Still haven’t done your taxes? File for free and quickly with these tips – Saving You Money

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Time is working out. When you haven’t filed your tax return but, you solely have a number of days earlier than Tuesday’s deadline.

The deadline to file your tax return is Tuesday – April 18 this yr, not the standard April 15 as a result of the weekend and a vacation in Washington on Monday.

The identical deadline applies to federal, state and native taxes. You possibly can apply for an extension, but when your tax state of affairs isn’t terribly difficult, you must be capable to knock them out this weekend.

To assist expedite your tax submitting, I’ve condensed three Saving You Cash columns on taxes into one. (Though, studying each might assist.) Right here’s the way to file your taxes rapidly and cheaply.

Get your paperwork collectively earlier than you begin. In any other case, you possibly can’t get all the pieces carried out in a single sitting.

Begin with the fundamentals. You’ll want your W-2 kind, which most staff get from their employers, to report your earnings for 2022. When you freelance or work as an impartial contractor, you’ll even have a 1099-NEC kind.

It’s additionally good to have your driver’s license, Social Safety Quantity and final yr’s tax return. For a extra in-depth listing, learn Unprepared for tax season? Right here’s (nearly) all the pieces you’ll must file.

2. File without spending a dime

Choose a simple and probably free tax preparation software program.

The IRS has a “free file” program with a listing of 11 tax applications at apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/. TurboTax and H&R Block aren’t on this listing.

Some web sites allow you to file your federal and state tax returns without spending a dime. Others might file your federal without spending a dime however not your state return. Restrictions might apply, and also you’ll want a “easy” tax return to make use of most of those applications without spending a dime.

I selected TaxSlayer and filed utterly without spending a dime, however FreeTaxUSA additionally works properly and is reasonable even for “not easy” returns. You’ll find out extra by studying Find out how to file your federal, state and native tax returns without spending a dime (or a minimum of cheaply).

You possibly can file your state return without spending a dime at tax.ohio.gov. You possibly can file your metropolis tax return without spending a dime at ritaohio.com or ccatax.ci.cleveland.oh.us.

3. An area tax refund?

When you make money working from home, see if it can save you some money by requesting a refund on native earnings taxes paid elsewhere.

This is a little more complicated and also you’ll need to learn the column: Are you being overtaxed? You could qualify for a metropolis earnings tax refund. However it boils right down to how your employer handles withholding.

For instance, my workplace is in Brooklyn however I reside and work at my residence in Berea half time. However my employer withholds 100% of my earnings for Brooklyn.

Brooklyn taxes earnings at 2.5%, Berea taxes at 2%. I can get a partial refund from Brooklyn for taxes paid once I was truly working at residence in Berea. (It’s a little bit extra difficult due to Berea solely offers partial credit score for taxes paid, however you get the gist.)

It varies, rather a lot. We ran the maths for one individual making $50,000 a yr. Getting a refund might save this individual anyplace from $89 to $600, relying on the place they reside and the way usually they make money working from home.

When you reside and work in the identical metropolis, this doesn’t apply to you. In any other case, that is price a glance and might prevent cash annually.

Saving You Cash is cleveland.com and The Plain Seller’s column about saving cash. We need to understand how we might help you get monetary savings. Ship your questions and feedback to smcdonnell@cleveland.com.

Learn previous columns at cleveland.com/matter/saving-you-money/.

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