Essential Online Resources for Tax Season

Whether you're a small business owner or an individual, there are tons of social media and web resources that can help get you up and running quickly. Here are some of the best resources out there to make tax season, well, less taxing.

Use a Tax Calendar
Organization is a key part of a stress-free (or stress-reduced) tax season. It's important to know and keep track of dates for filing extensions, due dates for certain forms, and other administrative information. Planning and scheduling dates to fill out certain types of forms and to do certain calculations can also relieve stress. By breaking down the process, you can accomplish more over time and still get done early.

The IRS has put together a 2010 Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and the Self Employed. It's a really good resource for the entire year and you can use it to get a head start on your 2010 taxes. While many of the tips are aimed at small business and the self-employed, even individuals can benefit from the outline and date recommendations.

Don't let this happen to you:


Don't Be Afraid of IRS.gov
One of the best resources for all of your tax needs is IRS.gov. From tax forms to refund trackers, the official IRS website is a goldmine of information. As you might expect, finding some of these gems isn't as intuitive as it could be.

These are some of the best offerings from IRS.gov:

Where's My Refund - After you've submitted your taxes, you can track the status of your refund using the IRS's refund status tool. You can get information about 72 hours after the IRS has acknowledged your e-filed return, or in three to four weeks of mailing a paper return.


You'll need to have your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number, your filing status, and the exact amount of your refund. You can also use the site to change your mailing address that's on file, or file an online claim for a replacement check if you suspect your refund got lost in the mail.

Information for Late Filers/Payers - Even with the best of intentions, sometimes you just miss deadlines. If you haven't filed your tax return or if you need to assess your payment options, check out this link. Delays can happen to the best of us - the important thing is to find out what you need to do to get back on track!

E-File Resources
Unless you absolutely must file by mail, e-filing is a big time saver - both in terms of getting your taxes done, and getting your refund check. Individuals can file their federal taxes online for free. Check out the Free File page at IRS.gov and you can either choose tax software to help you prepare your free file or you can fill out the forms yourself and submit it without using tax software.

The IRS just rolled out its Modernized e-File program (MeF). This will make it easy to fill out and submit Form 1040, Form 5868 and 21 other 1040-related forms.

MeF has a lot of advantages, including year-round filing, the ability to file prior year 1040 returns, and other advantages. MeF will just be getting started this year, but in the future, it should make filing current and past returns much, much easier.


Publication 17
For individuals, the IRS has a massive tax guide called Publication 17 (PDF) that covers all the new changes to the 2009 tax code and gives a vast overview of how to fill out and submit your taxes. The guide has even been updated to include information about how Haiti Relief donations qualify for immediate tax relief. That's right, if you donate cash to Haitian relief organization from January 11, 2010 - March 1, 2010 you can count those donations on your 2009 tax return.

Other Online Services
Once again, IRS.gov has a set of online tools for things like estimating your withholdings and finding out if you are eligible for an Earned Income Tax Credit.

If you want a more step-by-step tax help and filing approach, both TurboTax and H&R Block offer online apps to fill out and file your taxes.

State Resources:
Your state options will vary, depending on where you live. You can check out the FTA's site for links to your states tax page for guidelines, forms and e-file options.

Does easy access to all these online tax resources motivate you to file early, or will you end up waiting until the last minute?

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