How to file for an extension, and other Tax Day advice
NEW YORK (AP) — If you've waited till the last minute to file your taxes, don't panic. You still have time to get it done.
And if you're worried that you still might not be able to finish in time, you can file for an extension, which will give you until Oct. 16 to file your return.
What do I need to file my tax return?
Generally, every tax-filer needs the following at hand
— your Social Security number
— W-2 forms, if you're employed
— 1099-G forms, if you're unemployed
— 1099 forms, if you're self-employed
— Savings and investment records
— A sense of any eligible deductions, such as education expenses, medical bills, charitable donations, etc.
— A sense of relevant tax credits, such as the child tax credit, retirement savings contributions credit, etc.
To find a more detailed document list, visit the IRS website.
Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals, recommends gathering all your documents in one place before you start your tax return, as well as having your documents from last year if your financial situation has drastically changed.
Theresa Grover, site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, also recommends taxpayers create an identity protection PIN number with the IRS to guard against identity theft. Once you create a number, the IRS will require it to file your tax return.
How do I file for an extension?
If you run out of time to file your tax return, you can file for an extension to take more time by using your preferred tax software, with the IRS Free File tool, or via mail.
However, it's important to remember the extension is only to file your tax return, not to pay owed taxes. If you owe taxes, you should pay an estimated amount before the deadline to avoid paying penalties and interest. If you expect to receive a refund, you'll still receive your money when you file your taxes.
The deadline to file for an extension is Tuesday, April 15, which will give you until Oct. 16 to file.
How can I avoid mistakes filing my taxes?
Many people fear getting in trouble with the IRS if they make a mistake. To avoid common errors:
— Double check your name on your Social Security card.
When working with clients, O'Saben always asks them to bring their Social Security card to double-check their number and their legal name, which can change after marriage, for example.
'You may have changed your name but you didn't change it with Social Security,' O'Saben said. 'If the Social Security number doesn't match the first four letters of the last name, the return will be rejected and that will delay processing.'
— Search for tax statements if you've opted out of paper mail.
Many people like to opt out of snail mail, but paper mail can also include your tax documents.
'If you didn't get anything in the mail doesn't mean that there isn't an information document out there that you need to be aware of and report accordingly,' said O'Saben.
— Report all of your income.
If you had more than one job in 2022, you need the W-2 forms for each — not just the one from the job you ended the year with, said Christina Wease, interim director of the tax clinic at Michigan State University.
What resources are available?
For those who make $73,000 or less per year, the IRS offers free guided tax preparation that does the math for you. If you have questions while working on your tax forms, the IRS also offers an interactive tax assistant tool.
Beyond TurboTax and H&R Block, taxpayers can also hire licensed professionals, such as certified public accountants. The IRS offers a directory of tax preparers across the United States.
The IRS also funds two types of programs that offer free tax help: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program (TCE). People who earn $60,000 or less a year, those who have a disability, and those who speak limited English all qualify for the VITA program. Those who are 60 or older qualify for the TCE program. The IRS has a site for locating organizations hosting VITA and TCE clinics.
If you have a tax problem, there are clinics around the country that can help you resolve these issues. Generally, these tax clinics also offer services in other languages such as Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese.
