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By the Numbers 2015

It's that time again. The passage of 365 days has delivered a spanking new year. Here's hoping your 2015 is a great one, tax and otherwise.

Numbers via 123BFAs has been the tradition here at the ol' blog for the last four years, it's also time to start the new collection of By the Numbers figures.

As with the numeric posts of 2011, 2012 , 2013 and 2014, a new figure -- ranging from percentages to dollar amounts to titles of tax legislation to raw numbers and more -- that has a tax connection will be featured.

I try to get the relevant figures up each weekend, but sometimes I'm early and sometimes I'm late.

But whenever a new number goes up, you can find the link to it here, with the newest posts topping the list and working back to the first one of the year.

  • 26
    Happy Boxing Day! If you donate to a charity on Dec. 26, or any day, check out your possible tax deduction (Dec. 26, 2015)
  • 43.6 million
    2015 was a record-setting year for MLB's sin luxury tax (Dec. 20, 2015)
  • $100,000
    Houston-based energy company gives every employee a $100,000 bonus & yes, the workplace reward is taxable (Dec. 11, 2015)
  • £2.5 million
    U.K. targeting adult entertainment tax evaders (Dec. 6, 2015)
  • $2,500
    Small businesses welcome post-Thanksgiving shoppers and IRS' increased $2,500 tax expensing threshold (Nov. 28, 2015)
  • 15 percent
    Is Alaska getting closer to enacting a state income tax? (Nov. 22, 2015)
  • 7
    7 former IRS commissioners chastise Congress for slashing the tax agency's budget, urge full funding (Nov. 14, 2015)
  • $6.8 million
    NFL to repay sporting event 'paid patriotism' tax money (Nov. 7, 2015)
  • $330,000,000
    Movie and TV production tax credits, trick or treat? (Oct. 31, 2015)
  • 897
    DoJ closes IRS-Tea Party probe, won't bring charges (Oct. 24, 2015)
  • $3,248,723,000,000
    Treasury takes in record $3.25 trillion in FY15 taxes (Oct. 17, 2015)
  • 77 percent 
    77% of corporations, partnerships e-file tax returns (Oct. 11, 2015)
  • $2,550 
    Time to make your flexible spending account choices (Oct. 3, 2015)
  • 2018
    Cadillac tax changes looking more likely (Sept. 26, 2015)
  • $520 million
    Georgia truckers sue to force fuel taxes be spent on roads (Sept. 19, 2015)
  • 40 percent
    Alabama proposes 40% tax on pornographic materials (Sept. 12, 2015)
  • 89.57 percent
    Donald Trump seeks 90% property tax cut on NY golf club (Sept. 5, 2015)
  • $10
    Treasury Secretaries are fans of 'Hamilton' musical (Aug. 29, 2015)
  • 9 percent
    Puerto Rico ramps up efforts to collect online travel taxes (Aug. 22, 2015)
  • 10.25 percent
    City and other local taxes add to overall sales tax takes (Aug. 15, 2015)
  • 1.8 million
    1.8 million must file 1040s ASAP to get ACA APTC benefits (Aug. 8, 2015)
  • 32,421
    FairTax petition fails to get White House meeting (Aug. 2, 2015)
  • $107,140 
    Star scientists prefer low-tax states (July 26, 2015)
  • 5 percent
    Early tax payment ends up costing company (July 19, 2015)
  • 89.5 percent
    Poor tax collection contributed to Greece's debt woes (July 12, 2015)
  • 2 percent
    Fireworks and taxes continue on America's 239th birthday (July 4, 2015)
  • $18.8 million
    IRS gave tax-owing companies contracts worth nearly $19 million (June 27, 2015)
  • 27
    Tax identity thief gets record 27-year prison term (June 20, 2015) 
  • $945,875
    U.K. pays a record amount for tax cheat tips (June 16, 2015)
  • 13 million
    H&R Block explores virtual tax preparation (June 7, 2015)
  • 15 percent
    Are we tax sheep? A U.K. collection effort says 'yes' (May 30, 2015)
  • $1.6 billion
    F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone fighting UK over $1.6 billion tax bill (May 24, 2015)
  • $7.5 million
    Alabama woman charged with $7.5 million tax identity theft (May 17, 2015)
  • 1,335
    U.S. on pace to lose record number of citizens to expatriation (May 9, 2015)
  • 5-2-15
    A big day for sports gamblers & those taking their bets (May 2, 2015)
  • 1
    Will Michigan voters raise the state sales tax to fix roads? (April 25, 2015)
  • $3.23 billion
    IRS files $3.2 billion tax lien against Texas man, his brother's estate (April 19, 2015)
  • 13
    Above-the-line deductions offer tax breaks without itemizing (April 11, 2015)
  • $1.25
    Cigarette tax hike seen as way to fill Alabama budget gap (April 5, 2015)
  • 4
    Some Final Four teams could suffer under seat tax proposal (March 29, 2015)
  • $25,000
    IRS refunds $25,000 in fines to Denver marijuana shop (March 22, 2015)
  • $835
    April 15, 2015, is deadline for unclaimed 2011 tax refunds (March 15, 2015)
  • 16
    Federal debt limit March 16 deadline showdown looms (March 8, 2015)
  • 0
    Jeb Bush reportedly won't sign no-tax pledge (March 2, 2015)
  • 8
    All of 2015's best picture Oscar nominees got tax break help (Feb. 22, 2015)
  • 38
    More same-sex married couples celebrating Valentine's Day (Feb. 14, 2015)
  • 12,000
    Get free, in-person tax help at VITA, TCE and military sites (Feb. 7, 2015)
  • 500
    Super Bowl XLIX prop bets are fun and taxable if you win (Feb. 1, 2015)
  • 28 percent
    Capital gains gain in income reporting, but tax hike unlikely (Jan. 25, 2015)
  • 48 percent
    Terrorism, not taxes, rank high on policy priorities survey (Jan. 18, 2015)
  • $405 million
    St. Louis says no added taxes for new NFL Rams stadium (Jan. 11, 2015)
  • 111
    Cigarettes are a bigger tax target than booze (Jan. 4, 2015)

