by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA
Tax season is here! Time to panic over lost receipts, missing information on cost bases for stocks, and 1099s that won’t ever show up; or, time to spend an afternoon with your CPA; or, click a few buttons on your computer keyboard? It all depends on how organized you’ve been and how well you’ve prepared throughout the year, not just in April. Below are a few tips for how to reduce your tax-related paperwork, now and in the future.
Meet with a CPA This is by far the easiest way to take the tax filing burden off your shoulders. CPAs file people’s taxes for a living, so you can trust that they know all the tricks and traps. Save yourself time and hassle by asking friends, colleagues or family for a referral.
E-File If you do not wish to use an accountant, you can find a variety of simple and user-friendly e-filing programs online. Many of them are free, as long as your income is below certain limits. Save yourself some wrestling with your printer and a trip to the post office by filing online.
The Manila Folder Throughout the year, you will need to save documents such as receipts and transaction reports from your investment accounts. Whenever you receive one of these documents, stick it in a labeled manila folder. If you’re paperless, create a folder on your computer for the same purpose.
Take Advantage of IRA Accounts Saving in IRA accounts will save you heaps of paperwork, as this eliminates the need to track cost basis and sales price for each security, and include these in your tax report. Once the money is in your traditional IRA or 401(k), it is off your tax record until you start to make withdrawals, at retirement. In case of a Roth IRA, you never have to worry about it again!
Take the Standard Deduction True, many people save a lot of money by itemizing . . . but it does require both time and effort. If your objective is to keep things simple, take the standard deduction. However, it is usually worth it to itemize. It could save you a lot of money.
Filing your taxes is never fun – unless, of course, you are expecting a huge refund! Use these tricks to simplify your tax filing process and minimize the time you need to spend in your home office, shuffling paperwork.
