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What are the penalties for not filing by October 17th extension deadline if I overpaid?
So I filed for an extension for my 2024 taxes back in April, and at that time I sent in what I thought was a pretty generous payment (definitely more than what I'll actually owe when everything is calculated). Based on my rough estimates, I should actually be getting money back when I finally file. The problem is that life has been crazy lately - work deadlines, family stuff, you name it - and I'm realizing there's no way I can get my paperwork together by the October 17th extension deadline. I'm thinking it'll probably be another 1-2 weeks after that before I can actually file. My question is: Will I still get hit with that 5% failure to file penalty even though I overpaid my estimated taxes with my extension request? Or since I'm owed a refund, will the IRS just not penalize me for filing after the extension deadline? This is just for federal taxes, not state. Thanks for any help!
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How long does it actually take to receive a tax refund as a first-time filer?
So I'm 22 and completely clueless about taxes. This is my first time filing a tax return on my own and I'm a bit confused about the timing. My return was just accepted yesterday and I selected direct deposit (seemed like the faster option). The website I used said something like "9 out of 10 people get their refund within 21 days" which sounds reasonable. The weird thing is all my roommates are telling me it's going to take way longer - like months longer. Then I looked online and saw some sites saying I should allow up to 120 days?! That's literally 4 months! I'm not in a huge rush but that seems ridiculous. Can anyone with experience tell me how long tax refunds usually take to hit your bank account when you choose direct deposit? I'm in Denver, Colorado if that makes any difference. This is for a pretty simple return - just my W-2 from my retail job, nothing complicated.
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Have you considered that your refund might be delayed because it's your first time filing? The IRS sometimes puts extra verification steps on first-time filers to prevent fraud. My first return took around 31 days even though it was super simple. Also, pro tip: if you're getting a sizable refund, you might want to adjust your W-4 withholding with your employer. A big refund feels nice, but it basically means you gave the government an interest-free loan of your money all year!
Oh I hadn't thought about being flagged as a first-time filer! That actually makes a lot of sense. 31 days isn't terrible I guess, just longer than that 21 day estimate. What's the best way to adjust withholding? I'd rather have the money throughout the year for sure, but I'm nervous about accidentally owing taxes next year if I mess with my W-4.
The easiest way to adjust your withholding is to fill out a new W-4 form with your employer. The form was redesigned in 2020 to be more straightforward. If you want to be conservative about it, you can start by claiming just a little less withholding and see how it affects your paychecks. The IRS has a Tax Withholding Estimator tool on their website that can help calculate the right amount based on your specific situation. It's better to slightly overwithhold than underwithhold, so you still get a small refund rather than owing money at tax time. Just update your W-4 with your employer's HR department once you figure out the right numbers.
My refund timeline from filing to deposit this year: Filed electronically on Feb 3 Acceptance confirmation Feb 4 Refund approved Feb 14 Deposit hit my account Feb 16 So about 13 days total from filing to money in my account. Not bad!
What tax software did you use? I'm wondering if some get processed faster than others.
Never received a W-2 from my employer - got 1099 instead but taxes were withheld
I've been working at a small preschool from 2023-2025 and I'm completely stressed out because I never received a W-2 for any of these years. Instead, my boss gave me a 1099 claiming I was an independent contractor - which is absolutely NOT true! I'm especially confused because I have several paystubs showing that federal and state taxes were being withheld from my checks all along. This has never happened to me before and I don't know what to do. I've made an appointment at the local IRS taxpayer assistance center, but I'm freaking out because my dad keeps saying I might end up owing the IRS a ton of money now. I can't shake the feeling that my employer has been doing something shady with my tax withholdings. If they took taxes from my paychecks but then classified me as an independent contractor on a 1099, where did those withheld taxes go? Has anyone dealt with this kind of situation before? Any advice before my IRS appointment? I'm so worried about what this means for filing my 2024 taxes.
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I went through this exact same situation with a small private school I worked for. Here's what happened: they gave me a 1099 but had been withholding taxes. I filed Form SS-8 with the IRS to determine my correct worker status, and Form 8919 with my tax return like someone mentioned above. The IRS ruled I was an employee and my employer got in serious trouble because they had been pocketing the withheld taxes rather than sending them to the IRS! Make sure you keep all your paystubs showing the withholding - that's key evidence. The good news is that the IRS waived all penalties for me since I reported it. The bad news is my employer had to pay significant penalties and back taxes. They actually went out of business a few months later (though they had other financial issues too).
How long did the whole process take from filing the SS-8 to getting a determination? I've heard the IRS is super backed up.
It took about 7 months to get the official determination after filing the SS-8. The IRS is definitely backed up with these cases. The good part was that I didn't have to wait for the determination to file my taxes - I filed Form 8919 with my return and explained the situation. I was able to file my taxes as an employee would (paying only my share of Social Security and Medicare taxes) while the determination was pending. When the official ruling came through, it confirmed I'd filed correctly. If you have solid evidence like paystubs showing withholding, you're in a pretty strong position.
One thing nobody has mentioned - GET A NEW JOB ASAP!!! Any employer pulling this kind of stunt is shady af and probably doing other illegal stuff too. My sister's daycare did the same thing and when the state investigated they found all kinds of violations beyond just the tax fraud.
