JDoors Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) Sometimes I get it done early, sometimes not. This year? Not. I filled out my 'practice' form with the usual hilarity; See page 71, oh, no, you have to fill out form so-and-so first, OK, now see page 10 unless you checked item 3d then see page 12 and fill out the worksheet which requires form XXX (see page 27!), now turn around three times while reciting "Mary Had A Little Lamb" .... Ha! They're SO funny at the IRS. I thought I'd file electronically using the IRS.GOV "free-file" forms. Close, they're SO close to getting it right. I filled out identical forms on the site, BUT ... The same problem occurs; you have to go from form to form, from page to page, and you can get lost with what you've done, what you need to do, and what you SHOULD have done. They requested forms that I never received ... Umm, can I file without them? Apparently. At one point, thinking I WAS done, I clicked "File." They sent the confirmation e-mail that they sent it off and it'll take a day or so to discover if the IRS "accepted" the forms. THEN I realized, I hadn't filled out the direct deposit information. No way to go back now. I'm kinda hoping they reject it for some reason or another so I get the opportunity to fill that out.*****UPDATE: The IRS "accepted" my return. AFTER 72 hours I can check on the progress. Seems I'm stuck getting my refund via snail-mail. Oh well, no biggie. Note: The notification included information about how the IRS sends out refunds: On Fridays. So if they haven't sent it out BY Friday, they won't send it 'til the NEXT Friday. That info might come in handy for ya'lls. Edited April 9, 2009 by JDoors Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Well, I tried the "free electronic filing" several times and each time something went wrong and they failed to notify me until later and then said that to refile I had to pay the full price of using their service. Things like somehow my OLs SSN was wrong (even though I triple checked and it was right when I filed; or the address changed; or .......) Anyhow, after hearing that Treasury Sec Geitner used it and that is how he ended up owing $10,000 in back taxes I decided that the software is just not ready yet.I did however avail myself of the IRS online editable PDF where you can fill in your tax forms online / or download the PDF directly and fill in the blanks. When done, save a copy to your files and print out two one for you and one for them. I make sure to annotate my copies at the bottom that it was burned to cd (date and title) printed (list file number in filing cabinet) and the date it was mailed.They have been direct depositing mine for years, but that is another story. Never had a problem there and it generally appears in three weeks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matt Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I used the HR Block Taxcut Software. Everything was incredibly simply and fast Filed about a month ago Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted April 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 (edited) Updates and Addendums: Checked the progress of my Federal taxes. Though the forms have been "accepted," the refund/payment hasn't gone through yet. Gonna hafta wait until next Friday (since, as previously stated, they only update this once a week). I just filed my State taxes online, using my State's site. Freakin' beautiful site design. Little or no confusion, anywhere, though some credit has to go to the simplicity of State vs Federal tax forms. Both State and Federal forms are divided into about ten sections, but the State forms are only further subdivided by five or fewer other possible entries in each section, while one of the Federal form's sections is subdivided by around THIRTY possible entries. Multiply that difference by the number of sections and ... Darn the IRS! Regardless, the State's site is well designed with simple instructions, simple button choices, simple to add forms, etc. It'd be tough to screw it up. (But ... We'll see!)Edit: Forgot to mention, when you print the State forms they are INDISTINGUISHABLE from the originals (well, except that they are neatly filled out).***** Edited April 11, 2009 by JDoors Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Glad Texas does not have an Income tax and it would require a constitutional amendment by voters to allow one.But we do have high property tax in my opinion ( my taxes are almost as much as my mortgage was fifteen years ago and they keep raising my appraisal); and a 7.5% sales tax. But neither of those requires any real paperwork; just write a check to the county for property tax ; and sales tax takes care of itself.This was the first year in a long time that we had to file using the long form; my OL got a 1099 for "income non employee / other" for money she got for cosmetics testing and as such could not do a short form. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Those of us with State income taxes sometimes feel a little envy toward States without, but we all know they make it up elsewhere. There's no free lunch. Speaking of lunch, a friend in another state mentioned her surprise that IL has a sales tax on food, horrors, but when I found out how much SHE pays for her vehicle registration I was in complete shock (it's like TEN TIMES what we pay). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Yeah; here the registration is about $50 a year (more or less depending on weight, whether or not your county collects the extra bridge and highway maintenance fee, etc) then there is inspection (about $40 and you pay pass or fail); on top of that you have to have a valid insurance card (and now they have a state maintained database to verify you are paid up and still valid policy, which you are charged a fee as part of your insurance renewal).They do have the "back to school tax holiday" where certain items (clothes , school supplies ) are tax exempt for three days every August.Food is a bizarre hodge podge; prepared food (even in grocery stores) is taxable; and fake juice is taxable (but real juice is not)., sodas are , chocolate milk isn't. I would hate to be the merchant having to keep track of it all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted April 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2009 (edited) ... I would hate to be the merchant having to keep track of it all. Something people rarely consider a tax, and certainly the government doesn't "call" it a tax, is the cost of adhering to the ever-bloating tax regulations. I bet we pay a dollar in hidden costs for every dollar collected by the government.***** Tea Party, anyone? Edited April 14, 2009 by JDoors Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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