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Common Mistakes for the First Time Tax Payer

10/16/2019

Preparing and paying your taxes for the very first time is a terrifying rite of passage into adulthood. But for a first-time taxpayer, it's easy to scare yourself into making very simple and easy mistakes. Take the time to take a deep breath, check your work, and understand what you're doing!

The very first time you pay your taxes is scary. It's scarier than this Halloween season. For most of us, our first tax experience comes with our first job while we are still in high school and living under our parent's roof. But once the safety blanket of Mom and Dad helping you file your taxes or taking you to their tax accountant goes away, things can get pretty dicey. You're out in the world for the very first time worrying about some huge adult things. Where are you going to live, how are you going to get around, how will you pay your bills, can you feed yourself, what will your job be? Those are huge learning curves, and we all go through them. And just like those learning curves, taxes have their curve too.

Most first-time taxpayers are just afraid they'll do it wrong. Afraid they'll miss a signature, not understand the paperwork, or not provide the correct paperwork to prove write-offs or prove their source of income. Sadly, this will happen for most first-time taxpayers. These mistakes can cause your return to be delayed or you can receive a terrifying official letter from the IRS. The letter will point out the mistakes you made, and you will have to correct them all before seeing your tax return. Take a deep breath, we are here to help you solve those issues.

In this blog, we will be discussing some of the most common mistakes made by first-time taxpayers and how to prevent them from happening!

The Basics

It all starts with filing, right? One of the first mistakes made is hearing that you can pick up your official tax forms from the library or download them off the IRS website and print them off. These are all true statements, but you'll be stuck with a pile of papers you might not understand. You might even grab the wrong set of forms. For a first-time taxpayer, the best way to start off and even continue paying your taxes through the years is by investing in a tax preparation software - like Quickbooks. It comes with an impeccable FAQ, an easy how-to guide, and the software guides you through the proper paperwork to correctly file your taxes. It also helps determine what you can write off, what documents you need to complete these write-offs, and what paperwork you will need to save for future tax seasons. It also has an option to store all of this information for you in its database, so you can learn to upload and save everything you need right away and not have a huge stack of important papers, receipts, and documents just lying around waiting to get thrown away on accident. Also good to know, if your gross income is $66,000 or less the IRS offers free file software, too! It might be a pain to pay them every year - but at least they're being helpful about it!

The Numbers

Believe it or not, one of the most common mistakes when filing your taxes is entering the wrong social security number. We get it, you're nervous and overwhelmed. But take the time to take a deep breath and to dig out your social security card and keep it handy while you're filing your taxes. Once you're finished, take the time to check your work. Take a little walk down memory lane and make all of your math teachers happy by checking your work. Entering the wrong SSN can lead to the delay in processing your return and it can also lead to the IRS rejecting exemptions for dependents.

The Side Jobs

It's very common today, especially for younger taxpayers, to have multiple sources of income. This is very true when you're an independent contractor or self-employed. Learning all the finite details of filing multiple w2s or I9s is very tricky, and can become even more difficult if you've worked in multiple states during that tax year. Each state will have its own little different tax laws on how to file these forms. Often in these situations, the young taxpayer fails to include all sources of income. Many decide just to put down the ballpark number of their yearly income. When you receive a 1099 or any other similar tax document, the IRS receives one too. It's their job to compare all of your documents with the ones they've already received and to catch any mistakes. This kind of mistake can increase the chance of being audited, and that is not what you want.

Tax season might still be a few months off, but we wanted to put any worried first-time taxpayers at ease. If you're a parent, family member or friend of a first-time taxpayer, share this with them! We are sure you remember how hard it was the first time you paid your taxes. Remember, we also offer the best Quickbooks training and Quickbooks services in Goose Creek, and are happy to help you and your family whenever you need it. Please don't hesitate to reach out!

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Podcasts for the Modern Day Homeowner

10/1/2019

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Tired of reading self-help books to learn how to be a smart first time home buyer or how to do a DIY project? Why not step it up to the next level and discover some of the most helpful and hilarious podcasts to reach your goals?

The end of September brought not only cooler temperatures but it also brought National Podcast Day on the 30th! Are you tired of researching ways to be a better homeowner? Are your Pinterest Boards so big that you don't even know where to begin? One of the best ways to stay up to date on the latest home trends, getting tips on how to buy a home, and how to handle your first DIY project is to listen to a podcast or two. And don't worry, when it comes to the topic of being a homeowner or working on your home, the number of podcasts out there for you to enjoy is pretty long. All you'll need to do is a little research to find exactly what you want to listen to!

In honor of National Podcast Day, let's explore some of the top Podcasts for Homeowners in 2019!

Young House Love

This podcast was created with first-time homeowners in mind!
This podcast was created by Sherry and John Petersik. They began their journey in 2017 with a blog that shared the trials and tribulations of buying a new home and renovating it. After renovating multiple homes since then, it led to the birth of this wonderful podcast.
It offers helpful tips on realistic remolding.
They talk about affordable materials, decorations, and furniture options for the home.
It is a very funny and honest show.
There are often guest speakers
They offer tips on purchasing your very first home.
They also offer tips when dealing with buyer's remorse.

Visit their website here : https://www.younghouselove.com/podcast-introduction/

The Money Pit

This is not just a podcast, it is also a radio show hosted by Leslie Segret and Tom Kraeutler.
They are both very educated and knowledgeable on how to make repairs and installations.
They offer help and inspiration for the first time owner attempting a DIY project or renovation.
The show itself has a call-in format, so there is always a lot of interesting and unknown information that will be shared, covered, and discussed every time you listen!

Visit their website here: https://www.moneypit.com/

Home: On

This podcast is hosted by Richard Gunther
The focus on the podcast is on smart and connected homes.
Every week Richard features a new home gadget.
The podcast has guest speakers on to talk about the smart home industry.
The podcast guest include both experts and consumers like you!

Visit his website at: https://www.thedigitalmediazone.com/category/podcasts/home-on/

It can be stressful to be a homeowner! But use your free resources to make the journey a fun and stress-free experience. Plug in your headphones and get started!

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Hoods Tax &
Accounting Blog

Common Mistakes for the First Time Tax Payer

Podcasts for the Modern Day Homeowner

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​Hoods Tax &Accounting Blog

Common Mistakes for the First Time Tax Payer

Podcasts for the Modern Day Homeowner

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Archives

Categories

Hoods Tax &
Accounting Blog