The Tax Man Cometh!

From our Poetry Department – “The end of March is here, and that means that Tax Filing Day is near.”
This year the deadline is midnight on Monday, April 15. If you can’t file your federal tax return on time, you can get an automatic six-month extension if you file IRS Form 4868 before April 15.
Filing a tax return is important to seniors for more reasons than you might think. It is a good idea for seniors to file a tax return each year even if they know that they will owe no income tax at all.  If you are entitled to a refund, you must file a tax return to get it. Filing a return will tell you if any of your Social Security benefits for 2018 count as taxable income. If you had income only from Social Security, it is very unlikely that those benefits are taxable.
Many senior aide programs have qualifications that require filing a tax return. Your local or state government may grant a real estate tax reduction based on the senior’s income tax filing, some assistance programs may have limitations based on income tax filings and programs like Medicaid or SNAP have income requirements.
Right now is a good time to think about contacting a tax professional. The Ourseniors.net website can help you find qualified and knowledgeable tax and accounting help. Brett Porter, E.A. in Port Orange and the greater Volusia County area (Ormond Beach to Edgewater, Deland to Daytona) is a full-service accounting firm. You can contact Bret by phone at 386-210-7229 or by clicking Brett Porter, E.A.