Oct. 1: Boo! Welcome to the scariest month of the year.
Screenshot from GIPHY In addition to Halloween goblins, ghouls and hundreds of kids descending on your neighborhood at the end of this month, one of the scariest October items is that countdown clock a little higher up in this column. It's a stark reminder for millions of ultimate
procrastinators — No, I'm not one this year. Amazing, I know! — that their deadline to file extended 2018 tax returns is nearly over. Don't worry. I'll remind you again as Oct. 15 nears.
But why push the deadline?
Gather all the
documents you need to file your Form 1040, including 1099s and receipts associated with your
self-employment income, be it full-time or side hustle earnings. This
tax preparation checklist can help.
Oct. 4: OK. You're ready to finally file that Form 1040 before the 15th. Great! Now make sure you don't overspend to do so. Check out
Free File.
This IRS-tax software industry partnership program that provides no-cost return prep and
e-filing option is open for business through the October extension deadline for taxpayers whose income is $66,000 or less.
Oct. 10: If your job compensation includes
tips and you received $20 or more in gratuities in September, use
Form 4070 to report them today to your employer.
Oct. 14: So another week slipped by without you filing your taxes. No judging here. I've been there. The good news this year is that today is the federal Columbus Day holiday or, in many states and cities, now designated
Indigenous People's Day. If you don't have to head into the office, it's a great chance to work on your taxes. The IRS has some
final filing tips.
Oct. 15: It's here! The absolutely, positively final filing deadline for your 2018 return. Get your Form 1040 — remember, there's now
just one tax return under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) changes — en route to the IRS today or you'll face
penalty and interest charges.
E-filers, whether using the previously mentioned Free File or a paid-for tax software package, technically have until midnight their time to hit "enter" on their computer keyboard. But I suggest you don't push that deadline. A late technical problem could turn into a costly late-filing issue.
If instead you're sending in an old-fashioned
paper return, check with your post office to make sure the envelope is postmarked today, the paper filing proof of timely tax filing.
Oct. 21: Now that your 2018 return is finally done, it's time to work on reducing your 2019 tax bill. By now, you're probably familiar with how the TCJA changed your tax filing and planning. But it never hurts to review your prior year's tax return, whether you just filed it last week or earlier in the year. It's a good foundation to look at what tax breaks you qualified for might be able to use again on this year's taxes.
Note, too, that inflation has upped many tax-related actions. The income tax earnings
brackets have been expanded a bit. So have the
standard deduction amounts.
And definitely look at how much you can put this year into tax-favored
retirement savings and
medical accounts. Not only can they help lower current tax bills, they could pay off in the future.
Finally, peruse the Taxpayer Advocate Service's
Taxpayer Roadmap.
This publication, designed along the lines of a subway map, shows the
stages of a taxpayer's journey through our elaborate tax system.
Oct. 25: Those retirement and medical accounts also are part of many workplace benefit plans. Since October is the start of the annual benefits enrollment open season at lots of companies across the country, it's a good time to carefully review those employer-provided perks, such as 401(k) plans and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for both
health and child care purposes, to make sure you make the most of your options.
Oct. 28: With more than two months left in 2019, now's is the perfect time to set up your tax deduction
bunching strategy. Here you gather potential write-offs together into one tax year to ensure you have enough qualified expenses to meet some of the popular deduction thresholds. This typically covers the itemized deductions for medical, home-related and charitable deductions.
Oct. 31: What's scarier than the ghouls and goblins wandering your neighborhood tonight? Another month of the
hurricane season.
We've been lucky so far, with only Hurricane Dorian along the eastern seaboard and
Tropical Storm Imelda in Texas causing major damages. But with a month officially left, we
can't let down our storm guards.
The countdown clock below can help you track the days until the formal Nov. 30 end of the annual hurricane season.
You also can find tips on getting ready, physically and financially, for hurricanes, as well as tax help for recovery efforts and tax deductions for donations to those who are hit by natural disasters at the ol' blog's
Storm Warnings pages.
Small Business Tax Calendar: Important
filing, deposit and record keeping dates throughout the year that your company needs to know. You can get more tax calendar information at the IRS'
online calendar page and view the full year's important business and individual tax dates in
IRS Pub. 509.
i never thought this could be possible, taxing cosmetic surgery operations!!!
Posted by: cosmetic surgery Sydney | Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 10:52 PM
Why pay extra tax for looking beautiful. It seems that law body is trying to loot people this is not good at all. If some one want's to look young and beautiful than why charge extra from them I just can't understand and this should never happen at all.
Posted by: dr usha rajagopal | Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 12:46 AM
I absolutely agree that just wanting a facelift does not ensure you are rich...have to check out other things also.It is a personal choice to spend ones money.
Posted by: Atlanta Plastic Surgeons | Thursday, December 02, 2010 at 11:13 AM
That's crap. Lots of people having plastic surgery use carecredit to pay for it. They certainly aren't rich. That was just an all around bad idea. I'm glad it hasn't gone through....yet. But it could in the future. I think those lawmakers are just jealous that plastic surgery patients have the guts it takes to improve their looks and are determined enough to go under the knife to get what they want.
