Be sure to check out the 2011 e-File Refund Cycle Chart for when you will receive your tax refunds!

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The IRS will start accepting tax returns by e-file on that date. If there are any changes or delays we will keep you informed.

Check out the 2010 e-File Refund Cycle Chart for when you can expect your tax refunds.

Subscribe to keep up with any changes or delays.

1. File Electronically – Consider filing electronically instead of using paper tax forms. If you efile and choose direct deposit, you can receive your tax refund in as few as 10 days.
2. Check the Identification Numbers – When filing a paper tax return carefully check the identification numbers — usually Social Security numbers — for each person listed. This includes you, your spouse, dependents and persons listed in relation to claims for the Child and Dependent Care Credit or Earned Income Tax Credit. Missing, incorrect or illegible Social Security Numbers can delay or reduce a tax refund.
3. Double-Check Your Figures – If you are filing a paper return, you should double-check that you have correctly figured the refund or balance due.
4. Check the Tax Tables – If you are filing using the Free File Fillable Forms or a paper return you should double-check that you have used the right figure from the tax table.
5. Sign your form – Taxpayers must sign and date their returns. Both spouses must sign a joint return, even if only one had income. Anyone paid to prepare a return must also sign it.
6. Mailing Your Return – Use the coded envelope included with your tax package to mail your return. If you did not receive an envelope, check the section called “Where Do You File?” in the tax instruction booklet.
7. Mailing a Payment – People sending a payment should make the check out to “United States Treasury” and should enclose it with, but not attach it to the tax return or the Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher, if used. The check should include the taxpayer’s Social Security number, daytime phone number, the tax year and the type of form filed.
8. Electronic Payments – Electronic payment options are convenient, safe and secure methods for paying taxes. You can authorize an electronic funds withdrawal, or use a credit card or a debit card. For more information on electronic payment options, visit IRS.gov.
9. Extension to File – By the April due date, taxpayers should either file a return or request an extension of time to file. Remember, the extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay.
10. IRS.gov – Forms and publications and helpful information on a variety of tax subjects are available around the clock on the IRS Web site at IRS.gov.

Links:

• Form 4868, Application for Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
• Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request

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Note: If your state has not begun processing, you can file your federal return now and come back to finish your state at a later time (*Except AR, HI and OK).

State Availability dates

Alabama – Available Now
Alaska – No State Tax
Arizona – Available Now
Arkansas – Available Now
California – Available Now
Colorado – Available Now
Connecticut – Available Now
Delaware – Available Now
District of Columbia – Available Now
Florida – No State Tax
Georgia – Available Now
Hawaii – Available Now
Idaho – Available Now
Illinois – Available Now
Indiana – Available Now
Iowa – Available Now
Kansas – Available Now
Kentucky – Available Now
Louisiana – Available Now
Maine – Available Now
Maryland – Available Now
Massachusetts – Available Now
Michigan – Available Now
Minnesota – Available Now
Mississippi – Available Now
Missouri – Available Now
Montana – Available Now
Nebraska – Available Now
Nevada – No State Tax
New Hampshire – Available Now
New Jersey – Available Now
New Mexico – Available Now
New York – Available Now
North Carolina – Available Now
North Dakota – Available Now
Ohio – Available Now
Oklahoma – Available Now
Oregon – Available Now
Pennsylvania – Available Now
Rhode Island – Available Now
South Carolina – Available Now
South Dakota – No State Tax
Tennessee – Available Now
Texas – No State Tax
Utah – Available Now
Vermont – Available Now
Virginia – Available Now
Washington – No State Tax
West Virginia – Available Now
Wisconsin – Available Now
Wyoming – No State Tax

For Tax Year 2008 the e-file start date is January 16, 2009

We will be opening also on January 11th so you can file your taxes and efile your return to the IRS.

Keep in mind that in some cases it may take the IRS a couple of days to process and accept your tax return so the date you efile your taxes and the date your tax return is accepted can be two different dates. If you look at the 2008 Refund Cycle Chart use the date your return was accepted and not your efile date.

See you on the 11th!

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the upcoming tax season is expected to start on time for everyone except certain taxpayers potentially affected by late enactment of the Alternative Minimum Tax “patch.”

Following extensive work in recent weeks, the IRS expects to be able to begin processing returns for the vast majority of taxpayers in mid-January. However, as many as 13.5 million taxpayers using five forms related to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) legislation will have to wait to file tax returns until the IRS completes the reprogramming of its systems for the new law.

The IRS has targeted Feb. 11, as the potential starting date for taxpayers to begin submitting the five AMT-related returns affected by the legislation. The February date allows the IRS enough time to update and test its systems to accommodate the AMT changes without major disruptions to other operations related to the tax season. As the IRS has said previously, it will take approximately seven weeks after the AMT patch was approved to update IRS processing systems completely.

