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Don't Mess With Taxes

Translating taxes into money-saving English

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Tax Carnival Time!

While you can have too many taxes, you can never have enough information, or ways to access it, about taxes.

And so was born, on June 5, 2006, the Carnival of Taxes. And as you can see from our archives, we've been going strong ever since.

C'mon. Admit it. A tax carnival is a natural. By the time you finish filing your forms, you feel kind of queasy, like you just got off a Tilt-A-Whirl. Sometimes it's a full-blown nausea, reminiscent of too many hot dogs or cotton candy consumed as you strolled the carnival grounds.

And when it comes to taxes, we too often empty out our wallets, handing our money over to the IRS like the agency was one of the game operators lining the midway.

Carnival_duck_hunting_players_2 At a carnival, though, when you play one of the games, you at least have a chance to win a prize. The Carnival of Taxes aims to offer you the same opportunity.

But instead of handing out stuffed animals, this carnival will be distributing tax saving tips, tax planning strategies, commentary and humor (hey, carnivals are supposed to be fun!) from throughout the blogosphere.

Below you'll find some general information on and guidelines for the Tax Carnival. If you're a frequent participant in blog carnivals, most of this info probably will sound a bit familiar, but please give it a look before submitting an item.

What is a blog carnival? It's a community of like-minded bloggers who share their insights on a particular topic. In the financial area alone, you'll find many valuable blogs (several of them listed in my left nav bar). I hope these folks will see fit to send their tax-relevant offerings this way.

When is the Carnival of Taxes published? During tax season -- which I have deemed to begin in December when folks are making some frantic year-end tax moves and run through April -- we will post a Tax Carnival every other Monday.

During the off season, May through November, we will go to once a month.

This schedule, of course, is subject to change depending upon myriad variables, the most important being my workload! When an edition publication date is changed, I'll announce the change as a regular post in Don't Mess With Taxes.

In addition, you can check upcoming Tax Carnival dates in the "future hosts" tab at our Blog Carnival page. More on this page in a minute.

What will go in the Tax Carnival? Any and all items of tax interest. It will be a continuing compendium of tax-related postings, ranging from tax news updates to commentary on taxes (and the politics and politicos who create them) to tips to tax-filing and tax-saving strategies to paying, and paying less of, them.

What won't go in the Tax Carnival? While I want to have a pretty big carnival tent, I do ask that submissions be primarily tax-focused. For example, a thorough look at an investment strategy that then throws in the sentence "Of course, you'll owe taxes on the earnings." at the end won't cut it. How much of a tax bill? Can you reduce or avoid them (preferably legally)? If you don't want to address that tax aspect, then you won't make it into the Carnival of Taxes.

And while opinion pieces aren't expressly excluded, I do ask that you send reasoned ones and stick with facts that can be supported and rationally argued. We all have our personal and political perspectives on tax policy and those who create it, but this carnival isn't designed to be a rampant tax and/or politician slamfest. When someone or some tax deserves a tougher look, even castigation, we'll let you at them, as long as you show why such criticism is warranted.

Other content not deemed appropriate, either because of its content and/or presentation, also won't make it into the Carnival. Carnies, cyber and terrestrial, have a tough enough rep without adding questionable content into the mix. I consider myself a pretty easygoing sort and liberal in most senses of the word, but sometimes holds need to be barred. You know the standard: I can't tell you what won't make the cut, but I'll know it when I see it. And in that case, Carnival readers won't see it.

Who decides what goes in the Carnival? The host, who usually is moi. Some fellow tax bloggers have hosted past editions and I'm always open to guest hosts. So if you'd like to be Lord of the Tax Midway for one or several carnivals, just let me know.

What's the deadline for submissions? To make it into a Carnival, please submit your blog item by 11 p.m. host time (that's Central for me) the Saturday before the scheduled posting date. That will give me all day Sunday to sort through the many submissions and pull them into the carnival they deserve.

How many items may I submit? So that we get as much participation as possible but also keep the Carnival from getting out of control, please submit only one item per person and/or per carnival. When a blog has multiple members/contributors, exceptions can be made at the discretion of the carnival host (usually me). If I get more than one, I'll make the call as to which one gets in what particular carnival. If you submit an item, then find you have one later that is more timely, send the time-sensitive one and note that it needs to go sooner rather than later. I'll bump the evergreen item to a later carnival.

Where do I send my submissions? You can e-mail me at taxcarnival@gmail.com or via the Carnival of Taxes page.

Finally, there's one thing that can't be repeated enough: this is a Tax Carnival. Don't even think of trying to slip a nontax item past me. I will spot it and reject it and if you persist on such carnival spam, you will make my [fill in your expletive of choice] list. Once you get on that, I'll automatically delete your submission even if you finally get it through your head that I'm looking for tax posts only and send one my way.

