Yahoo! Finance - Personal Finance | Taxes

4 Keys to a Successful Retirement

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:40:15 -0400

These days, the risk of outliving your money in retirement is very real. Here's how to plan for a successful life once your working life is done.

4 Tax Benefits You Missed This Year

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:54:37 -0400

Here are some often overlooked opportunities for putting the tax code to work for you and hopefully pay fewer taxes in the current tax year and beyond.

The Most Dangerous Tax Mistakes

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:44:45 -0400

It's easy to cross the line and unintentionally do things on our tax returns that make us auditing targets.

Top tax writers renew pledge for tax code revamp

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:16:27 -0400

The heads of the two tax-writing committees in Congress brushed aside skeptics on Monday and pledged in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal to seek a bipartisan tax code overhaul despite ...

Tax Tips for Procrastinators Counting Down to April 15

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:05:37 -0400

Tax day this year falls on a Monday, making it all the more enticing for procrastinators to attempt to cram in all their accounting on the weekend prior. If this is your plan, you have a little bit of ...

Don't You Dare Deduct These Expenses!

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:44:18 -0400

Every tax-filing season, the great quest by filers is to find the most tax deductions. But there are some deductions you should steer clear of.

IRS High-Tech Tools Track Your Digital Footprints

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:47:35 -0400

The Internal Revenue Service is collecting a lot more than taxes this year--it's also acquiring a huge volume of personal information on taxpayers' digital activities, from eBay auctions to Facebook posts ...

3 People Who Fought the IRS & Won

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 02:01:48 -0400

Consumers are worried that debt problems they thought were finally behind them will come back to haunt them in the form of a debt to the IRS.

What If You Can't Pay Your Taxes?

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:24:02 -0400

So you owe taxes--you owe big time--and you can't possibly pay the balance. You aren't alone: The number of Americans who are behind on their taxes is estimated to be anywhere from 8 to 20 million. So ...

What the Odds Are That Your Tax Return Will Be Audited, and What to Do If It Is

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:58:46 -0400

An in-depth look into how the IRS chooses its targets -- and goes about its probes.

Retirement Savings Credit Doubles Payoff

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:11:06 -0400

Now a tax credit will let some savers reap the rewards of their retirement thrift early.

Lesser-Known (But Common) Tax Mistakes to Avoid

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:00:24 -0400

The April 15th deadline is quickly approaching. For those who have yet to file, this can be an overwhelming time. When rushing to get taxes prepared, sometimes things go wrong. Before you sit down to prepare ...

IRS Warns of 'Dirty Dozen' Tax Scams

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:02:43 -0400

The IRS warns taxpayers to be on alert for identity thieves, suspicious e-mails and shady tax preparers.

Should You Pay Your Taxes With a Credit Card?

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:01:57 -0400

Some people are aware that there are ways to pay taxes with their credit cards, but few really understand the benefits and drawbacks of these options.

A Look at the Craziest Tax Write-Offs

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:12:38 -0400

Here are some fairly ridiculous write offs the IRS has allowed -- and some crazy things people have tried and failed to slip by the IRS.

First IRA Distributions Due by April 1

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:26:39 -0400

Distributions from traditional 401(k)s and IRAs become required beginning shortly after you turn age 70½, and you must pay income tax on each withdrawal. The penalty for failing to take out the correct ...

IRS says taxpayers making fewer mistakes

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:32:00 -0400

IRS says taxpayers making fewer mistakes

The Tax Scams You Don't Want to Mess With

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:01:41 -0400

Topping the list of the IRS's Dirty Dozen tax scams are identity theft, phishing and fraud committed by tax preparers.

13 Surprising Facts About Your Taxes

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:02:55 -0400

You might be surprised about who pays what, who doesn’t pay, and how you fit in according to recent IRS statistics.

Fewer people expect tax refunds this year

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:59:19 -0400

Fewer people expect tax refunds this year

New Tax Refund Loans Carry Sky-High Fees and Rates

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:16:58 -0400

New tax refund loans carry sky-high fees and rates

6 Tax Deductions That Might Get You Audited

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:37:16 -0400

Incorrect or liberal interpretations of what you can write off will often lead to the IRS taking closer interest in your filings. Knowing the rules behind these six tax deductions will go a long ways to ...

Charitable Donors May Not Get Tax Deductions

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:56:00 -0400

Thousands of Americans who donated to charities last year in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. may not get the tax benefits they were expecting.

Tax Tips for Life's Big Changes

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:22:52 -0400

Sometimes life's biggest changes can save you a bundle in taxes—if you know how to take advantage of them. What was new in your life last year? Did you get married or divorced, or adopt a child? Did your ...

The Most Expensive Tax Breaks

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:59:13 -0400

Here are the most expensive “tax expenditures” benefiting individuals.

Avoid the Most Common Tax Mistakes to Get a Faster Refund

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:40:49 -0400

Steer clear of these mistakes and you'll get your refund faster and avoid having to deal with the IRS.

6 Tax Terrors and How to Overcome Them

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:07:39 -0400

Fear doesn't have to paralyze you. Find out just how you can conquer your tax terrors and get your returns filed.

$917M in unclaimed tax refunds to expire April 15

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:59:33 -0400

If you didn't bother filing a federal tax return for 2009, it might be a good time to rethink your tax strategy.The Internal Revenue Service says it has $917 million in unclaimed tax refunds from 2009, ...

How this year's tax return could affect 2014's healthcare costs

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 09:36:10 -0400

Even though the big changes required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care don't start until 2014, the tax impact starts now.

Did Disaster Strike in 2012? The IRS Is Here to Help

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:40:28 -0400

Residents in areas that suffered through one of the 10 federally declared disaster areas in 2012 may be able to recoup some losses at tax time.

Navigating Through a Sea of College Tax Breaks

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:11:05 -0400

The federal government offers a variety of tax breaks, but they are complicated. Here's a brief guide for the perplexed.

Are You Taking Enough Tax Deductions?

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:46:54 -0400

Even when anti-tax sentiment is running high, as it has been in recent times, Americans overwhelmingly accept the principle that filing an honest tax return is a civic duty. Accountants say their clients ...

The rich pay majority of U.S. income taxes

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:10:00 -0400

The rich pay majority of U.S. income taxes

As Tax Day Approaches, Identity Theft a Growing Threat

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:32:20 -0400

The recently released flick Identity Thief, starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, may be a slapstick comedy, but for millions of Americans, identity theft isn't something to laugh about. The crime ...

The 8 Most-Missed Tax Deductions and Credits

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:09:57 -0400

It's hard to believe we are going into the home stretch of the 2012 tax season. With not much time left , taxpayers often make mistake, as they begin to scramble to quickly get their taxes done or are ...

Taking Advantage of Miscellaneous Deductions

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:00:20 -0400

Every tax season, frantic filers search for ways to reduce the checks they must write to Uncle Sam.

What Triggers an IRS Tax Audit?

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:54:29 -0500

The odds of an audit can increase substantially depending on your income, types of income, deduction amount and changes you have made since filing your last tax return.

IRS Can Help You Look After the Kids

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:00:18 -0500

Some parents overlook the tax advantages of summer day camp and nursery school costs.

What You Know About Taxes Is Wrong

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:53:06 -0500

From taxation of municipal bond interest to tax rates on the gain from a home sale, taxpayers are confused about what’s taxed and what’s not under the new American Taxpayer Relief Act.

A ‘Perfect Storm’ for IRS May Slam Taxpayers

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:50:09 -0500

Sequestration, the fiscal cliff and a reduced IRS staff pile onto taxpayer headaches