Although as many as 13.5 million taxpayers will not be able to file their returns until Feb. 11, the effect of the delay may be lessened by the fact that under previous filing patterns only between 3 million to 4 million taxpayers file returns with the five affected forms during these early weeks in the filing season.

“We regret the inconvenience the delay will mean for millions of early tax filers, especially those expecting a refund,” said Linda Stiff, Acting IRS Commissioner. “We’ve taken extraordinary steps to figure out a way that we can start the filing season on time for most taxpayers, including some using AMT-related forms. Our goal has always been to make sure we can accurately process tax returns while getting refunds to taxpayers as quickly as possible.”

The February delay caused by the AMT patch will affect taxpayers using these five forms:

• Form 8863, Education Credits
• Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits
• Form 1040A’s Schedule 2, Child and Dependent Care Expenses for Form 1040A Filers
• Form 8396, Mortgage Interest Credit
• Form 8859, District of Columbia First-Time Homebuyer Credit

While these five forms require significant additional reprogramming due to the AMT patch, the IRS has been able to reprogram its systems to begin processing seven other AMT-related forms, including Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax – Individuals. Taxpayers filing these seven forms should not experience delays in filing, and the IRS expects to begin processing those returns starting on Jan. 14.

Electronic returns involving those five forms will not be accepted until systems are updated in February; similarly, paper filers should wait to file as well. All other e-file and paper returns will be accepted starting in January. The IRS urges affected taxpayers to file electronically in order to reduce wait times for their refunds. E-file with direct deposit gets refunds in as little as 10 days, while paper returns take four to six weeks.

“Efile is a great option for everyone, especially if they are affected by the AMT,” said Richard Spires, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support. “Filing electronically will get people their refunds faster, and e-file greatly reduces the chances for making an error on the AMT or other tax issues.”

In addition to filing electronically, the IRS urges taxpayers to take simple steps to avoid problems:

Taxpayers filing electronically should make sure to update their tax software in order to get the latest AMT updates.

Taxpayers with $54,000 or less in Adjusted Gross Income can use Free File to electronically file their returns for free. Free File will only be available by visiting the official IRS web site at IRS.gov. In all, 90 million taxpayers qualify for this free service.

Taxpayers who use tax software to print out paper copies of tax forms should make sure they update their software before printing out forms. Taxpayers using paper forms can also visit IRS.gov to get updated copies of AMT forms.

The IRS has created a special section on IRS.gov to provide taxpayers with additional information and copies of updated forms affected by the AMT. In recent days, the IRS has posted updated copies of all forms affected by the late enactment of the AMT patch by Congress.

The IRS also reminds taxpayers that printed tax packages, which will begin arriving in the mail around New Year’s, went to the printer in November before the AMT changes were enacted. The packages reflect the law in effect at the time of printing. The tax packages include cautionary language to taxpayers that late legislation was pending.

The IRS is also working closely with tax professionals and the tax preparation software community to make sure they can help taxpayers with all of the latest developments on the enactment of the AMT patch and other tax changes.

“The IRS is going to continue to do everything it can to make this a fully successful filing season for the nation’s taxpayers,” Stiff said. “We will continue to work to keep taxpayers up to date and make this situation as easy as possible for everyone.”

The alternative minimum tax, or AMT, is calculated alongside the income tax, with the taxpayer paying the higher of the two calculations.

The AMT was passed in 1969 in a bid to close tax shelters for filers with incomes above $200,000, the equivalent of $1.2 million today. But it wasn’t indexed to rise with inflation, so what was a fortune then is upper-middle income today in expensive parts of the nation.

Congress typically freezes the number of AMT payers at 4 million by passing annual legislation to “patch” the AMT. Absent the fix, about 70 percent of tax filers with incomes between $75,000 and $100,000 could face the AMT.

But “patching” the AMT deprives the treasury of about $50 billion that the AMT would otherwise raise, and that complicates Congress’ effort to reduce budget deficits.

The Democrats running Congress are feuding over the AMT patch. The House wants to offset the lost AMT revenue with taxes on private equity firms and other businesses. But Senate Democrats favor passing a fix that wouldn’t offset the lost revenue and thus would add $50 billion to the federal deficit.

Bush warned Monday that “the longer they delay, the more likely it is that there’s $75 billion of refund checks that will be late” in arriving. That’s because tax forms can’t be printed and prepared until Congress finishes changing the tax law. The Internal Revenue Service won’t be able to process the refunds of Americans who file mortgage interest credits or any one of the 11 forms and deductions used in calculating the AMT.

Q: Why are $75 billion in refund checks at stake?

