Getting Ready for Tax Season is Best Done Early: 5 Reasons Why

Tax season is an inevitable period of the year that we all have to face. It can be daunting and overwhelming for many of us, so it's crucial to start preparing early.

Many people wait until the last minute to get their tax affairs in order, but this habit could lead to unnecessary stress and errors. By starting early, you'll have plenty of time to gather all the necessary documentation, review your finances, and file taxes without any rush. 

In this article, we'll discuss five reasons why getting ready for tax season is best done early.

Avoid the Last-Minute Pressure

One of the significant benefits of starting your tax preparations early is that you can avoid the last-minute filing rush. Filing your taxes at the last minute proves to be highly stressful and, in turn, increases the possibility of making mistakes. 

This increased pressure can often lead to incomplete returns, causing you to incur penalties and fines. Proactively starting early can avoid this hassle and ensure your taxes are filed promptly.

Get Your Refund Early

If you're eligible for a tax refund, you want to receive it immediately. By filing your taxes early, you'll get your return expedited. You can use this extra cash for essential expenses, paying debts, or investing in your future.

More Time for Tax Planning Strategies

When you start your tax planning early, you have the luxury of time, making it possible to determine the best strategy for your situation. It allows you to make sound decisions, affecting how you maximize tax credits and deductions. 

It also gives you time to hire tax preparation services, which can often help you get the most value out of filing your taxes. 

Additionally, you will be able to minimize your taxes while maintaining the highest level of accuracy with your filing.

Avoid the Late Fees and Penalties

Late filing fees and penalties are reasons you must be proactive in preparing your taxes. The longer you wait, the higher the potential penalty you risk incurring. Staying on top of your filings early allows you to detect discrepancies, rectify them, and avoid penalties.

Peace of Mind

Filing taxes is rarely anyone's idea of a good time. By starting early, you can eliminate the unnecessary stress accompanying the process. Going into the process, feeling calm and composed is crucial. It ensures that you file your taxes accurately without making any errors.

Final Thoughts

Starting your tax planning early sets you up for financial success for months. The benefits of early preparation range from avoiding the last-minute rush and penalties to getting your refund quickly and the peace of mind that comes with it. 

So avoid procrastination and be proactive this year when it comes to filing your taxes – it will be your best financial decision.

How to Be Financially Smart With Your Tax Refund

We should be proud of the long-term success when we look back at our finance progress. One should think of spending tax refunds in pleasurable but profitable ways that will relatively give you happiness at some point when we look back. Think about it.

Instead of spending that cash infusion in a way that leaves your finances neutral or even worse off, here are several ways Tax Refund smartly leaves you better off if you want to gain some real momentum with your finances.

1. First of all, pay off high-interest debt

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome if you want to build wealth is High-interest debt. Just remember that it is difficult to get ahead when so much of your payment goes to interest-only if you owe money on credit cards or carry personal loans with high-interest rates. But use your tax refund to repay this debt, you would save yourself almost four years of monthly minimum payments, and monstrous interest payments.

2. Emergency fund savings

Experts have suggested that people should stock an emergency fund with at least three to six months of expenses, even a smaller amount is a good place to start in case of any emergency, so as not to blame one’s self when the bills come. Build an emergency fund is exceptionally essential for your financial health whether you carry some high-interest debt or live a debt-free lifestyle. 

You’re prone to struggle if you face unexpected financial emergencies without an emergency fund such as unexpected home repairs expenses and all the significant unforeseen bills that you can think of. Consider adding your tax refund to the pot if you have a savings account.

3. HAS Contribution –Health Savings Account Contribution

Once you open a health savings account (HSA) which is a tax-advantaged saving account set up specifically to pay for healthcare cost, you’ll be able to deduct contributions up to a certain limit, watch your money grow tax-free, then use your funds for qualified healthcare expenses on a tax-free basis. You can withdraw funds for several purposes if you don’t use up your HSA funds by the time you turn 65, --even to pay for retirement.

4. Self-Investment

Let me remind you that you’re your own greatest asset, so if you receive enough cash in your tax refund to invest in anything, spending that money to improve yourself. And as we may have it, there are several ways you could decide to invest to upgrade your status towards a better income. 

Pursue professional skills or a type of certification that adds values to you. Bear in mind that any investment you make in yourself will likely pay off in the short term and throughout your life and career.

5. Initiate several savings buckets

Starting several different savings accounts can be a smart move if you have competing financial goals and want to save for all of them. Also, commit to weekly or monthly contributions after you might have spread your tax refund across several accounts. You may want to save up for a newer car or update your kitchen. Learn to give yourself a head start toward achieving everything you desire by growing different savings buckets.

