These Situations Could Lead to a Higher Tax Bill This Year

shutterstock_398205748

 

Unless you’ve filed for an extension then the tax deadline is officially upon us. That means you need to get your taxes in pronto, if you still haven’t. While most people hate doing their taxes, they do enjoy the typical reward after the hard work is all done: a nice refund check.

However, there is no guarantee that you will get a refund. In fact, it’s entirely possible that you could end up owing the IRS some money, even if you weren’t expecting to. That’s because there are certain life events and decisions that can end up putting you in the red instead of the black.

For example, if you have started a side business there is a good chance you could end up owing more in taxes than you expected. If you don’t plan ahead and you don’t make any estimated tax payments on that additional income, you will owe some extra money when you report it come tax time.

Getting married or filing for divorce can also impact your tax status greatly. If you change your filing status to married filing jointly, you could end up owing more than you did when you filed as a single. Additionally, when you get divorced you might end up losing some of the deductions you once enjoyed when you were married.

There are several other events in life that could negatively affect your tax bill, including selling your home, withdrawing money from a retirement account, losing your job, winning prize money or receiving an inheritance from someone. The bottom line is, there are several things that can affect your tax bill, so make sure you track everything and be prepared for the worst. As always you can contact us at GROCO for more tax help.

http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/09/surprise-tax-bill

Posted in

Using a Tax Shelter? IRS Says Beware

People look for many different ways to save on taxes, or even to avoid paying some of the taxes they really do owe. However, despite taxpayers’ best efforts, the IRS is always on the prowl and if you’re using unscrupulous means to avoid paying taxes there is a good chance you will get caught, including…

What Is Section 1202 Stock?

The Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act), which was signed into law late last year, finally made several temporary tax breaks permanent. Among the tax breaks included is the Small Business Stock Gains Exclusion, known as Section 1202. So what is the Small Business Stock Gain Exclusion? Section 1202 is designed…

Some of the Most Amazing Tax Deductions Ever

At GROCO, we have been doing this for more than 50 years. That means we’ve heard just about every crazy tax story you can imagine. With tax season now officially in full swing we thought we would share some of the craziest tax deduction stories we’ve ever heard; and they’re all true. A gas station…

Is The U.S. Really a Low-Tax Country?

Many U.S. taxpayers feel that our country’s taxes are too high, no matter which economic class you’re in. Likewise, regardless of which side of the political world you rest, most people would agree that the U.S. tax system needs some serious upgrading, and not just some fine-tuning. However, it appears that compared to many of…