Happy tax counting!

Today's Tax Tip

  • Deductible mileage rates increased on July 1 — This year's historic inflation has increased the cost of almost every living expense. It even prompted the Internal Revenue Service to implement a mid-year bump up of the annual optional standard mileage rates for tax-deductible driving. The 4-cent hikes for allowable business, medical, and relocation miles driven took effect on July 1, and will last through Dec. 31. (July 3, 2022)

  • Tax Tip; click pencil for all tax tip links

  • The 2022 Tax Tips offer ways to file your annual return, along with post-filing advice, important tax news and, of course, ways to cut your current tax year bill. You'll find the monthly assemblages on their own respective pages: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Remember, tax tasks and tips don't stop after you file your annual return!

COVID-19 & Taxes

  • COVID-19
    Coronavirus has wreaked havoc
    on the 2020 and 2021 tax seasons.
    These three Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes pages have details:
    March-July 2020,
    August-December 2020,
    January-December 2021, and
    January-… 2022
    You can find medical coronavirus resource links further down this column.

All About Kay

  • OK, some about Kay
    Open sign
    Kay Bell — Native Texan (the blog title totally makes sense now, right?). Professional journalist. Tax geek.

My Other Accounts

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Tick ... Tick ... Tick

  • Tax Season 2022 continues!

    Tax Day 2022 is finally over … unless you're one of the millions who have more time to file — looking at you taxpayers abroad and those in major disaster areas — or you got an extension to file your 2021 tax year return. That's fine. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service appreciates some of us spreading out our filings, especially when we and the agency still are dealing with all the complications of COVID-19 and taxes.

    That's why the ol' blog's focus now is on all y'all still working on returns. But I haven't forgotten my organized taxpayer readers, who are already looking for ways to reduce their 2022 tax year bills. Yep, that amount is adding up, but there are moves you can make. The monthly tips and reminders a little further down this column can help everyone, regardless of which tax year you're working on.

    Those on extension should keep a keen eye on the countdown clock below. It will help you track the days tick, tick, ticking off toward that absolutely final fall filing due date of Oct. 17. Yep, it's a few days later this year.
    Note: I'm in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.


Time for Tax Tasks


  • monthly tax moves


  • July is 🧨 poppin'!
    This first full month of summer begins with fireworks and the tax-related pyrotechnics continue through the month. In fact, they started before the official Independence Day celebrations.


    toddler with flag background
    Click on the image for some fireworks safety tips and warnings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

    I know, you're feeling like the youngster above, not quite ready yet to talk taxes. But take your hands off your ears to hear — or rather keep scrolling to read — some tax moves to make in July.

    July 1: Today is the beginning the new fiscal year for many states, meaning some new tax laws take effect today across the country.

    July 1: Today also is the start of some of the various state sales tax holidays happening this summer and early fall in 18 states. Attention Florida shoppers, most of them are in the Sunshine State.

    July 4: Happy 246th Birthday, America!

    July 4th actually falls on Monday this year, so there's no need to shift it to accommodate the federal Monday holiday law. That also means there's no confusion about what jurisdictions are closed across the United States. It's also a good time to note how official federal holidays often do affect tax deadlines.

