Mayoría de declaraciones de impuestos vencen; personas que no pueden pagar aún deben presentar a tiempo

 La fecha límite para presentar y efectuar pagos para la mayoría de las declaraciones de impuestos federales ha llegado. Contribuyentes deben de presentar o pedir una prórroga de tiempo adicional para presentar y pagar cualquier cantidad de impuestos adeudados para la fecha límite de 18 de abril de 2022 para evitar multas e intereses. Contribuyentes en Maine y Massachusetts tienen hasta el 19 de abril de 2022 para pagar o presentar sus declaraciones debido al Día de los Patriotas, el cual es feriado en esos estados.

Aquí están algunos consejos para contribuyentes de deben impuestos, pero no pueden pagar inmediatamente su cuenta tributaria.

Contribuyentes deben:

• Presentar su declaración de impuestos o pedir una prórroga de tiempo adicional para la fecha límite.
   
  • Las personas que deben impuestos y no presentan su declaración a tiempo o solicitan una prórroga pueden enfrentar una multa por no presentar.
  • Contribuyentes deben recordar que una prórroga de tiempo para presentar no es una prórroga de tiempo para pagar.
    • Una prórroga otorga a los contribuyentes hasta el 17 de octubre de 2022 para presentar su declaración de impuestos de 2021, pero los impuestos adeudados todavía vencen para la fecha límite de abril.
       
• Pague lo más posible antes de la fecha de vencimiento de abril.
   
  • Ya sea al presentar una declaración o solicitar una prórroga, contribuyentes deben pagar los impuestos adeudados en su totalidad antes de la fecha límite de presentación de abril para evitar multas e intereses.
  • Personas que no paguen sus impuestos a tiempo enfrentarán una multa por incumplimiento de pago.
  • IRS.gov tiene información para contribuyentes que no pueden pagar sus impuestos adeudados.
     
• Establezca un plan de pago lo más antes posible.
   
  • Contribuyentes que deben, pero no pueden pagar en su totalidad antes de la fecha límite no tienen que esperar a recibir una factura de impuestos para pedir un plan de pago.
  • Pueden solicitar un plan de pago en IRS.gov.
  • Contribuyentes también pueden solicitar un plan de pago por escrito usando el Formulario 9465 (SP), Solicitud para un Plan de Pagos a Plazos.

Algunas víctimas de desastres (en inglés), contribuyentes que viven en el extranjero (en inglés), miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas y personal de apoyo elegible en zonas de combate (en inglés), tienen más tiempo después de la fecha límite de 18 de abril para presentar y pagar sus impuestos.

Contribuyentes también deben verificar las fechas límites de presentación y pagos estatales, que pueden ser diferentes de la fecha límite federal de 18 de abril. Una lista de sitios web de la división de impuestos estatales (en inglés) está disponible a través de la Federación de Administradores de Impuestos.

Taxpayers who owe and missed the April 18 filing deadline should file now to limit penalties and interest; not too late to claim the Child Tax Credit for 2021

 Taxpayers who owe and missed the April 18 filing deadline should file now to limit penalties and interest; not too late to claim the Child Tax Credit for 2021

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers who missed Monday’s April 18 tax-filing deadline to file as soon as possible. While taxpayers due a refund receive no penalty for filing late, those who owe and missed the deadline without requesting an extension should file quickly to limit penalties and interest.

Families who don’t owe taxes to the IRS can still file their 2021 tax return and claim the Child Tax Credit for the 2021 tax year at any point until April 15, 2025, without any penalty. This year also marks the first time in history that many families with children in Puerto Rico will be eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit, which has been expanded to provide up to $3,600 per child.

Some taxpayers automatically qualify for extra time to file and pay taxes due without penalties and interest, including:

• Members of the military who served or are currently serving in a combat zone. They may qualify for an additional extension of at least 180 days to file and pay taxes.
• Support personnel in combat zones or a contingency operation in support of the Armed Forces. They may also qualify for a filing and payment extension of at least 180 days.
• Taxpayers outside the United States. U.S. citizens and resident aliens who live and work outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including military members on duty who don’t qualify for the combat zone extension, may qualify for a 2-month filing and payment extension.
• Some disaster victims. Those who qualify have more time to file and pay what they owe.

