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Entry bubble Tax Rebates are Here (Sorta)!

By: Jake | May 05, 2008 | Category: Money

We're starting to see economic stimulus payments (or tax rebates) in our bank accounts! Or at least some of us are. If you want to know when you'll get it, the Internal Revenue Service has created a "where's my stimulus payment" webpage where you can enter some information and see when you should get your payment.

Animated Guy with a Tax CheckThe IRS is sending payments out in order of the last two digits of a taxpayer's social security number. So those of you who qualified for the payment, opted for direct deposit and whose SSN ends in 0-20 got rebates last week.

The IRS rebate schedule says that those of us with higher numbers at the end of our SSN will have to wait a few more weeks to get our direct deposit payments. Those who opted for paper checks will start to get checks in mid-May.

This SSN schedule assumes the IRS processed your tax return by April 15. If the IRS did not process your return by April 15, you should get your economic stimulus payment up to two weeks after you receive your refund (regardless of direct deposit or check it seems). If you did not expect to get a refund or you filed your return after April 15, it will take a minimum of six weeks after you file to receive your stimulus payment.

If you don't remember or don't know how much money you qualified to receive, you can use the IRS Economic Stimulus Payment Calculator to find out. Keep in mind you could receive less than the amount calculated here if you owe back taxes, child support, money for student loans and other reasons. Around the same time you get your payment, the IRS will send you a notice to break down how it was calculated. Keep this statement for your records.

If you did not file your 2007 income tax or an extension, you can still file your federal income tax by October 15, 2008 to see if you qualify for an economic stimulus payment. The sooner you file though, the sooner you'll get results.

If you have other questions call the IRS or contact your local IRS office.  

| Comments [15] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: economic  jake  money  payment  rebates  stimulus  tax 

 

Entry bubble Free Consumer Action while Freed from TV

By: Jake | April 21, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Straight from the "strange but true" file, it's National TV-Turnoff week. That's right the Center for Screen-Time Awareness (CSTA) says April 21-27 everyone should turn off or even unplug their TV so they can "think, create and do."TV

The first thing you can "do" is order the free and newly published 2008 Consumer Action Handbook, or CAH, as we call it in the office. The CAH is an every day guide to being a smarter shopper. (You're smart already because you're ordering the CAH).

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled programming or I guess missing or DVRing your regularly scheduled programming.

The CSTA has been hosting National TV-Turnoff Week since 1995 so people can take a hard look at the role of TV in their lives, especially in the lives of their children. They say that TV is a passive activity and if you or your children watch too much, it can cut into family time and lead to unhealthy habits and obesity.

They recommend while the TV is off you and your family spend time outdoors, read, play games or just have fun with each other. Their hope is that you make these activities a habit and you and your family spend less time watching TV in the future.

My TV will be off this week since I'm helping a friend get ready for his wedding (I don't think this will become a habit). Now turn off "The Hills" and get out there, but remember to order the CAH before you go.

| Comments [0] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: cah  jake  television 

 

Entry bubble Virginia Tech Massacre Remembrance

By: Jake | April 14, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

I am sure I'm not the only person whose stomach goes into a knots when I think about the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. As you probably know, 32 students and professors were gunned down in a residence hall and academic building that day by an individual who was in severe need of mental health services.Hokie Ribbon

I'm an alumnus of Virginia Tech ('01 and '03) and while I did not know any of the victims, I knew people who did (one of the victims went to my high school and was a classmate of my brother). My pain over this tragedy was nowhere near as deep or harsh as those of the victims or their friends and families, but the tragedy was still hard to digest. Virginia Tech was one of those rare places of peace in my mind and it was torn to pieces.

Wednesday will mark a year since the tragedy and Virginia Tech will hold a "Day of Remembrance." The university has canceled classes "to allow students to remember those lost in their own way." There will be events around the country for people to remember those lost.

The thing I've learned from this tragedy is that if I see someone who seems down or withdrawn I try to talk to them instead of ignoring them like I might normally do. I never know what effect this will have, but generally it help knocks them out of their funk.

I notice a lot of links to mental health services on the Virginia Tech remembrance page for students who may still need to talk to someone about the tragedy. I've never had to refer someone to a mental health professional, but I am not afraid to since lots of worse things can happen if I don't.

| Comments [2] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: health  hokies  jake  memorials  mental  remembrance  tech  virginia 

 

Entry bubble E-file Your Taxes!

By: Jake | March 03, 2008 | Category: Money

With changing tax laws, tax rebates checks and tax cats giving advice, there's a lot to consider when filing your taxes. E-filing can make things easier. It has for me.

For the last few years I have filed my taxes electronically. I have found e-file is more accurate and it saves me time number crunching. I also receive my refund quicker than I did when I mailed my refund. I'm not the only one that's found filing online easier. The Internal Revenue Service received nearly 80 million tax returns electronically in 2007 which accounted for nearly 60 percent of all returns they received. This is not just individuals; small businesses, charities and nonprofits can also e-file.Tax Computer Key

There are some things to think about before filing your taxes electronically. If your adjusted gross income is less than $54,000 you can file for free, but if it is more you will be charged for e-filing. Some states will accept your state tax return along with your federal return, but some will not. You should check to see how your state accepts online tax returns before you file. Also if you don't normally file a tax return, but are doing so for the tax rebate checks you should contact the IRS before e-filing to see if you are eligible.

For those who want to e-file, the IRS has a searchable database of local e-file providers as well as a list of online tax preparers. Though strict government laws won't allow me to endorse what it says (Oh, I'd only lose my job) and it's not a tip from their expert, the tax cat, you may want to check out the Consumerist post last week about how these online tax preparers rank.

| Comments [4] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: e-file  jake  online  taxes 

 

Entry bubble The Do Not Call Registry

By: Jake | February 25, 2008 | Category: Money

You can now make those mid-dinner telemarketing calls a thing of the past.

The Do Not Call Registry allows citizens to submit their phone numbers to a list that telemarketers are not allowed to call. When the registry was set up in 2003 the program required people to re-register every five years in order to keep the numbers up to date.

Now users will not have to re-register since earlier this month President Bush signed the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007 which prohibits the removal of numbers from the registry.

You can verify your registration or register your phone number online. Keep in mind that it takes 31 days for the updated list to be submitted to telemarketers and even then you may still receive calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors or companies with which you have an existing business relationship. If you do receive a call from someone you are not supposed to you can file a complaint with the registry online or with the Federal Communications Commission.

| envelope Email This Entry | Tags: call  commission  do  federal  jake  not  registry  telemarketers  trade 

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