Third Hand Bookkeeping Service

With the May 17 tax filing deadline right around the corner, here are answers to some common tax questions. When will I get my refund? The pandemic and additional stimulus payments will, in all probability, delay refund payments. But as of now here are the old wait times to receive your refund. * E-file return with […]

The Problem You hang up the phone with a huge smile on your face. You just learned that you’re getting a pretty sizeable tax refund this year. Now all you need to do is kick back and wait a week or two for the IRS to wire the money into your bank account. This good […]

Don’t get shocked by a high tax bill! Be prepared for these pandemic-related tax surprises when you file your 2020 tax return. Taxes on unemployment income. If you received unemployment benefits in 2020, you need to report these benefits on your tax return as taxable income. Check to see if either federal or state taxes were […]

A terrible tax surprise everyone should know What follows is a true story. A story with a sad ending. But one that has a lesson for everyone. Stick with the story, with a high degree of certainty you probably know someone in this exact situation. The ingredients Back in the 1970s, U.S. Savings Bonds were […]

Here are four ways to make sure the preparation of your tax return keeps humming along until it gets filed. Keep tax documents in one place. Missing items are one of the biggest reasons filing a tax return gets delayed! Find a place in your home and put all tax documents in this one place as […]

If you worked from home for the first time in 2020, you may be wondering if your home office is tax deductible. The bad news? If you’re working from home for an employer, you normally can’t deduct your home office expenses. Here’s a quick look at the basic requirements to be able to deduct your […]

Be looking for new Form 1099-NEC! Here are three tasks to consider that will make meeting your business’s information reporting requirements less stressful this tax season. Review your general ledger. Even if you’ve already identified 1099 vendors in your payables system, review current year expenses to make sure no new or infrequent payments have been overlooked. […]

Does your paycheck look a little higher than normal? If so, it could be a tax trap. The ProblemA payroll tax holiday, effective September 1, was recently signed via a presidential executive order. Payroll tax holidays typically provide forgiveness of Social Security and Medicare taxes that are normally withheld from your paycheck. This year’s tax […]

The IRS recently announced its 2020 edition of its annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams. This year includes a special emphasis on aggressive and evolving schemes related to COVID-19 tax relief, including Economic Impact Payments. Here are six of the more common scams. Phishing. Phishing refers to potential fake emails or websites looking to steal your personal […]

Here are several new tax laws to consider as you start planning your 2020 tax obligation. Make up to $300 of charitable contributions. For the 2020 tax year only, an above-the-line deduction of $300 is available to all Americans who want to make a charitable contribution. You can donate to more than one charity, but the […]