IRS Tax Return Tips and Tricks

My boyfriends soon to be ex wife refuses to give him a copy of the joint tax return they filed for 2009. She did the return using one of the internet based tax software programs. He’s asked her several times for a copy and she flat out refuses to make him a copy. She said she would give him a copy, only if he was being audited.

So this is morally and ethically wrong, but is it illegal?

BTW, yes, she kept the whole refund too.

Just wondering if anyone has recommendations as I know sometimes you can save more money by holding off on declaring certain things from year to year- such as tuition payments for example. I am 99% sure I don’t owe any money but want to maximize my return from the past 3 years. Any help is appreciated!

Just wondering if anyone has recommendations as I know sometimes you can save more money by holding off on declaring certain things from year to year- such as tuition payments for example. I am 99% sure I don’t owe any money but want to maximize my return from the past 3 years. Any help is appreciated!

I am filing an amended tax return the 1040x. And I have only used software to do my taxes before now. I have my tax stub and I need to know how to figure my agi from my w2.

Background

First time submitting US tax return!

International student on F1 opt, earned just above the minimum amount for a tax return so you would think it would be easy…….wrong!

Well I manged to prepare 8417, 8843,1040NR EZ and another couple I need to do because of my status.

I am now wading through the schedule A for health and job related expenses but my questions after all this long winded info is on the schedule A are

The monthly payments I pay for health care, is this claimable on the schedule A or is it for expenses you have had for medical care?

And under job related expenses – education, professional bodies, unions etc, is this where you would list expenses like licenses, insurance and equipment you have had to buy if operating as an independent contractor?

Also do I have to fill out another form for mileage and tolls allowance, I know it is 55cents in the dollar right?

It’s kind of difficult for me to get into a pro to get this done and the online sites and software program I have wasted hours on recenly didn’t cover all my circumstances and the forms I had to use because of my status.

I would be very grateful for just a nod in the right direction about where I can claim things I have had to buy to do my job and then I am just going to send it with fingers crossed.

And the whole ironic thing is I spent more than I earned

Thanks.

Both Turbo Tax and H&R block calculate my return as 2K when the total Federal taxes in 2009 I paid is 1700 only. I live in Florida where there are no state taxes. I guess the error is occurring as I am a US resident alien(not a citizen) for tax purposes and I worked in my country of citizenship(from Jan to Aug 2009) where I earned around 6K and earned around 15K from Sep 2009 to Dec 2009 in US. I am a US resident alien by the substantial presence test. The 6K earned income in foreign country is coming as negative which is reducing my taxable income from 15K to 15-6 = 9K. I entered all the information properly, but still the error persists in both applications.

1. Am I understanding correctly that both applications are determining my refund inaccurately? I gather 6K should be added and then excluded from the foreign income exclusion which is 91400 for 2009.

Since my situation is complicated enough that both applications are computing the refund incorrectly,

2. Should I file for an extension or go to an actual tax preparer(which is difficult as no preparer would have time now)?

3. How do I choose a proper tax preparer as my case involves foreign income and investments so is a bit complex?

Any advice would be appreciated.
I am using the Free versions of both software. Could that be an issue?

I have to re-do some returns and would like to find something akin to TurboTax to do the returns for 2003-06. Is there anything available for free on-line (or anywhere else). Thanks!

I live in ILLINOIS.

Fresno, CA or Kansas City, MO?
The IRS website states that for Tax year 2010, Fed returns for individuals (living in ILL) should file it to Fresno, CA, but my Turbo Tax software for Tax Year 2006 said Kansas City, MO

I received a DFAS 705 Form from the military because I was overpaid in the past and I repaid that debt last year in 2009. I talked with some tax lawyers and since the amount is over $3,000, I am legally allowed to claim the full amount as a credit against my tax liability. I am supposed to put the exact amount on the “Other Payment” line of the normal 1040 form with the explanation IRC 1341 in the notes next to it. The problem is, i’m using the free version of TurboTax and the software is not allowing me to put this credit down. I did not itemize and took the standard deduction so there are many less screens prompting me with instructions. I do not want to itemize because it is much better if I take the standard deduction. I do not need to use a 1040A in order to claim this credit, all I need to do is add it in the “Other Payment” line of the regular 1040 form. Can someone please let me know how I would do this in Turbotax. Can I just not efile after i’m done and then save and print off the .PDF file and add the credit under “Other Payment” in pen then? Then I guess I will have to recalculate all of the other figures and use whiteout or cross out the now wrong calculations? Or will I be able to include it in the regular TurboTax before they print my tax return? Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

So I have completed my income tax return yesterday. I used Quicktax (online). I used this one last year too. I like it but there were times when I got confused with certain things. Is there anyone else who did their taxes themselves and used an online/downloadable software? What software did you use and are you overall satisfied with it?

I’m thinking of using a different one next year. What do you recommend?