File without penalty to get a tax refund

Some people may choose not to file a tax return because they didn't earn enough money to be required to file. But they may miss out on receiving a refund. The only way to get a refund is to file a tax return. There’s no penalty for filing after the April 18 deadline if a refund is due. Taxpayers are encouraged to use electronic filing options including IRS Free File which is available on IRS.gov through October 17 to prepare and file 2021 tax returns electronically.

While most tax credits can be used to reduce the tax owed, there are a few credits that allow taxpayers to receive money beyond what they owe. The most common examples of these refundable credits are the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care Credit and Child Tax Credit. Those who don’t usually file and didn't qualify for a third-round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit when they file their 2021 tax return. Taxpayers often fail to file a tax return and claim a refund for these credits and others for which they may be eligible.

Generally, the IRS issues nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days for taxpayers who e-file and choose direct deposit. However, it’s possible a tax return may require additional review or take longer. The IRS processes paper tax returns in the order they are received.

Taxpayers can track their refund using the Where's My Refund? tool on IRS.gov, IRS2Go or by calling the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954. Taxpayers need the primary Social Security number on the tax return, the filing status and the expected refund amount. The refund status information updates once daily, usually overnight, so there’s no need to check more frequently.

File to reduce penalties and interest

Taxpayers should file their tax return and pay any taxes they owe as soon as possible to reduce penalties and interest. An extension to file is not an extension to pay. An extension to file provides an additional six months with a new filing deadline of October 17. Penalties and interest apply to taxes owed after April 18 and interest is charged on tax and penalties until the balance is paid in full.

Filing and paying as much as possible is key because the late-filing penalty and late-payment penalty add up quickly.

Even if a taxpayer can't afford to immediately pay the full amount of taxes owed, they should still file a tax return to reduce possible delayed filing penalties. The IRS offers a variety of options for taxpayers who owe the IRS but cannot afford to pay.

Usually, the failure to file penalty is 5% of the tax owed for each month or part of a month that a tax return is late, up to five months, reduced by the failure to pay penalty amount for any month where both penalties apply. If a return is filed more than 60 days after the due date, the minimum penalty is either $435 or 100% of the unpaid tax, whichever is less.

The failure to pay penalty rate is generally 0.5% of unpaid tax owed for each month or part of a month until the tax is fully paid or until 25% is reached. The rate is subject to change. For more information see IRS.gov/penalties.

Taxpayers may qualify for penalty relief if they have filed and paid timely for the past three years and meet other important requirements, including paying or arranging to pay any tax due. For more information, see the first time penalty abatement page on IRS.gov.

Pay taxes due electronically on IRS.gov/Payments

Those who owe taxes can pay quickly and securely via their Online Account, IRS Direct Pay, debit or credit card or digital wallet, or they can apply online for a payment plan (including an installment agreement). Taxpayers paying electronically receive immediate confirmation when they submit their payment. With Direct Pay and the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), taxpayers can receive email notifications about their payments.

Selecting a tax professional

The IRS offers tips to help taxpayers choose a Tax Professional to assist in tax return preparation.

The Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications can help taxpayers find tax return preparers who hold a professional credential recognized by the IRS or who have completed IRS requirements for the Annual Filing Season Program.

Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Taxpayers have fundamental rights under the law that protect them when they interact with the IRS. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights presents these rights in 10 categories. IRS Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer, highlights these rights and the agency's obligation to protect them.

WESTON CITY

 