A: The IRS says it needs up to seven weeks from the passage of any AMT fix to finish changing electronic and paper tax forms. Bush’s numbers imply that the tax filing season, which normally begins on Jan. 13, wouldn’t start before Feb. 18.

Q: Will Congress pass a fix this year?

A: There’s no guarantee, but House and Senate leaders pledge to do so before they recess this weekend for the holidays.

Q: If they succeed, when will the tax season begin?

A: Seven weeks from the end of this week would be the second week in February. That would be a four-week delay from the scheduled Jan. 13 start of tax filing. But Democrats insist that by law, companies have until Jan. 31 to send employees their W-2 forms. So technically, they say, the delay is really only about two weeks.

Q: Will the IRS extend the April 15 deadline to file taxes because of the AMT delay?

A: Right now, there’s no discussion of that. The IRS is ramping up computer systems and manpower to make up for the delay in its ability to process tax filings. The agency historically gets refunds to electronic filers more quickly than to paper filers.

Q: Who gets hurt by the delay?

A: The IRA Oversight Board estimated in late November that if tax filing season began on Feb. 4, it would result in delays for 15.5 million tax refunds out of about 130 million tax filings. Almost 12 percent of all tax filers could see their refunds delayed, totaling about $39 billion.

Q: Will electronic filers be spared delays?

A: No. The IRS said that by last Feb. 16, it had received 38 million tax returns, and almost 32 million were owed refunds. About 80 percent of these were filed electronically. That suggests that electronic filers will be delayed in greater numbers than paper filers.

Q: Which 12 forms are affected by the AMT delay?

A: According to the IRS Oversight Board of the House Ways and Means Committee, they are Form 6251 – AMT form; Form 1040, Schedule R – credit for the elderly or disabled; Form 1040-A, Schedule 2 – child and dependent care credit; Form 1116 – Foreign Tax Credit; Form 2441 – Child and Dependent Care Credit; Form 5695 – Residential Energy Credits; Form 8396 – Mortgage Interest Credit; Form 8839 – Qualified Adoption Expenses; Form 8859 – District of Columbia’s First-Time Homebuyer Credit; Form 8863 – Education Credits; Form 8880 – Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings Contributions; Form 8801 – Credit for Prior Year AMT.

Source: The Sacromento Bee
About the writer:
Call Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Washington Bureau, (202) 383-6038.

IRS Acceptance Date (by 11:00 am) between…	Direct Deposit Sent*	Paper Check Mailed*
Jan 11 and Jan 17 2008	Jan 25, 2008	Feb 1, 2008
Jan 17 and Jan 24 2008	Feb 1, 2008	Feb 8, 2008
Jan 24 and Jan 31 2008	Feb 8, 2008	Feb 15, 2008
Jan 31 and Feb 7 2008	Feb 15, 2008	Feb 22, 2008
Feb 7 and Feb 14 2008	Feb 22, 2008	Feb 29, 2008
Feb 14 and Feb 21 2008	Feb 29, 2008	Mar 7, 2008
Feb 21 and Feb 28 2008	Mar 7, 2008	Mar 14, 2008
Feb 28 and Mar 6 2008	Mar 14, 2008	Mar 21, 2008
Mar 6 and Mar 13 2008	Mar 21, 2008	Mar 28, 2008
Mar 13 and Mar 20 2008	Mar 28, 2008	Apr 4, 2008
Mar 20 and Mar 27 2008	Apr 4, 2008	Apr 11, 2008
Mar 27 and Apr 3 2008	Apr 11, 2008	Apr 18, 2008
Apr 3 and Apr 10 2008	Apr 18, 2008	Apr 25, 2008
Apr 10 and Apr 17 2008	Apr 25, 2008	May 2, 2008
Apr 17 and Apr 24 2008	May 2, 2008	May 9, 2008
Apr 24 and May 1 2008	May 9, 2008	May 16, 2008
May 1 and May 8 2008	May 16, 2008	May 23, 2008
May 8 and May 15 2008	May 23, 2008	May 30, 2008
May 15 and May 22 2008	May 30, 2008	June 6, 2008
May 22 and May 29 2008	June 6, 2008	June 13, 2008
May 29 and June 5 2008	June 13, 2008	June 20, 2008
June 5 and June 12 2008	June 20, 2008	June 27, 2008
June 12 and June 19 2008	June 27, 2008	July 4, 2008
June 19 and June 26 2008	July 4, 2008	July 11, 2008
June 26 and July 3 2008	July 11, 2008	July 18, 2008
July 3 and July 10 2008	July 18, 2008	July 25, 2008
July 10 and July 17 2008	July 25, 2008	Aug 1, 2008
July 17 and July 24 2008	Aug 1, 2008	Aug 8, 2008
July 24 and Jul 31 2008	Aug 8, 2008	Aug 15, 2008
Jul 31 and Aug 7 2008	Aug 15, 2008	Aug 22, 2008
Aug 7 and Aug 14 2008	Aug 22, 2008	Aug 29, 2008
Aug 14 and Aug 21 2008	Aug 29, 2008	Sep 5, 2008
Aug 21 and Aug 28 2008	Sep 5, 2008	Sep 12, 2008
Aug 28 and Sep 4 2008	Sep 12, 2008	Sep 19, 2008
Sep 4 and Sep 11 2008	Sep 19, 2008	Sep 26, 2008
Sep 11 and Sep 18 2008	Sep 26, 2008	Oct 3, 2008
Sep 18 and Sep 25 2008	Oct 3, 2008	Oct 10, 2008
Sep 25 and Oct 2 2008	Oct 10, 2008	Oct 17, 2008
Oct 2 and Oct 9 2008	Oct 17, 2008	Oct 24, 2008
Oct 9 and Oct 16 2008	Oct 24, 2008	Oct 31, 2008
Oct 16 and Oct 23 2008	Oct 31, 2008	Nov 7, 2008
*The IRS does not guarantee a specific date that a refund will be deposited or mailed.