The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
FIRST ON FOX: A House committee witness who was called out by Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California during a hearing this week is pushing back after the congressman unearthed a past social media post on Social Security in an attempt to discredit his testimony. During a House oversight DOGE subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Garcia grilled Power the Future CEO Dan Turner while holding up a posterboard of a past tweet calling Social Security a "government-sponsored Ponzi scheme." "Madoff went to jail for it. Congress runs on it," the post said. "I should be able to keep 100% of my money and not watch government waste it with a paltry percentage return." Garcia then suggested that post was evidence that Turner lacks the credibility to be testifying about the billions of federal tax dollars directed to left-wing NGOs. Social Security Commissioner Breaks Down Plan To Save Agency From Insolvency "A Ponzi scheme and so I think it's interesting, of course, as one of our Republican witnesses is calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme, and that's the person that we should be taking advice from here today," Garcia said. Read On The Fox News App "Without Social Security, 22 million people would be pushed into poverty. That includes over 16 million seniors and nearly 1 million children. And in fact, Elon Musk has also said and agreed with you, sir, that this is a Ponzi scheme. I think it's ironic that you are one of our witnesses talking about efficiency when you want to attack the single best program that we have to support people not just out of poverty, but across this country to uplift them, to ensure they can afford a decent life." Fox News Digital spoke to Turner, who stood by his post and outlined his belief, echoed by many, that Social Security is structured like a Ponzi scheme by definition. Sen Elizabeth Warren: Social Security Is Under Attack. Gutting It Is A Broken Promise "Rep Garcia does not know the definition of Ponzi scheme," Turner said. "Social Security is the ultimate Ponzi, demanding more and more people at the bottom pay in to fund the people at the top, expect our demographics have this now reversed. The system will default. Mr. Garcia nor I will likely never see a dime. That should worry him more than my social media feed." Turner told Fox News Digital that if Garcia's staff were to spend as much time trying to save Social Security as it did "combing through my social media" then "perhaps the Ponzi scheme can survive long enough for me to get a small percentage of what the government confiscated during my lifetime." Turner explained that his father had received a "paltry percentage" of what he paid into the program and the the government "kept the rest" when his father died. "That's not just a Ponzi scheme, it's government greed and politicians running a money-laundering operation to get reelected. No one should be compelled to pay into a failed system, yet in a free America, you don't have that choice." In addition to Turner and Elon Musk suggesting that Social Security is by definition set up like a Ponzi scheme, Fox News Digital previously spoke to James Agresti, president of the nonprofit research institute Just Facts, who said the characterization has "validity." 'Failure's Not An Option': Trump Budget Bill Will Be 'Big' Help For Seniors, Top House Tax-writer Says "A Ponzi scheme operates by taking money from new investors to pay current investors," Agresti said. "That's the definition given by the SEC, and contrary to popular belief, that's exactly how Social Security operates." Agresti explained to Fox News Digital that Social Security, a program mired for decades with concerns about waste, fraud, and improper payments, "doesn't take our money and save it for us, as many people believe, and then give it to us when we're older" like many Americans might believe. "What it does is, it transfers money when we are young and working and paying into Social Security taxes," Agresti said. "That money, the vast bulk of it, goes immediately out the door to people who are currently receiving benefits. Now, there is a trust fund, but in 90 years of operation, that trust fund currently has enough money to fund two years of program operations." The trust fund only being able to last for two years is not a result of the fund being "looted," Agresti explained, but rather it was put in place to "put surpluses in it" from money that Social Security collects in taxes that it doesn't pay out immediately and pays interest on. "The interest that's been paid on that has been higher than the rate of inflation," Agresti said. "So, the problem isn't that the trust fund has been looted. The problem is that Social Security operates like a Ponzi scheme." Democrats have vocally pushed back against efforts by Republicans and DOGE to reform Social Security or make cuts to what they say are examples of wasteful or improper spending from the department. "There's been a lot of misinformation about that as of late," Agresti told Fox News Digital. "You know, when DOGE came in and suggested that the Social Security Administration cut, I think it was about 10,000 workers, Democrats erupted that this is going to weaken Social Security. But the fact of the matter is that Social Security pays those workers who are for administrative overhead from the Social Security trust fund. So, by cutting out the money that they're paying them, you actually strengthen the program financially." Agresti told Fox News Digital that the current administrative overhead for Social Security is $6.7 billion per year, which is enough to pay more than 300,000 retirees the average old-age benefit. "Every single study shows social security going completely bankrupt in the next few years. Garcia and other democrats know the iceberg is ahead but rather than turn the ship, they are yelling at the iceberg about the senior citizens onboard," Turner said. "This Ponzi scheme is collapsing fast, and turning my tweets into posters is not going to stop it."Original article source: House witness flips script on Dem who ambushed him during hearing with unearthed tweet: 'Iceberg is ahead'
Hamilton Spectator
30 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamlin undeterred by ruling siding with NASCAR in lawsuit filed by Jordan-owned 23XI and Front Row
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Denny Hamlin is unfazed that a three-judge federal appellate panel vacated an injunction that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI, which he owns with Michael Jordan, and Front Row as chartered teams as part of an antitrust lawsuit. 'That's just such a small part of the entire litigation,' Hamlin said Saturday, a day ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400. 'I'm not deterred at all. We're in good shape.' Hamlin said Jordan feels the same way. 'He just remains very confident, just like I do,' Hamiln said. NASCAR has not commented on the latest ruling. 23XI and Front Row sued NASCAR late last year after refusing to sign new agreements on charter renewals. They asked for a temporary injunction that would recognize them as chartered teams for this season, but the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday ruled in NASCAR's favor. 'We're looking at all options right now,' Hamlin said. The teams, each winless this year, said they needed the injunction because the current charter agreement prohibits them from suing NASCAR. 23XI also argued it would be harmed because Tyler Reddick's contract would have made him a free agent if the team could not guarantee him a charter-protected car. Hamlin insisted he's not worried about losing drivers because of the uncertainty. 'I'm not focused on that particularly right this second,' he said. Reddick, who was last year's regular-season champion and competed for the Cup title in November, enters the race Sunday at Michigan ranked sixth in the Cup Series standings. The charter system is similar to franchises in other sports, but the charters are revocable by NASCAR and have expiration dates. The six teams may have to compete as 'open' cars and would have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and would receive a fraction of the money. Without a charter, Hamlin said it would cost the teams 'tens of millions,' to run three cars. 'We're committed to run this season open if we have to,' he said. 'We're going to race and fulfill all of our commitments no matter what. We're here to race. Our team is going to be here for the long haul and we're confident of that.' The antitrust case isn't scheduled to be heard until December. NASCAR has not said what it would do with the six charters held by the two organizations if they are returned to the sanctioning body. There are 36 chartered cars for a 40-car field. 'We feel like facts were on our side,' Hamlin said. 'I think if you listen to the judges, even they mentioned that we might be in pretty good shape.' ___ AP auto racing: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
After His Trump Blowup, Musk May Be Out. But DOGE Is Just Getting Started.
