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Free tax forms to e-file IRS tax returns. Get a fast rapid refund with free e-file access. Online tax preparation and e-filing.
IRS tax time again. Get income tax filing access with e-filing. You can get convenient online tax return preparation and rapid refund. Easy online electronic tax return filing and fast refund with e-file.
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Looking for an advance tax refund loan? If you are due a tax refund and need cash because you can't wait for your refund to be processed, carefully consider your options and costs. There are "refund anticipation loans" (RALs) arranged by tax preparers for people who file returns electronically. These loans enable you to get cash in just a day or two and pay the money back when your tax refund arrives. RALs offer quick and convenient access to cash and the fees may seem small, but the costs are high; in terms of interest rate, when compared to other loans.
A typical RAL has a lender fees of about $35 to $100 (depending on the size of the loan). When equated to a traditional loan, the Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) is about 60 to 650 percent higher than typical loans. Although the lender charges a "fee", not an "interest rate", the federal Truth in Lending Act and the Federal Reserve Board's Regulation Z require lenders to disclose information about loan costs if certain criteria are met.
If you have an emergency need for cash and simply cannot wait for your tax refund to arrive and you have no other loan options, then a refund anticipation loan is an alternative option. Generally, if you file electronically, your tax refund will arrive within three weeks, and possibly as short as two weeks if you opt to have the refund deposited directly into your bank account.
If you desperately need a tax refund loan, first consider other lower cost options. Perhaps you have equity in a home or auto which you could refinance. Of course, these types of loans may not get approved as fast as a refund loan.
If you consistently receive a tax refund each year, you may want to modify your W-4 form from your employer increasing the number of your "personal allowances." This adjustment will reduce the tax money withheld each pay period and increase your take-home pay. On the other hand, if you owed a lot of money on last year's taxes, consider decreasing your take-home pay. Consider ways to reduce or eliminate a tax refund in the future. Don't continually pay high taxes just so you can get a large refund each year. Remember, the IRS does not pay you interest on that money. It would be better to invest that money into a savings account and earn interest.
Or simply file online electronically and have your tax refund deposited directly into your bank account for the fastest refund.
Make the most out of your tax refund and avoid advance loans. Then you'll have a bigger refund for making a down payment on a new card, a home, etc. Also consider paying off your existing loans and credit card bills, starting with the ones that charge the highest interest rates on unpaid balances. Start or add to an existing savings account. Fund a retirement account or college savings plan.
Owe Taxes?
Read our latest tax news, and search for other articles related to the IRS and tax filing. Grants for Organizations and Individuals
A federal grant is financial assistance from a federal agency and the grant recipient must carry out a public purpose authorized by a law of the United States. Federal grants are not federal assistance or loans to individuals and may not used to get property or services for the federal government's direct benefit. There are 26 Federal Agencies that offer over 1,000 grant programs in different categories.
Here are the 26 agencies that provide grants: The Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for International Development, Corporation for National and Community Service, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Science Foundation, Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration.
There are infomercials and websites that advertise free money, however few are available to individuals and there are none available that provides personal financial assistance. You can find out if you are eligible to apply for grants on Grants.gov website and you can watch a tutorial. If you register as an Individual, you will only be able to apply to grant opportunities that are open to individuals. An individual cannot submit a grant application to a grant opportunity that is just open to organizations.
Some examples of Organizations are: Government, State, Local, City, Township, Special District, Native American Tribal Governments, Education, Public Housing, and Non-Profit Organizations.
Small business loans and small business grants may be awarded to companies that meet the size standards that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has established for most industries in the economy. The most common size standards are as follows:
* 500 employees for most manufacturing and mining industries
* 100 employees for all wholesale trade industries
* $6 million for most retail and service industries
* $28.5 million for most general & heavy construction industries
* $12 million for all special trade contractors
* $0.75 million for most agricultural industries
About one-fourth of industries have a size standard that is different from the levels above and they vary from $0.75 million to $28.5 million for size standards. This is based on average annual revenues and from 100 to 1500 employees for size standards based on number of employees. With some exceptions, all federal agencies, and many state and local governments, use the size standards established by SBA.