Now, it’s up to you to put your tax refund to good use whether it’s a huge or small amount. Also, if you can’t wait to get the money you need, you can always try and to get a cash advance on tax refund. Just make sure that you do your research before making any financial decision!

Handy Tips on Effective Tax Returns

taxes (Photo credit: 401(K) 2012)

After the back to back financial slumps in and after the year 2008, the structure of the world economy has greatly changed. There are millions all over the globe, who do not have a proper credit history. Hence it becomes a difficult task for them to get a loan. Besides getting the loan, one also needs to make sure that they manage their taxes in a proper way. In this article we will provide the correct tax planning tips that will help one to manage their taxes correctly.

Possessing the correct information on Taxes

Having the correct knowledge of the tax that you need to pay is the most important thing. There are various kinds of tax that one needs to pay such as local tax, federal tax, income tax and others. Often it is found that one finds it difficult to understand the nature of the tax and how much exactly they should pay. In such cases it is a beer idea to hire a professional who has a fair idea in tax returns. Such professional will also be able to help you to find ways to save on your taxes. There are numerous ways in which one can save on their taxes using legal methods.

Maintaining a Record of the transactions

Keeping a record of the tax payable is an effective way of managing your tax payments. That way you will not lose track of the amount of tax that you need to pay and the time at which you need to pay it. Many a times it is found that individuals inadvertently skip their tax and eventually end up paying more. Maintaining a folder or a file will help one to keep abreast of the tax returns that they need to make.

Hiring a Professional Tax Consultant

Hiring a professional tax consultant is of utmost importance. The entire scope of tax returns is huge and it is virtually impossible for an individual to get a proper idea of it. There are numerous ways in which one can benefit by hiring a tax consultant. The most important benefit of hiring professionals is that, they will be able to help you in saving money on your tax. Moreover they will also be able help you to easy ways of tax return.  Hence resorting to the help of a professional is certainly a great way to manage your finances.

On a Concluding note

On a concluding note it can be said that in order to manage your finances in the best possible way, you need to keep in mind all the above mentioned points. A recent study has shown that many individuals lose thousands in penalties for not paying their tax on time. Hence you should consider hiring a consultant to manage all the aspects of tax return. There are many tax consultants out in the market. Make sure that you choose an experienced one to address your needs.

Author’s Bio: Alisa Martin is a freelance writer, professional blogger, and social media enthusiast. Her blog Money Exchange Rates focuses on Finance bloggers. You can follow her on Google+

Related articles

• An Incorrect 1098-T Can Sink Your Tax Return (whatisa529plan.com)
• Are You Responsible for Your Spouse's Tax Bill? (50plusfinance.com)
• A Quick and Easy Guide on Tax for Charitable Donations (50plusfinance.com)
• What Happens If I Take to Much Out of My 529 Account? (whatisa529plan.com)

The Psychology of Tax Refunds

Image via WikipediaTax season is over it's time to relax. You filed your taxes and now waiting to get your refund. If your getting a refund you feel pretty good. The average refund for most Americans is around $3000. In the media and almost every financial blog you will be told this is wrong. They will say you are giving the government an interest free loan. It's true and it does make sense. But someone has an alternative view to this.

Ramit Sethi, author of "I WILL TEACH YOU TO BE RICH", has a different perspective on this idea. He says technically it makes sense to pay the government the least possible. He shoots down the idea that you are losing possible interest income on your money. What's the interest on $3,000 for the year? It comes to $2.50 per month for a total of $30 for the year. He says it's not that much of an impact on your money. Secondly, if you did receive the money in your paycheck you would probably end up spending it.

Ramit says it's a good thing to receive the money back as a lump sum. When you receive money as a lump sum, you tend to spend it more wisely. Americans use the money, on average, to payoff debt or save it. This is the psychology of tax refunds.

It's interesting that in my own experience, I have found this psychology very true. Every year for a quite a while I would receive, a tax refund, between $2000 and $3000. I would plan my budget and I was ready to use this money to payoff debt or I would put it toward my property tax. Like clockwork this went on and still goes on. Ask me if I would have it any other way and I would say, No.

Though not ever created to be a mini savings plan, it has turned out to be that way. I know people use their refunds to buy big screen TV's and other things. But for the most part I agree with Ramit that Americans use their refund to save or pay off large living expenses like I do.

I have followed Ramit for a few years now and notice his philosophy is to make money moves that are usually big. He doesn't believe in the frugal style or your "Latte Factor". He believes in making more money and having that latte when ever you want. I have his book and recommend it all. He puts out there an interesting plan for you finances. He goes against the grain of most money guru's. He preaches mostly on how to increase your income.

I am including one of Ramit's best YouTube videos where he describes how to automate the inflow and outflow of your money. He believes automation is key to a successful financial life. Watch.

Reader: Do you think a tax refund makes sense?