At the Interior Department, DOGE members have been converted into federal employees and embedded into the agency, said a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. And at the Environmental Protection Agency, where a spokesperson said that there are two senior officials associated with the DOGE mission, work continues apace on efforts to dismantle an agency that Trump has long targeted. 'They are still internally going forward; we don't really feel as if anything has stopped here,' said Nicole Cantello, a former lawyer for the EPA who represents its union in Chicago. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Whether DOGE keeps its current Musk-inspired form remains an open question. Some DOGE members on Friday expressed concern that the president could choose to retaliate against Musk by firing people associated with the initiative. Others could choose to leave on their own, following Musk out the door. And DOGE's role and even its legality remain the subjects of legal battles amid questions over its attempts to use sensitive government data. Advertisement But the approach that DOGE embodied at the outset -- deep cuts in spending, personnel and projects -- appears to have taken root. Even with Musk on the sidelines, DOGE on Friday notched two legal victories. The Supreme Court said that it can have access to sensitive Social Security data and ruled that, for now, the organization does not have to turn over internal records to a government watchdog group as part of a public records lawsuit. Advertisement DOGE staffers are becoming 'far more institutionalized' within government agencies, said Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, during an appearance before lawmakers Wednesday, a day before the relationship between Musk and Trump combusted. Vought, who has been a quiet, behind-the-scenes driver of the program to shrink government even as Musk took the spotlight as its celebrity spokesperson, said he envisioned DOGE staff working 'almost as in-house consultants as a part of the agency's leadership.' Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement, 'The mission of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse is a part of the DNA of the federal government and will continue under the direction of the president, his Cabinet, and agency heads to enhance government efficiency and prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.' With DOGE, Musk sought to orchestrate an extensive overhaul of the government. He promised to eliminate almost one-third of the federal budget, $2 trillion, and remake federal agencies into streamlined, tech-oriented entities that operated just like his businesses. The billionaire adopted the same playbook he used to take over his social media company, then known as Twitter, in 2022. Guided by DOGE, the administration urged staffers to resign from their jobs and laid off even more; canceled leases and demanded workers return to offices; slashed contracts; and rooted out programs Trump and Musk disfavored, like those focused on diversity and inclusion. Musk's cost-cutting target was later revised, dropping from $2 trillion to $1 trillion, and then down to $150 billion. The group's own website claimed it saved $180 billion, but its calculations have been inflated by significant errors and guesswork. Advertisement The group's errors have included posting claims that confuse 'billion' and 'million,' double-counting the same contracts, claiming credit for canceling programs that had been dead for years, and boasting about cuts that had been reversed. Courts blocked some of DOGE'S initiatives, some dismissed employees were reinstated when their work proved to be essential, and congressional appropriations kept many funds beyond Musk's grasp. All told, DOGE has tried to gain entry to more than 80 data systems across at least a dozen agencies, according to New York Times efforts to track the group's data access. Those data sets include systems that hold personal information about federal workers, detailed financial data about federal procurement and spending, and intimate personal details about the American public. Several days before his departure, Musk was optimistic about the legacy he was leaving in Washington. DOGE's mission, he said on X, 'will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.' But by Tuesday, Musk was fretting that his accomplishments were being washed away by the Trump policy bill making its way through Congress. The bill 'more than defeats all the cost savings achieved by the @DOGE team at great personal cost and risk,' he wrote on X. Nonetheless, the DOGE imprint can be seen across the government. One of DOGE's most prominent members, billionaire Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, is planning to remain in government, according to a statement from the Office of Personnel Management. Gebbia, a close friend of Musk, is working on a project to digitize the federal government's slow and paper-based retirement process. Advertisement Carl Coe, who had previously led DOGE efforts within the Energy Department, was named chief of staff on May 2. Coe, who had a background in software development, had been working with 40 different offices with the Energy Department on 'process improvement and cost savings,' the agency said. In recent weeks, the Energy Department has begun canceling billions of dollars in Biden-era awards to companies trying to demonstrate technologies that might one day help tackle global warming. A department spokesperson declined to comment. At the EPA, Cantello, the union lawyer, said that she expected no change in the administration's mission to overhaul the agency. She said it was acting on proposals articulated in Project 2025, the conservative policy blueprint for a Trump presidency, with DOGE employees working hand in hand with Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator. 