Posted by: CAPlastic Surgeon | Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Great article. I find it very frustrating how Washington feels it's okay to tax everything.
Posted by: Cosmetic Surgery Philadelphia | Tuesday, August 03, 2010 at 12:26 PM
Doctor's are already charged with taxes for their professions, consumers/people pay's taxes every payday, government shouldn't ask for taxes on this kind of matter.
Posted by: Cosmetic surgeon Los Angeles | Wednesday, June 02, 2010 at 11:41 PM
I agree, taxes should be equal to all. Not all surgery is for vanity purposes only, it is also used to improve confidence on oneself for work purposes. Cosmetic'>http://www.drcalvertmd.com">Cosmetic
Posted by: Cosmetic Surgery | Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 06:22 PM
That's it! being vain really is a pain in the pocket.
Posted by: Plastic Surgery Los Angeles | Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 04:29 PM
Keep up the great blogging!!!
San Antonio Dentist
Posted by: john | Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 01:58 AM
Clearly, the government will COST you money. And free markets will SAVE you money. Example. Professional Teeth Bleaching. You pay: 110% with the new tax. 50-75% in a free market economy, through available discounts. See http://dentalcool.blogspot.com/2009/11/cosmetic-teeth-whitening-dental-plan.html Your pick. Now of course, you don't want companies in bed with the government, that is just not free markets anymore.
Posted by: Katterine re: cosmetic dental plan vs TAX | Monday, November 23, 2009 at 01:23 PM
This has nothing to do with race or gender. this is a take over of the american people so the goverment can control our society. I find this crazy, insurance companies wont pay for the surgery, it is paid by the individual and with the assumption that the money they are useing is from working and has already been taxed to the hilt. this is all about goverment control. so whats next vacation tax??? If this goverment passes this who's next? If they would stop wasteing tax payers money and focus on our country we would be ok, but instead we go in and bomb the hell out of china, iraq etc then pay to rebuild them so our tax dollars go towards the destruction of other countries then the rebuild of those countries. plastic surgery tax, ha, I never thought I would be alive to hear this one and I am 39 yrs old. and I may want that option to have a surgery, just like 3 years ago I had lasik for my eyes and had to finance that if it would have had a tax I would have never been able to afford the procedure. soon they will have a telivision tax for anyone who has cable or dish. tax more on alcohol, tabaco. I think if we let this tax pass with out a fight soon they will tax medications! eating out, etc. for any of you whom believe this is ok, it's not, this is not about the luxury of changing ones appearance or improving it this is all about GOVERMENT CONTROL. what happened to the land of the free, we are all caged like animals with the satelite cameras etc. some of you mention taxing other things and events, NO. the Goverment needs to take a pay cut and fund the defecit, do you really think the house, senate etc worry about food, electric, gas, living expense. look at the payroll of our goverment. why should we the american people suffer any more, WHY SHOULD WE TRY TO CONSIDER SOME OTHER CRAZY TAX OVER THIS ONE. They take and take from us with empty promise and hope! look around yourselves we are not free, I know now in my life time I will be on this earth to see GOVERMENT LOCKDOWN. boarders closed, guidelines and new rules (laws) as well as curfews around the nation. we will have the rich and the poor as the poor will die off and the mass production of human kind will be limited. how much is a marraige license??? why not triple that fee, marraige this day and age is nothing because it is easy to do and easier to divorce. taxing couples for each child they produce, taxing the elderly for medications they need to survive so they wont be able to purchase it and they will die sooner saving the goverment from supporting them any longer. I disagree with all of this. I believe we should stand as one nation and do not allow the goverment to take over our personal lives. I know I will not go down with out fighting every tax they try to impose because of poor spending on the goverments part! I am proud to be an american but who ever is laying in bed at night dreaming up these crazy ways to raise money to save the goverment is insane! when is enough going to really be enough??? some may not agree with my view on this but I do, and it will boil down to a controlled society and if you dont blend well with it and conform then your gone! I'm going to go write a book now a best seller, I bet they will try to tax me on every letter I write. to anyone who reads my comment peace be with you and believe in yourself and what you believe is right and wrong.
Posted by: West | Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 04:43 PM
Really liked this post. I will have to bookmark this site to tell my friends.
Posted by: denver plastic surgery | Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 11:18 AM
As far as I see it, when an industry does well, the government is just so eager to tax it. It only means more revenue to abuse.
Posted by: KL Karrington | Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:36 AM
It is unjust to single out one industry for higher taxes if that industry is not harmful to society. What harm does cosmetic medicine commit? What does it have to do with healthcare reform any more than the automobile or the computer industry? If they want to raise taxes do it across the board rather than scapegoating individuals.
Posted by: Alex | Saturday, August 01, 2009 at 02:37 AM
The medical aesthetics industry is under attack!
The US Government is pushing for 10% Plastic Surgery Tax on cosmetic procedures which are not deemed medically necessary.
This includes Botox, Liposuction, Rhinoplasty, Teeth Whitening, Face Lift, Tummy Tuck and more!
Your action is needed now! Help us stop the 10% Plastic Surgery Tax!
Sign the STOP Bo-Tax petition today!
http://www.stopbotax.org/
Posted by: Stop Botax | Friday, July 31, 2009 at 01:02 PM