Monday, 27 January 2014

How to prepare your return

In publication 17 you will find a lot of useful information regarding preparing and filing electronic returns. You are required to figure out your taxable income during the tax year and you must also account for all your income and expenses that must clearly show your taxable income. In general terms a ‘tax year’ is an accounting period with the duration of a year and most tax returns for individual citizens cover a calendar year that is from January one through 31st of December. You can also choose your tax year or accounting period when filing your first IT return but it can never be longer than duration of 12 months. You can always refer to Publication 538 for more information about accounting periods or accounting methods.
Your accounting method is actually the way you account for all your income and expenses. Either an accrual method or cash method is used by most taxpayers or you are required to choose your method at the time of filing your first return. The method can always be changed afterwards with an approval from the Internal Revenue Services. The cash method is used by most individual taxpayers and in this method you are required to report all items of your income in a year that you have constructively or actually received.

If it is not possible for you to pay the full due amount with your return then you can always ask for monthly installments and you can use form 9465 to apply online for installment payment facilities. But you will be charged with interest and may even require paying a late payment penalty and if your request is granted you are also required to pay a fee.

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