NEWS FROM THE CITY OF WESTON April 19, 2022 ‌ Next Regular City Commission Meeting: Monday, May 2, 2022 Thank You to Our Volunteers During National Volunteer Week 2022! And Every Week Year Round Weston, probably even more than other cities in Broward, has a very broad base of volunteers that the City counts on for sports leagues, arts & cultural programming and even community response teams. Volunteer Week should not go unnoticed. Volunteers around the City and around the globe provide an extremely valuable service to society and within communities.  Learn More & View Photos » Celebrate Earth Day the Weston Way Join us this Saturday, April 23 It’s time to celebrate all things green and sustainable at the City of Weston’s inaugural Earth Day - The Weston Way celebration this Saturday, April 23, from10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Library Park. Enjoy hands-on earth-friendly activities, educational displays and giveaways from a variety of local agencies, and a live DJ with music and giveaways. Watch the creativity of our chalk artist come to life as a 3D design is created onsite.  At the event you will learn about the City’s efforts to become a Community Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation, and how Weston residents can register their own gardens or yards, too.   Learn More » Spring Cleaning Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Collection Time for some Earth-friendly spring cleaning, too! Pull out all of the unused and unwanted chemicals around your home and garage and set them aside to drop off at our collection event on Sunday, April 24. Unwanted electronics (computers, fax machines, monitors, keyboards, etc.) are also collected for recycling purposes.  There’s no need to get out of your vehicle, just drive through at the Public Works Services Center, 2599 South Post Road, anytime between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pull up and pop your trunk and the items will be removed and sorted onsite. Click below for a full list of items and additional details. Read More » Protect Our Planet Tip April is Earth Month, a time for everyone to recommit to their sustainability and health efforts. Join us in using our P.O.P. Month tips to lead a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Follow our Facebook and Twitter feeds all month long for more eco tips.   Here's today's P.O.P. Tip:  Clean the lint filter of your dryer before every load to dry your clothes faster.  Learn More » Weston University Class of 2022 Simulated Commission Meeting The final class session for this year’s Weston University program brought the students together to lead a simulated City Commission Meeting at City Hall last Tuesday. The students took various roles that brought to life some of the local government processes that they learned about over the last seven months. Take a peek at their day in the photo album below. Next stop, Washington DC! View Photos » An Egg-ceptional Royal Bunny Egg Hunt Hundreds of families came together at Regional Park last Saturday to enjoy Weston’s annual Royal Egg Hunt. Children ages 10 and under flooded baseball fields 1 to 4 of Weston Regional Park to gather their share of over 30,000 eggs. After the dash for the eggs, families enjoyed photos with the Royal bunny and children enjoyed inflatable games and cracking open their prize-filled eggs. Those lucky enough to find a golden egg redeemed them for prizes shown here. View Photos » Little Free Library at Indian Trace Park Indian Trace Park is now home to a Little Free Library, courtesy of The Rotary Club of Weston and Weston Parks. The project has been in the works for a few years, but was shelved due to COVID-19. The mission of the Little Free Library is to provide easy access to books and create a location for a community book exchange.  We love how parks and books come together to foster a love of reading and look forward to finding out how much our community loves it! Park visitors can find the library box mounted near the playground and are encouraged to leave a book and take a book.   Grease Down the Drain? No! Only Water (Inside) and Rain (Outside) Grease is the number one culprit of sewer pipe overflows and backups. Sewer overflows and backups can cause health hazards, harm the environment and damage your home. An easy way to remember is ‘Can the F.O.G.’ (Fats, Oils, Grease) put these items in a can or container and dispose of them in the garbage, NOT the drain.  Learn More » Can You Crack the Emoji Code? DEA Tips on Emojis Used to Signal Drugs In partnership with the DEA, Operation Engage, Miami Field Division, we are providing some excellent content for parents to be aware of regarding kids, social media and drugs. Today all it takes to purchase drugs is a smartphone, a couple of emojis and some cash. Learn the codes before it’s too late, because today, just one pill can kill.  Learn More » Fire Safety Have Your Electrical Panel Checked This is an important re-run of a previously posted article. Weston Fire Chief Todd Draizin urges all homeowners to check their electrical panels to see if you have one that has been recalled. Also, if your home is 20 to 30 years of age, panels wear out over time and should be replaced, so they need to be inspected to ensure they are in good working condition. Homes have had fires due to their electrical panels. There have been fires in homes here in Weston that were caused by faulty electrical panels. Learn More » Always Training and Educating BSO Weston Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Firefighters do not sit in the station waiting for calls to come in. They are constantly educating themselves on our city's largest businesses, our schools, day care facilities, and training on the latest equipment. As an example, Weston Fire Rescue crews along with Cleveland Clinic Hospital Engineering recently performed their annual pre-fire planning of the facility.   This planning exercise included a walk-through of the facility to identify specific hazards in and around the campus. They reviewed emergency plans for evacuation of patients, staff, firefighting apparatus positioning, firefighting strategies, and tactics. Pictured is a photo of one of the crews that performed the walk through. YMCA Summer Camp Early Bird Registration Now Open Summer is almost here! Do you need a summer camp for your kids to stay active? The Weston YMCA is just the place. Early Bird registration is open for a summer filled with fun activities for kids ages five through 17. New themes are featured every weekend and kids will have a great time doing arts and crafts, games, YFIT fitness classes and swimming - while building character values. Don’t miss out. Register today!