Visit the website: govbenefits.gov to get all the FAQs about grants and grant information for organizations and individuals. Government Money
The government has rural housing repair loans and grants programs and these may provide loans and grants to low-income homeowners. Homeowners use these programs to repair or improve their homes or to remove health hazards of their rural dwellings. Loans can be arranged for up to 20 years at a low interest rate. There are some grants for who are 62 years of age or older and can be used only to pay for repairs and improvements to remove health hazards. Loan or grant combinations may be arranged for people who can repay part of the cost. Low-income for this program is defined as those below 50 percent of the area median income.
Some program requirements are that you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who lives in a rural area. There may be some loans of up to $20,000 and grants of up to $7,500. A real estate mortgage is required for loans of $7,500 or more and full title services are required for loans of $7,500 or more. Grants may be recaptured if the property is sold in less than three years and loans and grants can be combined for up to $27,500 in assistance. Visit the govbenefits.gov website for this information. Government Money
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing redeems partially destroyed or badly damaged currency for free. The U.S. Treasury handles about 30,000 claims each year and redeems mutilated currency. They use experts to examine mutilated currency and will approve the issuance of a Treasury check for the value of the currency determined to be redeemable. If you want to know what mutilated currency is see the descriptions below:
* More than one-half of the original note is not clear
* It is in such a condition the value is questionable and needs special examination.
Currency can become mutilated in many ways like by means of fire, water, chemicals, explosives; animal, insect or rodent damage; and by burying. Regulations issued by the Department of the Treasury, mutilated U.S. currency may be exchanged at face value if more than 50% of a note identifiable as United States currency or 50% or less of a note is identifiable as U.S. currency and the method of mutilation and evidence demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Treasury that the missing portions have been totally destroyed.
Use our free IRS tax calculator
Some things affect all taxpayers. The personal exemption, for example, has increased, to $3,650 each for the taxpayer and dependents, up $150 from 2008.
And tax brackets have been adjusted upward by about 5 percent since 2008. That means you might not jump to a higher tax bracket if you earned more.
Others revisions are more likely to affect low and moderate income workers. Income limits for the earned income tax credit have been raised and there's a new category -- families with three or more children. The Internal Revenue Service says one in six taxpayers claim the credit.
Still other changes affect those at higher income levels. The exemption for the alternative minimum tax has been increased once again, this time to $70,950 for joint returns and $46,700 for individuals. If your income is higher than these amounts, you could be subject to the AMT tax. These changes are among those that happen every year, to keep taxes in line with inflation. But there are a host of other revisions, new for 2009, that will make filing your tax return this year a little more complicated.
For one thing, the standard deduction for taxpayers who don't itemize has become a little less standard.
The standard deduction itself has increased to $11,400 for married couples filing jointly, $5,700 for individuals and $8,350 for heads of household. As before, it is even bigger if you are blind or 65 or over.
But new this year, you can take more of a standard deduction if you paid state or local real estate taxes, bought a new car and paid sales or excise taxes and met the income limits, or were a victim of a federally declared disaster. If you choose to increase your standard deduction by one or more of these items, you'll have to file a new form Schedule L. Otherwise, you can just enter the standard deduction on Form 1040.
The three deductions -- for state or local real estate taxes, sales or excise taxes on new car purchases or net disaster losses -- also can be taken by people who itemize.
There are expanded tax credits for home purchases and education. And a tax credit for making your home more energy efficient has been reinstated.
Tax experts caution people to be careful that they're claiming every deduction and credit to which they're entitled. A credit reduces the amount of tax you owe; a deduction reduces the income on which taxes are assessed.
You're likely already receiving the benefit of the Making Work Pay credit under the stimulus bill that Congress passed last year. However, you may have to pay a portion back if you're a married couple and both spouses work, or if you have more than one job. If you're a low- or moderate-income worker, you might have some money due to you. A new form, Schedule M, will have to be filed to claim the credit.
Avoid errors and file online to get a fast tax refund: Some errors are mathematical. Others involve omission -- like failing to include your Social Security number or those of your dependents. Make sure you pick the correct filing status -- head of household or surviving spouse vs. single, for example. And don't forget to sign your return.
