US INCOME TAX!

On the one hand, it would be nicer to have a simpler system. On the other, the tax advantages certainly factored into my wife's my decision to buy a house, so I'm not so keen on giving that up.

I did ask a rather specific question, and instead of getting an answer, which is fine, I just got "OMG DUDE DON'T FUCK AROUND" from the anger-management crowd without a whole helluvalot to back it up. I mean, this isn't exactly HRBLOCK.COM, so it's not like I'm banking on advice here, but there's something to be said for actually answering the question asked.

-- libcrypt, Monday, April 14, 2008 8:07 AM (56 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

What question exactly was not answered? "Will I get caught?"

"without a whole helluvalot to back it up."

I wonder what backup exactly would have been acceptable to our discerning friend. I am sorry we have failed you.

He just needed some accessories after the fact.

True, and got pissed that no chumps besides Jaymc want for the bait.

Hey now.

Anyway, I don't think I'd recommend that anyone file their taxes late (I actually just got off the phone with someone who was contemplating doing them this weekend, and I said, "You should really try to do them today"), but for the entire time in 2006 that I hadn't paid them I wasn't worried about getting carted off to jail or anything; I just thought I'd have a ridiculously high penalty to pay.

Is it safe to say, though, that if you don't owe anything, or you owe very little, that they're not going to be as concerned than if you owe a lot? (I don't know how much libcrypt owes, but seeing as how he makes more than three times as much money as I do, it's possible the feds would be more "interested" in his case than they were in mine.)

Doesn't late filing also flag you for a higher likelihood of being audited? That's my biggest fear of all, taxwise.

the last two years my tax return has hit my bank account on a friday when i've been out of town for rock n' roll reasons. both years it was gone before i got back to chicago.

stimulating the economy a half gram at a time.

please let me know what tax forms I need to acquire that allow me to check off a box marked "for rock n' roll reasons."

Form 1984-VH

I'd think that late filing, or not filing when the IRS has received income info from an employer (or a 1099 from wherever), would throw up a red flag. In my case, I got a letter two years after the fact (my then-husband had 1) filed late 2) not paid any of the owed tax and I had stupidly signed a blank tax return (and just as stupidly trusted him to take of stuff in my absence)). I had to file for innocent spouse relief, but still had to make monthly installment payments for several years to clear the debt (and yes the interest kept racking up the entire time).

when I owed money and was 'required' to pay estimated tax, I never did it. because I never had the money. I just adjusted my withholdings to make sure I wasn't going to fall way behind again the next year (and of course still did, but paid up when it was due). nothing bad happened to me as a result.

note that I'm talking about the 'estimated tax' and not the money i already owed, which i did pay. the esimtated tax thing is bullshit. it's like "well you fucked up, so we're going to make you pay everything in advance this year to make sure you don't fuck up again".

I think that I'm in line to get a refund, so the IRS probably doesn't much care. Also, I think that audits are more worrisome to folks who itemize, which I don't. There's just not that much left to audit.

tax trolls

Don't speak of CPAs like that, gabbs.

One reason I was hoping to delay before my spirit was crushed by the ILX realist squad is that I don't have all the necessary paperwork. I mean it's somewhere in the house, but god knows where. I know, stupid stupid. Please don't hurt me.

File with what you've got, then do an amended return once you find all your paperwork.

That's a good idea.

Are you a tax professional, Jaq, and if so, can I hire you?

http://www.videofindr.net/imgs/724.jpg

i owed a big fat (for me) amount on both fed and state tax, so i paid the former right away and scheduled the deposit for the latter a few days after the 15th, anyone know offhand how bad they hit you w/ interest or penalties for something like that?

It has nothing to do with how much you owe or pay. Failure to file.

What kind of a home owner doesn't itemize? How do you get your mortgage deduction?

xp Yes which is why everyone has been telling you to do that all along. Alternatively it would be very entertaining for you to ignore all the advice and then live blog your freakouts until the statute of limitations runs out.

Nope sorry libcrypt. But I've been through the wringer enough with the feds (and states in a few places) to continue to want to avoid any more trouble with them and hate to see others fall into their nefarious clutches.

What kind of wringer if I might be so bold as to ask?

I love how being a white-collar defense attorney and former DOJ Tax Division Criminal Section prosecutor carries absolutely no persuasive weight with libcrypt. I must not know what the hell I am doing.

Are you dating Tom, perchance?

tax resisters are basically like look at me! look at me!

Fuck you. I worked for Janet Reno, you sexist troll.

I don't know what you mean taxes are 100% voluntary and the 14th amendment was never ratified because Ohio isn't a state. (xp)

libcrypt: you need to file, file an amended return, and if you own a house, I think you have to itemize, or you can deduct nothing about your house. or file for an extension. why wouldn't you file for an extension if you aren't ready? i'm confused

was janet reno a good boss? he seemed like a dick

I am too big a man to have to mail something to the government

e-file niggaz!

I love how being a white-collar defense attorney and former DOJ Tax Division Criminal Section prosecutor carries absolutely no persuasive weight with libcrypt. I must not know what the hell I am doing.

-- felicity, Monday, April 14, 2008 5:45 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

he's probably ignoring you?

akm, I may file an extension. I'm just collecting info on my options before I take action.

postmarked on/before the 15th = not late, correct?

try mailing an envelope with nothing in it and claim you forgot to stick the form in.

Yeah, actually you can get a postmark up until midnight in many cities. (xp)

Probably go for the e-postmark, tho.

sweet thx

felicity - i am trying to help someone file a return for 2006. i'm no accountant but i at least understand a little bit about it. they have none of their tax forms from previous years and 2007 was the first year they filed. they did receive a letter saying that they needed to file for 2006. what is the next step?

Postmarked by midnight is fine. Yeah I should probably get back to work paying my mortgage with money from spoiled rich people who are crying about being indicted for tax fraud.

xp I would hire a tax lawyer.

I e-filed this year for the first time for the sole reason that I have my W2s sent to me online but I don't have a printer. Thought about going to the library, but the $8 fee was worth it to stay at home in my PJs and not have to whip out a calculator.

e-Filing is indeed very pleasant. I have this vague notion that I shouldn't e-file any more, since somehow owning a house makes it financially inadvisable not to have an accountant, but maybe I'm wrong.

was janet reno a good boss? he seemed like a dick

-- akm, Monday, April 14, 2008 10:48 AM (26 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

She was really tall. Reno's big thing was using the Internet to catch catch child pr0nographers and sex offenders.

like, even in the workplace?

She was really tall

otm!

I think it may have been a political p.r. maneuver to deflect attention from the criticism of the disproportionately harsh mandatory sentencing guidelines for drug crimes.

Civil forfeitures are fun.