Taxpayer should wait at least three weeks from the time the electronic return is accepted by the IRS before checking the status of a tax refund. To check the status of a tax refund, call 1-800-829-4477 (toll free) or check the official IRS website www.irs.gov

IRS Reminds Charities and Churches of Political Activity Ban
IR-2007-190, Nov. 19, 2007 — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded section 501(c)(3) organizations, including charities and churches that federal law prohibits them from becoming directly or indirectly involved in campaigns of political candidates.

IRS Has $110 Million in Refund Checks Looking for a Home
IR-2007-189, Nov. 14, 2007 — Each check is worth $953, on average.

2008 Nissan Altima Certified as Qualified Hybrid Vehicle
IR-2007-188, Nov. 13, 2007 — The IRS has acknowledged the certification by Nissan North America, Inc., that its 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid vehicle meets the requirements of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit as a qualified hybrid motor vehicle.

Plan Now to Get Full Benefit of Saver’s Credit; Tax Break Helps Low- and Moderate-Income Workers Save for Retirement
IR-2007-187, Nov. 9, 2007 — The saver’s credit is an added bonus for many eligible workers who contribute to retirement plans. Like other tax credits, the saver’s credit can increase a taxpayer’s refund or reduce the amount of taxes owed.

2008 Hybrids Certified As Tax Credit For Toyota and Lexus Comes to an End
IR-2007-186, Nov. 8, 2007 — The IRS acknowledged the certification by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc., that several of its Model Year 2008 vehicles qualify for the hybrid vehicle tax credit. Only vehicles purchased prior to Oct. 1, 2007, qualify for a credit.

Another Record-Breaking Number of Taxpayers Choose to Electronically File in 2007
IR-2007-185, Nov. 7, 2007 — The IRS this year received nearly 80 million tax returns through e-file, breaking the record set last year.

IRS and States to Share Employment Tax Examination Results
IR-2007-184, Nov. 6, 2007 — Officials from the IRS and more than two dozen state workforce agencies have entered into agreements to share the results of employment tax examinations.

IRS Warns of E-mail Scam Soliciting Donations to California Wildfire Victims
IR-2007-183, Nov. 2, 2007 — Don’t be fooled by a scam e-mail that appears to be a solication from the IRS for donations to victims of the recent California wildfires.

IRS Announces New Chinese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese Tax Glossaries to Assist Taxpayers
IR-2007-182, Nov. 2, 2007 — Five new publications will meet growing demand for non-English language tax information.

News Release and Fact Sheet Archive
News releases and fact sheets from November 2002 forward and an archive of news releases and fact sheets in PDF format back to 1997.

The IRS should issue your refund check within six to eight weeks of filing a paper return. If you use e-file and you chose to receive your refund through direct deposit, you should receive it within a week. If you use e-file and a check, your refund should be issued between two and three weeks.

Track your Refund here. ]]> http://www.dakinetaxes.com/2007/track-your-refund/feed/ 0 http://www.dakinetaxes.com/2007/2007-federal-tax-rate-schedules/ http://www.dakinetaxes.com/2007/2007-federal-tax-rate-schedules/#comments Sat, 24 Nov 2007 04:07:05 +0000 Admin http://fileyourtaxesnow.com/?p=15

Note: These tax rate schedules are provided so that you can compute your federal estimated income tax for 2007. To compute your actual income tax, please see the instructions for 2007 Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ as appropriate when they are available.

Schedule X — Single

Schedule Y-1 — Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Widow(er)

Schedule Y-2 — Married Filing Separately

Schedule Z — Head of Household