Last year, the IRS received more than 141 million tax returns. Of those, about 70 percent were filed electronically. More than 110 million filers were due refunds, averaging $2,753 each.
The IRS encourages people to file electronically, saying it reduces errors and enables people to get their refunds more quickly. People who file electronically and use direct deposit can get their refunds as soon as 10 days after they file.
This year, the agency estimates that it will take taxpayers using form 1040 an average 21.4 hours to complete their taxes. That includes record keeping, tax planning, and completing and filing the return. The more complicated your return, the more time it will take to complete it.
Changes for homeowners: One major thing that taxpayers will find different this year is the homebuyer tax credit. In 2008, the credit was actually an interest free, long term loan. For people who purchased a home in 2009, the credit is a true credit -- it only has to be paid back if you stop using the home as your principal residence within three years of purchase. The credit is $8,000 for first-time homebuyers, defined as those who haven't owned a home in the last three years. Congress also added a credit for long-time homeowners who purchase a new principal residence -- $6,500. To qualify, a homebuyer would have had to live at least five years in a previously owned home. There are income limitations for both.
Expanded credit for college education: The new American opportunity credit provides a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student for each of the first four years of college. The Hope credit that the new credit replaces temporarily covered only the first two years and for most people was smaller. To be eligible, taxpayers would have to pay $4,000 or more in tuition, fees and course materials. The credit, which phases out at higher incomes, is 40% refundable. This means that even people who owe no tax can get an annual payment of the credit up to $1,000 for each eligible student. What about those students who take more than four years to finish college? If you're in your fifth year, you're out of luck. However, there is another credit -- the lifetime learning credit -- that may be available for students in their fifth or sixth year of college, or in graduate school.
Other tax changes: Other changes include the reinstatement of the credit for making your home more energy efficient. The maximum credit has increased, to $1,500 for $5,000 in expenditures on things like insulation, storm windows or an energy efficient furnace.
For people who lost jobs, the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits is not taxable.
To benefit from most of the tax breaks, you would have had to take action before the end of 2009. But there are a couple of exceptions. You still might be able to claim the homebuyer credit if you have a signed contract by April 30. And, if at the end of the day you find you owe the IRS money or want a bigger refund, you may be able to contribute to an individual retirement account until April 15 and take a deduction on your 2009 taxes.
If you're covered by a plan at work, you may be able to deduct a contribution of $5,000 -- $6,000 if you're at least 50 -- if your modified adjusted gross income is less than $65,000 if you're filing as an individual, or $109,000 if you're married filing jointly.
Three tax deductions -- for state or local real estate taxes, sales or excise taxes on new car purchases or net disaster losses -- also can be taken by people who itemize.
There are expanded tax credits for home purchases and education. And a tax credit for making your home more energy efficient has been reinstated.
Tax experts caution people to be careful that they're claiming every deduction and credit to which they're entitled. A credit reduces the amount of tax you owe; a deduction reduces the income on which taxes are assessed.
You're likely already receiving the benefit of the Making Work Pay credit under the stimulus bill that Congress passed last year. However, you may have to pay a portion back if you're a married couple and both spouses work, or if you have more than one job. If you're a low- or moderate-income worker, you might have some money due to you. A new form, Schedule M, will have to be filed to claim the credit.
Government Grant Money
When applying for a grant, be sure to locate a grant that interests you and apply. Be sure to record the Funding Opportunity Number and/or CFDA Number and then use a few basic steps to get started. You usually need to download an application package to complete and then submit the package. If there are any problems trying to locate or apply for a grant, usually there is a resource or user guide page on the grant website.
There are grant programs for federal or state grants, and there is a difference between organizational and individual grant applicants. An organizational grant applicant is for one who submits a grant on behalf of a company, state, local or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization.
A grant for an individual is a person who submits a grant for themselves and is not doing it for some type of organization. Visit the grant.gov site to search and apply for grants.
By downloading an application package, you can complete the forms at your leisure and you could have someone help you complete them. To submit electronic grant applications, you would need the status of an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). It is easy to check your grant status by logging into Grants.gov, if you registered your username and password. Visit the grants.gov website for this information and more, as well as listings of grants. Don't be scammed by websites that want to charge large you large amounts of money just to give you information about grants. |
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