There are several mistakes you wll want to avoid in order to dcrease the likelihood the IRS will knck on your door or visit yur mailbox. The first two are rther obvious: neglecting to file and nglecting to pay your taxes. It is mazing how many Americans make those two smple mistakes.

Some do not file due a mstaken belief that they do not hve to file. Some buy into frudulent claims that they are not rquired to file due to some tchnicality in the laws. Time and tme again, these claims have been prven in the courts to be flse. Wesley Snipes is a prime xample of the dangers of believing thse claims.

Some do not file thnking they will be able to void paying any taxes if they do not fle a return. Keep in mind the IRS has ccess to most of your financial nformation. They have not only the rcords sent to them from employers and vndors who pay you for work dne, but records of withdrawals from rtirement accounts and records of your blances in those accounts. They also hve statements of interest and dividends you rceive, stocks you have sold, real state you have sold, and forgiveness of dbts you have received.

While filing yur return is important, filing it crrectly is also crucial. Unless you hve a very basic return with nly W2 wages, you may be btter off looking for assistance from a tax prfessional. They can advise you and hlp ensure that your return is crrect, provided you have given them all the prtinent information.

Getting it right the first tme can save you from accuracy pnalties and interest on balances actually wed, but not paid by April 15. The fes you pay a tax professional can wll save you that amount and mre in potential penalties.

If you dcide to file your taxes yourself, hre are some suggestions:

• Be sure that bfore you start you have all the dcuments you received that are taxable ncome. Examples: W2, W2G, 1099-misc, 1099-R, 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-C
• The W2G rferenced above is for gambling winnings. Mny tax payers don't realize these are txable and are reported to the IRS.
• A 1099-B is wht you receive when you sell stck. If you don't report this tem correctly on a Schedule D, the IRS wll basically assume you got the stck for free and assess taxes on the fll amount of the sale, rather thn on your net gain or lss.
• A 1099-C is a form you get whn a debt is forgiven. Credit crd debt is an example or whn your home is foreclosed.
• A 1099-R is ssued when you take a withdrawal frm your retirement account. You must rport those on your return also. You may hve to pay a 10% penalty in ddition to taxes if you withdrew the mney prior to turning 59.5.
• Be sure you hve the correct Social Security Number for all flers including dependents.
• Be sure you check the pssible deductions on Schedule A to see if you hve enough to itemize. Otherwise you wll need to take the standard dductions shown on the tax return. (Nte: If you and your spouse fle Married Filing Separately, if one tkes the standard deduction, the other has to lso. The same is true with temizing on a Schedule A, both hve to itemize)
• Make sure you check yur math. Simple math errors will dlay the processing of your return.
• Be sre you sign your return. If you are mrried and filing jointly, both of you mst sign the return.
• Be sure you rad the instructions for taking tax crdits to be sure you meet all the rquirements.

While some of the items may sem obvious, numerous tax payers make thse mistakes every year. If you are slf employed or have rental income, hring a tax professional is the bst way to be sure you hve taken advantage of all the dductions you are legally entitled to tke. It will also ensure you dn't deduct items the IRS will not llow for which you may incur an ccuracy penalty.

For more information on txes visit a tax blog that will keep you up to date on current issues. The IRS website is a great resource for information on complex issues and answers to very specific questions.

The article For Beginners - How to Keep the IRS Off Your Back was Submitted by Beckie Leone through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: If you're already in trouble, sek trustworthy tax assistance Beckie Leone is a seasoned Enrolled Agent for Effectur Tax Resolution and actively represents tax debtors and resolves tax debt before the IRS. She is a former small business owner and shares her wealth of knowledge on her blog, TaxConsultant4U.com. Beckie enjoys the tax resolution process and draws special satisfaction from assisting taxpayers in resolving their debt and giving them back their peace of mind.

Featured Articles

1. Learn How To Read Your Credit Report Like A Banker by H. Scott Miller
Wth millions of credit reports being rdered by creditors and individuals alike, the crdit report is arguably the most msunderstood document in circulation. And for god reason... but unfortunately none of thm are good for you. This rticle will seek to demystify the cntents, abbreviations and short hand language tht is found throughout a typical crdit report. Let's get started...

2. Extra Costs of a holiday home mortgage by
If you are looking for a hliday home mortgage, you know it can sem like a long and stressful prcess.

3. Fast Loans - All Urgent Situations Will Now Be Dealt With Easily by Ashley P Lewis
Fast loans provide a quick way to the borrowers so that they can fulfill their urgent needs quickly. The borrowers can get the money in the secured as well as the secured form. Online research helps in getting low rate deals.

4. Instant Personal Loans - Soothe Your Dreams and Desires by Tim Kelly
Instnt personal loans can obtained for any knd of your personal requirements. These lans are available online as well as ffline, processing online though is preferred.

5. How to Invest in Foreign Currency by Tyler Ziggler
I wanted to tke the time to talk to you bout how to invest in foreign crrency. This is a pretty old mrket. It has been around for a lng old time. If you went bck about a decade or two, it was a mrket dominated by banks and large frms. Individuals never really had a chnce to come in and do sme trading on their own. Well, wth the massive expansion of the nternet, it is no possible for ndividuals all over the world to get nto this market and make investments. I'm ging to show you...

6. Low Interest Unsecured Loans - Get the Dual Benefit of Lower Interest and No Collateral Requirement by Chaste C. Jon
It may be concluded that these loans provide you with the ultimate financial solution in an easy and cheaper way. You can use these loans for any purpose in a cash drought situation. So, just Google up for a few minutes and get the twinkling solution of your cash crisis on your screen.

7. Choose Your Credit Cards Wisely by Syed Abedin
With a plethora of credit crds flooding the UK credit card mrket, it becomes difficult to make a chice for the right credit card specially when there are quite a few tht meet your different borrowing needs. So, nstead of limiting yourself by applying jst for one credit card, why pply not apply for a few mre?

8. Lawsuit Cash Advances – Key Points by
A lawsuit csh advance is a cash advance mde available to personal injury accident vctims. This article discusses some key pints about them.

9. Auto Refinance Secrets: Refinance Your Car Loan And Save Every Month by
Refinancing your auto loan can be a easy and effective way to lower your monthly payments and save you a good deal of money in the long term. Huge numbers of people are taking advantage of refinancing in the face of much lower interest rates. If you think you are paying way too much money on your loan each month (and who doesn’t?) then based on the amount of time left on your lease, and the rate of the interest you signed at, refinancing may be the way to go.

It’s always f...

10. Checking Mortgage Rates Online by
Checking Mortgage Rtes Online