TAX TIME - Do You Compute and Mail in Your Tax Forms Every Year?

[GailL1]

Do you compute and mail (electronic or regular) your Federal Tax Forms Every Year?

Or do you only send them in IF you owe money or MORE money whichever the case?

Yes, I do - I have no other choice - I normally do have to pay more.  

[sktn77a]

Don't quite understand the question here but if you earn between $15,000 to $30,000 a year (depending on filing status), then you must file a tax return.  If you just leave it, the government will come after you and charge you more in penalties and interest that you made on any interest earned.

I used the paper and pencil method for years but as the tax system got more complicated with schedules, worksheets, instructions, etc, etc (and my taxes are as simple as you can get), I now use tax software to do the annual dirty deed!

[GAKKIEZ]

Still doing regular mail-in filing every year federal and state. I usually go to the websites to download and print forms. 

Just part of the normal financial 'housekeeping' chores.

[nctarheel]

I file every year. I order forms from the IRS early in January( they never have them in stock that early), get them in late February, and file in March.

I then do my taxes the old fashioned way, pen and paper.

Keeps me out of my wife's hair for a couple of days.

[papawofboo]

I still do the paper forms. Many years ago I changed the way I did my tax stuff. Instead of having them hold out more money, then sending it to me without including any interest. I kind of figure it is better to owe them. I waited until 4/15 to mail the form. Then I would wait on a bill which came several months later and then I would settle up. Plus if I got called home by St. Peter then I had come out ahead of Uncle Sam.

[GailL1]

I have been filing electronically as of late.  Didn’t know that they would send a bill.  I just try to get as close as possible but without having to get a refund  - so usually if income is about the same from year to year, I pay in what I had to pay the year before to avoid any penalty.

The reason why I was asking is because on another board that I frequent several seniors said they just never filed even if they think they may owe but don’t know for sure - I was specifically asking due to taxes on social security benefits.  

Yea, he is one Uncle that I do not want a visit from - 

[fffred]

I've been a tax buff since early on. I used to haunt the post office waiting for them to get the paper forms in before New Years..

Yes, I always file a tax return. During my working years I had to. Between my retirement (66+1 month) and age 70 I had no particular income other than interest and dividends; then Social Security got added at 70. I believe that there were some years in there where gross tax due was "0". I suppose that whatever income I had was offset by the standard deduction. Then I moved to Canada and...the dust has never settled. Looking at 3 complex tax returns every year (file joint in US; all Canadian returns are individual). My precision accounting mindset just can't handle the complexities of this (compounded with a rental property). I guess researching tax issues is a good retirement hobby for me.

Even in Canada we might have not needed to file tax returns for the first 3 tax years but we did. I guess that was all tied together with our US taxes.