'We see these policies continuing on,' she said. Molly Vaseliou, an agency spokesperson, said the department was focused on efficiency. 'Over the past couple of months,' she said, 'we actively listened to employees at all levels to gather ideas on how to increase efficiency and ensure the EPA is as up to date and effective as ever.' At the Interior Department, one former DOGE employee, Tyler Hassen, has assumed the powerful role of acting assistant secretary of policy, management and budget. In that role, Hassen oversees human resources, training, grants and contracts, and has the authority to fire people without approval from Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, according to the order under which Burgum assigned Hassen the role. As of Friday morning, Hassen was still in that role, according to a memo from Burgum. Advertisement (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) In recent weeks, Hassen has worked to cancel agency contracts in ways that directly align with Trump's desires, according to two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the record. For example, his office has canceled contracts with Harvard University for earthquake relief research as well as contracts with the state of Maine as Trump has escalated fights with the university and the state. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Also still in place at the Interior Department as of Friday morning was Stephanie Holmes, a former DOGE employee who is now the agency's current acting chief human capital officer. Holmes is the founder of BrighterSide, a now-defunct human resources company that focused on pushing back against corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Neither Hassen nor Holmes responded to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Interior Department declined to respond to questions about DOGE employees. At the Social Security Administration -- one of the most politically sensitive agencies in government -- two members of DOGE, Aram Moghaddassi and Michael Russo, are effectively serving as co-chief information officers, according to two people with knowledge of the arrangement. Moghaddassi appeared alongside Musk and other members of DOGE during a Fox News interview. Still, the continued influence of DOGE could diminish in the coming days if the White House chooses to retaliate against team members. Some DOGE employees were angry with Musk's actions Thursday, according to a person close to them, and spent the day commiserating with one another in private messages. The concern, the person said, was that Musk had made them a target for potential firings, especially after he invoked Trump's possible ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Some DOGE workers have begun calling the White House to ask if their jobs are secure. Advertisement (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) For other members of DOGE, the idea was never to stay in Washington or the federal government for long. They often signed up for short stints, taking leaves from careers at technology companies or law firms that they expected to return to. Even for DOGE workers who were planning to leave government anyway, the meltdown between Musk and Trump could hasten their exit, according to Sahil Lavingia, a former DOGE software engineer at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He said Thursday's events could also deter potential new hires from applying. 'If you join a company and the CEO leaves, you're going to look for something else,' said Lavingia, who said he was terminated from DOGE and the VA last month after he gave an interview to Fast Company. 'If you want to work for Elon, you're not going to go work for DOGE anymore.' The veterans agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lavingia also said that the departure of Steve Davis, Musk's right hand at DOGE, could significantly weaken the effort. 'I just don't know how it functions, because everything ran through him,' he said. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) DOGE's fate could also be settled in the courts. In May, a federal judge allowed a lawsuit to proceed challenging the entire DOGE operation as an unlawful arm of an already powerful executive branch. The lawsuit argues that an entity with as much sway and power as DOGE cannot exercise that authority without leaders vetted and confirmed by the Senate. In her opinion, Judge Tanya Chutkan noted that DOGE has been accused of seizing control of at least 17 federal agencies and has spawned several dozen other lawsuits across the country challenging its authority or trying to reverse its actions. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) 'Several federal agencies have been dismantled, thousands of federal employees have been terminated or placed on leave, sensitive data has been haphazardly accessed, edited, and disclosed, and federal grants and contracts have been frozen or terminated,' she wrote. This article originally appeared in
