the chance that you have to go through a more difficult tax audit.

If that happens, though, you have options: [Read more…] about What Should You Do If You Are Audited?