I think that's all you ever wanted to know about Tax Carnivals but were afraid to ask … for now! These guidelines, publication schedule, etc., may be revised as necessary, or at my whim; it is, after all, my Tax Carnival!

For the complete and continuing list of Tax Carnivals, check out our Archives.

To see the dates of upcoming Tax Carnivals check the "future hosts" tab at our Blog Carnival page.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions that I didn't address here, drop me a line at taxcarnival@gmail.com. The same goes if you just want to chat about taxes or are interested in hosting an edition.

Thanks for your interest in the Tax Carnival. I'm looking forward to hearing from you and getting your contributions to festivities where, to paraphrase Prince (and 007), we  party like its 1040, Form 1040!

Today's Tax Tip

  • 6 tax holiday shopping tips — Is your state one of the 18 holding a sales tax holiday this summer? Before you head out to make tax-saving purchases, check out these 6 shopping tips. They could help you make the most of your state's no-tax event. (June 29, 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


  • Hello ☀️ June.
    We are so happy to see your sunny face, bringing us the start of summer. Some brightness and warmth and a general better times ahead feeling is definitely what we need after a tax season, although back on an April schedule, still is feeling lingering COVID-19 effects.


    via GIPHY


    June 1: While we're ready to head to the beach, this month is important for coastal areas for another, less welcome reason. Today is the start of the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico hurricane season. At least for the first time in eight years, we didn't have a tropical system form early on the eastern and southern sides of the United States. However, Hurricane Agatha did kick off the Pacific hurricane season. Regardless of where you live, it's time to get prepared for these potentially stormy summer months.

    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.

    June 5: Speaking of disasters, some other fits by Mother Nature earlier this year, delayed Tax Day for some taxpayers. Certain filers in Puerto Rico dealt with disastrous flooding in February, so the Internal Revenue Service gave them until June 15 to file their 2021 tax returns. If that's you, now's the time to get to work on those Form 1040s or file for an extension.

    June 10: 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 wave, 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.

    June 14: Happy Flag Day! It's not a day-off-work federal holiday, but Flag Day has been an official day to celebrate the Star-Spangled Banner since 1949. If you need to buy a U.S. flag to fly today, you also might get a tax break. Several states exempt the national symbol from sales tax. Check with your state's tax department to see if you can save on your patriotic display.

    June 15: In addition to being the federal 2021 return filing due date for some Puerto Rican taxpayers, today also is the due date for annual Form 1040 filings by U.S. citizens or resident aliens living and working abroad, as well as military personnel stationed outside the United States.

    This mid-June day also is the deadline for the second estimated tax payment for the 2022 tax year.

    June 19: Happy Father's Day!

    Happy Father's Day

    Dad might not say so, but he appreciates being recognized, so take time today to let him know you care. And if your father is getting on up in years, take the time when you visit to make sure he doesn't need some added help from you. If you provide Pop a little, or even a lot of assistance, there's a chance you could get some help from a couple of tax credits.

    June 19-20: June 19 also is our newest federal holiday, Juneteenth. This date marks when Texans finally received word that all slaves were free, and is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

    Juneteenth


    Since Juneteenth this year falls on Sunday, the federal holiday is on Monday, June 20.

    June 21: It's official at 5:14 a.m. Eastern Time. Summer is here, on this longest day of the year.

    Summer sun

    Many charitable groups help people cope with the heat. Your gift to such IRS-qualified nonprofits could be tax deductible on next year's taxes. For now, you'll have to itemize to claim it. But there's a chance that Congress might reinstate the tax deduction for charitable gifts of up to $300 for single filers, double that for married jointly filing couples, that can be claimed directly on Form 1040.

    June 30: If you missed spring cleaning, summer's still a good time to determine what you can do without. If that includes clothing or household items, you also can donate those and, if you itemize, claim what the items are worth on Schedule A. Just make sure you set the correct fair market value, or the IRS might disallow your tax break.

    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.

What are you looking for?

  • Looking for something in particular? Start with the Table of Contents.
    Or check out the Archives, where you can review posts by month and category. Or enter specific keywords in the box below to search
    Don't Mess With Taxes.

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  • Kay Bell helps you build
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    Kay Bell breaks down taxes and
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    A collection of Kay Bell stories
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I gotta tell ya ...

  • AKA Disclaimer:
    I am a professional journalist who has been covering tax issues since 1999.
    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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    is a registered trademark
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    All content on this site is
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    Call 1-800-232-0233
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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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