    July 8: A tropical system organized enough last week to give us the second named storm of 2022. U.S. residents didn't have to worry about Tropical Storm Bonnie making landfall but she's a good reminder that the tropics are heating up. Be prepared physically, financially, and tax wise to cope with what storm watchers expect to be another active Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico hurricane season.

    Hurricane satellite image

    Uncle Sam's official forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center expect 2022 to bring as many as 21 named storms, with six to 10 possibly becoming hurricanes. Three to six of those could reach major status, which is category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher. Regardless of the count, it only takes one to wreak havoc. The countdown clock below can help you keep track of how many more days you have to worry about tracking any size or type of tropical storms.



    You also might want to check out the ol' blog's special Storm Warnings.
    These multi-page collections of posts offer tax advice on preparing for, recovering from and helping those who sustain damages from the many ways that that weather goes wild. That includes claiming uninsured losses from a major natural disaster as an itemized tax deduction.

    July 11: Eateries are still recovering from the challenges of operating during a national health crisis. Restaurants closed, then opened, then closed again. Others relied on and have stuck with take-out and deliveries. Whether you're dining in or still getting food brought to your house because of the latest Omicron coronavirus variants, remember to tip your server or delivery person.

    restaurant check tip iStock
    If a tip isn't included in your food delivery charge, click the image above to calculate how much to tip the person who brought it to you.

    As for servers who now are back on the job, remember that your tips are taxable income. If you worked at least some of May at a job where you got gratuities, you need to account for them today if they came to at least $20 last month. Use Form 4070 to report your tips today to your employer.

    July 18: We're not officially into the last half of the year. Time really does speed by when you're having summer fun! But if you've had some changes in your life, now is a good time to make related tax accommodations. Specifically, conduct a paycheck checkup to determine if the amount of taxes taken out of your wages is still correct. You might need to adjust your payroll withholding.

    July 25: If you got an extension back in April to file your 2021 tax return, you have until Oct. 17 to do that. But you don't have to wait until that deadline. You can get to work on that tax paperwork now and be done with it so it won't be hanging over your head while you're trying to enjoy summer.

    Whenever you do get around to finishing your tax return, the IRS recommends you do so electronically. Check out ways to e-file at no cost, including via Free File, which is, as its name says, free. The official electronic filing webpage is Free File on IRS.gov is available to qualifying taxpayers through Oct. 17.

    IRS Free File; click image for details

    Free File this year is available for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less. That income level applies to all filing statuses. This year, 8 software programs are available to eligible filers. Spoiler: The two biggies, Intuit's TurboTax and H&R Block, are not among the choices. The two leading tax prep programs decided to end their participation in the program.

    July 31: Again, too much tax fun getting us to July's end in no time. But you can keep the festivities going, and possibly save some money, by taking care of these July tax moves.


    July spelled out in red, white and blue bubble font


    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.

State Tax Help

  • Don't forget your state taxes!
    Forty-three states and D.C. collect personal income taxes. But even if you live in of the seven states without an income levy, you still face other state (and local) taxes.

    State Tax Departments provides links to your state's Web page. The companion page, Tax Tidbits, is the compilation of blurbs about each state's tax laws. And for more state tax news, check out all our state tax bloggings.

Tax Forms

  • Tax Forms
    Thanks to our increased use of tax preparers and computer software, many of us don't see our tax forms until we sign and file them. But knowing what's on these documents, either in paper or digital form, and why the IRS wants it is key to understanding our tax system. And knowledge definitely is power, especially when it comes to tax savings. Find this valuable information in the ol' blog's special Talking Tax Forms page.

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I gotta tell ya ...

  • AKA Disclaimer:
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    I am not a professional tax preparer.
    The content on Don't Mess With Taxes is my personal opinion based on my study and understanding of tax laws, policies and regulations. It is provided for your private, noncommercial, educational and informational purposes only. It is not a recommendation of any specific tax action(s) you should or should not take. Similarly, mentions of products or services are not endorsements. In other words, my ramblings on the ol' blog are free advice and you know what they say about getting what you pay for. That's why when it comes to filing your taxes, I urge you to get additional, professional, paid-for guidance from an accountant, Enrolled Agent or other qualified tax preparer who is familiar with your individual tax circumstances.

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Tell it to the Hill

  • DMWT Politics Posts
  • While it's easy to rail at the IRS, for the most part we can thank — or blame — our tax laws on Congress and the White House. So if you have an issue with tax legislation or want a tax bill passed, you need to let your federal legislators and the White House occupant know of your concerns. You can find out who in Washington, D.C., to contact (and how), as well as get information on your local lawmakers for matters, tax or otherwise, closer to home, at USA Gov.

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