Protect Your Tax Refund Check and Identity

Keep your tax forms private to prevent identity theft.

When it comes to identity theft, many people diligently protect their internet usage and sharing of public information, but government forms like those completed at tax time are a common source of identity theft.  Around this time of year, identity theft is on the rise, as thieves come out of the woodwork to sabotage your tax return and refund. 

Make sure that you don’t give thieves a chance by being extra careful filing your taxes with some simple steps suggested by the experts at Equifax, like:

• If filing by mail, take your tax return directly to the post office. Do not leave it in your mailbox where it can easily be stolen.

End of Year Tax Prep for 2013 Rewards

As 2012 rolls to an end, no one wants to think about the inevitable (and sometimes feared) date of April 15 being just a few months away. However, tax day is not a date that any American can get away from, and the Equifax Finance Blog has a few reasons for why you should start thinking about taxes while it’s still 2012.

If you want to get the most out of your tax deductions in the New Year it is helpful to go ahead and begin sorting through your taxes in order to get prepared. Want more tax deductions? Go ahead and do a little ‘winter cleaning’ before the spring and find items to donate to a local charity. If it’s been awhile since you cleaned out your closet, make a point to clean it out before the New Year, so clothing and other items can be donated with a 2012 date on them. Be sure to make a detailed list of what you donate, even taking pictures if possible, as all of these items will be tax deductible in 2013 when you begin itemizing your tax deductions for 2012.

Relocation Notification when moving to an Atlanta New Home

Change address when moving to avoid penalties
on taxes and other financial mail.

If you are getting ready to move, there’s an important tip to save money many people miss. All it takes is making sure that your taxes and creditors know where you are going. The Equifax Finance Blog explains more about it in the new article, “Tell the IRS and Your State When You Move.”

If you are currently involved in or considering a job with a lot of relocation and travel, one thing to put at the top of your list of things to do is to notify your financial services and tax agencies about the move. By doing this, you can make sure that you don’t miss important financial notices.

New Tax Deduction

This is good news for future homeowners. A new tax deduction for home owners was just recently passed that allows a deduction for paying mortgage insurance.

Borrowers closing loans to purchase homes in 2007 who have annual household incomes of $100,000 or less will be able to get a low down payment mortgage and deduct the full cost of their mortgage insurance premiums on their federal tax return.

Read the article here