Just curious, how many have started to prepare for your taxes and how how many wait until the last minute and if you wait till the last minute why?

I started already...sorry for the typo I went too fast

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

When the government owes me money, I fill out my return as soon as I possibly can. When I owe them money, I'll do my return and send it in with a post-dated cheque for the last possible day to pay without penalty. They usually owe me, though.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

When you own your own business (for us, anyway), it’s pretty much a full time (all year long) thing.
Also why we have an accountant and financial advisors. Too much stuff I couldn’t possibly handle myself, or would ever want to, even if I knew how. I’d go without our accountant.

Cjlipps is right on about the financial advisers and financial planners too. Very good folks to have around. They know of, and find out about, stuff we would never have come up with on our own.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

What he said. Although one year I owed $19 sent them a check for $20. So far they have sent me 4 more checks for $1... Finally I got over on the IRS. how much you think it costs to cut those checks?

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

The question is, how long will it take the IRS to find out they over paid you?

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I have a bunch of investments (REITS) that keep sending me updated earnings statements until the last possible moment, so I inevitably file mine a little latish. One year it was in August, I believe.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

For the first time in 20 years I am a W-2 so I am filing asap. When I was on my own October.

I'll do mine as soon as I get all my 1099's and W-2's.

This is my first full year without rental property, so I will go buy TurboTax this week instead of using an accountant.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

i ususally get it in by september.

it is just a hassle.

usually they owe me.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Its really your money...


I need one more W2 form and Ill turbo tax my stuff.

I haven't even received my W-2s yet, waiting on a former employer and my current one.

I just bought a house and like getting money from the Federal Government, so I'll probably file soon as I get the W-2s.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

If you were Frank Abagnale you could retire on those checks. The accommodations may not be to your liking though.

Frank Abagnale at Wikipedia.

Don't forget the telephone excise tax credit on your 2006 tax returns. It's found money!!!
Here's a memo I included with our organizer mailings to our 1040 clients two weeks ago.

If you have a business and have lots of long distance calls, you may make out better digging out the old phone bills and comparing. Alternatively, there;s an estimating formula available for businesses.
Individual filers can...well...read below..(the standard amount goes on line 71 of 1040.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

IMPORTANT NOTICE


TELEPHONE EXCISE TAX CREDIT


For 2006, the Internal Revenue Service is allowing all taxpayers to claim a tax credit for federal long distance or bundled service excise taxes paid from March 1, 2003 through July 31, 2006.

Individuals.

Individuals can either claim a standard amount between $30 and $60, based on the total number of exemptions claimed on their 2006 tax return.

Or

They can use the actual amount paid for each month during that period and complete new Form 8913 to calculate the refund and related interest.



Businesses.

Businesses (including Form 1040 Schedules C, E and F (with gross receipts greater than $25,000) must either complete Form 8913 after reviewing 41 months of telephone bills to obtain the actual tax paid.

Or

They can use a special formula using two months (April and September) in 2006 to calculate the refund. This method requires using the total telephone expenses for the 41 month period and the number of employees reported for federal employment tax purposes (Form 941) for the second quarter of 2006.


For more information on this credit, visit the Internal Revenue Service Website at www.irs.gov.

I generally file as early as I can. Waiting on 1099s and W2s etc takes a while.
For the first time I am considering paying someone to prepare my returns. I have used TurboTax in the past, and it was OK, but I think I want a real person involved in the process. I made an inadvertant ommission on a return 2 years ago, and it took a year to fight the IRS---they are like Tony Sapprano--they don't believe in coincidences ( or inadvertant ommissions). The last letter the sent said we were getting thirty something dollars back on page 1. They page 5 said we owed them another $30-40. Confusing.

While I am on the soapbox.....Why do we tolerate such a complex tax code? They make it purposely obscure to provide employment for tax people both inside and out of the government. Everyone acknowledged that Malcom Forbes was a financial genius, yet when he proposed a simple, one page tax form, he was universally pilloried. We should revolt against this ridiculous tax system. I'd be happy to give up my home-ownership deductions if we went to a flat tax/simple system. The current system simply cries out to be replaced; not "reformed". Has anyone who voted for this system ever read the entire Code? .......exiting soapbox....


What suggestions can you offer on selecting a tax preparer? I know I do not want a franchised tax service. I want a local person who is in business all yeay long.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags