Should You Pay Estimated Taxes?

For most people tax time only comes once year. However, for anyone who has to pay estimated taxes a large tax bill could be due several times a year. Again, most people do not have to worry about paying estimated taxes, but there are several circumstances that will put you in that category. The most common reason people need to pay estimated taxes is because they have self-employment income, but there are other reasons as well. You may need to pay estimated taxes if any of the following apply to you.

  • You or your spouse earned self-employment income.
  • If the stock market was kind and you cashed out a large portion of your gains, but you did not adjust your withholding on your W-4, then you might need to pay estimated taxes.
  • If you hire a nanny and pay her federal payroll tax for her, then you can make those in quarterly estimated taxes.
  • Any income you earned that was not subject to federal withholding on your W-4 could be subject to estimated taxes.

Not everyone who falls into one of these categories needs to pay estimated tax. So how do you decide if you should or shouldn’t pay these taxes? There are many answers to this question, but the bottom line is if you made enough income from untaxed sources that you will cause you to owe taxes when you file your return then you should make estimated tax payments. If you fail to do so, then you could pay a penalty. On the other hand if your deductions and credits will be more than the tax amount you would owe on this income then you are most likely OK in skipping these estimated payments. If you still aren’t sure whether or not you should make estimated tax payments, then contact us at GROCO for more advice. We can look at your situation and help you determine if these payments are necessary. Please contact us for help at 1-877-CPA-2006, or click here.

Posted in

Will Your Tax Refund Be Delayed?

It’s only January, but because the calendar has turned to 2015, that means the tax season is officially here. While most people don’t file their taxes in January, there are a few early birds who go after the first worms of the year, so-to-speak. Although it’s often a good idea to make sure the IRS,…

Are You Looking To Invest for Growth?

What kind of investor are you? There are many types of investment strategies and each person will follow the strategy that best fits his or her plan. At GROCO, we can help all kinds of investors, including those who are investing for growth. When it comes to long-term growth, the total return on your investment…

Not Living on the Earth? You Still Have to Pay Your Taxes on Time

You gotta hand it to the IRS for being thorough. They’ll leave no stone unturned in an effort to make sure that every taxpayer files their return. That’s even true of very big stones, otherwise known as asteroids. In other words, even if an astronaut wanted to hide behind an asteroid or a moon rock,…

With Gas Prices Down, Could Gas Taxes Be Going Up?

Rich or poor, young or old, no one likes high gas prices – with the possible exception of oil and gas companies. In any case, the recent drop in gas prices around the country has no doubt brought some relief to just about everyone in America, including big corporations that own large fleets of vehicles.…