Agreed! My cousin got caught in this same situation and the employer was also skimping on workers comp insurance and violating labor laws about breaks and overtime. These things rarely happen in isolation.
Bought a House in 2023 - What Tax Changes Should I Expect for 2025 Filing?
Title: Bought a House in 2023 - What Tax Changes Should I Expect for 2025 Filing? 1 Hey everyone! So I purchased my first home back in September/October 2023, and I'm still getting used to the whole homeownership thing. I've only done my own taxes once before (for 2022) and honestly I'm still pretty clueless about the whole process. I'm wondering what changes I should expect when filing my taxes this year because of buying the house? Do I get new deductions? Different forms? I seriously have no idea what to anticipate and don't really have anyone in my life to ask about this stuff. Any help or advice would be super appreciated! Thanks!!
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3 Don't forget energy efficiency tax credits if you made any improvements! I bought a fixer-upper last year and got credits for: - New energy efficient windows ($600 credit) - Heat pump water heater ($2,000 credit) - Added insulation ($1,200 credit) These are straight tax credits, not deductions, so they directly reduce what you owe. Check out Form 5695 - the credits were expanded under the Inflation Reduction Act.
8 Do these credits apply if the improvements were done by the previous owner right before selling? The listing mentioned they installed new energy efficient windows and HVAC a month before I bought the place.
3 Unfortunately, no. The energy efficiency tax credits only apply to improvements you made yourself after purchasing the home. The previous owner would have been eligible to claim those credits on their return, but you can't claim credits for improvements made before you owned the property. If you make your own energy efficient upgrades in the future though, definitely keep all receipts and manufacturer certifications. The credits are quite generous through 2032 under current law!
19 Quick tip for first-time homebuyers: if you withdrew money from an IRA for the down payment, you might qualify for an exception to the early withdrawal penalty (though you'll still pay income tax on the distribution). Up to $10,000 can be withdrawn penalty-free for a first-time home purchase. Check out Form 5329!
11 Is this true for Roth IRAs too? I took out some money from my Roth for closing costs and wasn't sure if I needed to report it.
How do I find my mom's missing 2017 car tax statement for unfiled taxes?
I'm in a bit of a stressful situation with my mom's taxes. She has dementia and apparently never filed her 2017 tax return. I'm trying to help get everything straightened out now, and the tax preparer I hired is asking specifically for her car tax information from 2017. I have no idea where to even start looking for this! Would this be something I need to contact the DMV about? Or is there some other department that handles vehicle property taxes? I've been going through her paperwork but can't find anything related to car taxes from that year. Any help would be really appreciated as I'm trying to get her finances in order while managing her care.
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Don't forget to check if your mom kept old bank statements from 2017! My father used to pay his property taxes through his bank's bill pay service, and when I needed proof for an audit, I was able to find the payment that way. The bank statements showed the payment to "[County Name] Treasurer" which was enough for our tax preparer. Most banks keep records accessible for 7 years.
That's a great idea! I hadn't thought of checking her bank statements. Do you think the amount would be specifically labeled as "car tax" or would it just show as a payment to the county?
It probably won't say "car tax" specifically. In my dad's case, it just showed as a payment to the county treasurer with a reference number. But if you can match the amount and approximate date (usually due the same time each year), that can be enough. Your tax preparer mainly needs the amount paid for deduction purposes. If your mom paid by check, there might even be a memo line notation, or you could look at the back of the canceled check image to see how it was processed. Sometimes the county puts identifying numbers on those.
Has anyone mentioned checking with the tax preparer who did her taxes in 2016 or 2018? They might have a copy of the 2017 statement if they were handling her taxes regularly before her dementia progressed. My mom's accountant kept copies of everything for like 10 years.
This is what saved me when dealing with my grandpa's taxes! His accountant had backups of almost everything, including property tax statements going back nearly a decade. Worth a phone call at least.
I hadn't thought of that either! I'm not sure if she used the same preparer before, but it's definitely worth asking. Thanks for the suggestion!
Ryder Everingham
Just wanted to add another point - while there's no failure-to-file penalty when you're due a refund, there IS a deadline for claiming that refund. You have 3 years from the ORIGINAL due date (not the extension date) to file and claim your refund. So for 2024 taxes, you'd need to file by April 15, 2028, or you forfeit your refund completely. The government keeps your money if you don't file within that window!
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Ella Cofer
AuthorThanks for this additional info! I definitely will file long before that 3-year deadline hits, but good to know there's an absolute cutoff. Does the same apply for state taxes or does that vary by state?
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Ryder Everingham
The 3-year refund claim deadline is for federal taxes. State tax deadlines vary by state - some follow the federal 3-year rule, while others have shorter or occasionally longer timeframes. For example, California and New York generally follow the federal 3-year rule, but some states like Montana only give you 2 years to claim a refund. I'd recommend checking your specific state's tax agency website for their rules since it's not standardized across all states.
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Lilly Curtis
Something to consider - even though there's no penalty, waiting to file when you're owed a refund is basically giving the government an interest-free loan. If your refund is substantial (like over $1000), that's money that could be in your account earning interest or paying down debt.
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Leo Simmons
True, but with the current disaster at the IRS with processing times, you might not get that refund anytime soon anyway. My brother filed in April and just got his refund last week!
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