There were about 1.5 million taxpayers that didn’t file a return in 2018. The IRS announced that it has $1.5 billion in tax refunds from 2018 and gave taxpayers until the end of the season to claim their money. If you missed out on claiming your refund, there are steps you can take to make sure you claim other refunds from 2019 and on.
How to claim an old tax refund
Taxpayers have a three-year deadline to claim unpaid tax refunds for federal taxes. While there are instances where it may not be required for you to report your income, filing helps the IRS ensure that you receive any refunds you may be eligible for.
The first thing you should do is make sure that you filed for the year in question. If you missed the filing deadline, you should still file as soon as possible to avoid IRS enforcement. To file a return from 2018 and prior years, you’ll have to file by paper. The final page of your current Form 1040 will tell you which IRS center to send your return to, as it may differ based on your state.
Low and moderate-income families could be eligible for larger refunds by qualifying for Earned Income Tax Credit. This credit is based on the number of children in a household and filing status.
Returns for 2019 and on can be e-filed.
What happens to your refund if you owe back taxes?
The refund is generally applied to any amount that you owe to your state or the IRS. It can be used to offset other overdue balances such as child support and student loans as well.
Optima Tax Relief assists clients with large tax liabilities reach a resolution. Give us a call for a free consultation today at (800) 536-0734.
The IRS backlog has caused delays in millions of tax refunds, but not all refunds are delayed due to the pandemic. Lead Tax Attorney Philip Hwang and CEO David King discuss how you can avoid refund delays when you file and how your refund may be affected by various circumstances.
President Joe Biden has discussed a proposal that would target billionaires in his 2023 budget. The proposal calls for a new minimum tax, forwardly named the “Billionaire Minimum Income Tax.”
What exactly is the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax?
This tax would assess a 20% minimum tax rate on US households worth more than $100 million. However, over half the revenue would likely come from households bringing in more than $1 billion of income.
The proposal document states, “This minimum tax would make sure that the wealthiest Americans no longer pay a tax rate lower than teachers and firefighters.”
Wealthy households that already pay 20% on their full income won’t pay any additional tax under the Billionaire Income Tax proposal. However, if they pay less than 20%, they will be expected to meet the new minimum.
What will the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax accomplish?
The proposal was created as part of Biden’s new spending plan, which is expected to reduce the deficit by $1.3 trillion over the next ten years. About $360 billion of that would be due to this new levy proposal.
In 2021, the federal deficit totaled nearly $2.8 trillion. Should this proposal pass through Congress, we could see nearly half of the deficit decrease over the next ten years.
When would the Billionaire Minimum Income Tax be enacted?
There is still uncertainty surrounding Congress moving forward on Biden’s proposal. Last year, Senate Democrats proposed a billionaires’ tax that ultimately didn’t proceed.
As Congress continues to discuss and debate the new billionaire tax proposal, Optima will update our readers and clients accordingly.
For tax debt assistance, call Optima at (800) 536-0734 for a free consultation today.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of US workers lost their jobs. While some were able to return to work in 2021, approximately 25 million people received unemployment benefits and didn’t withhold taxes. The IRS is now looking to collect back taxes for the $325 billion in total benefits and mailed millions of large tax bills this season.
Withholding Unemployment Tax
Most states and the federal government consider unemployment benefits taxable income. You should withhold federal taxes on your unemployment in order to avoid a bill the following tax season.
In 2020, there was a tax break that allowed millions of Americans to owe a lesser amount of tax, or not owe tax at all. However, as the IRS has steadily made efforts to return to normal enforcement activity since 2021, there was no such tax break this year.
What happens if you don’t pay taxes on unemployment benefits?
As with any tax liability, you will receive a tax bill from the IRS via mail. Should you not reach out to the IRS or pay the bill by the end of the tax season, you could face enforcement consequences such as a levy or lien, accrue interest, and lose eligibility for a refund after filing a return.
What to do if you owe taxes for unemployment benefits
If you owe taxes on your unemployment benefits and can’t afford to pay it back in full, you have a couple of options. The first option, if your tax bill isn’t too high by your means, you can contact the IRS to set up a payment plan. This option allows you to negotiate how much you will pay monthly until the bill is paid.
Should you find that your liability is too high for you to pay back or you’re facing hardship that doesn’t allow you to afford your payment options, consider seeking professional assistance such as Optima Tax Relief.
At Optima, we assist clients who owe state and federal taxes, including individual, joint filers, and business filers. Give us a call at (800) 536-0734 for a free consultation today.
Comparably’s Best HR Teams list recognizes the nation’s top HR departments. There are over 299,440 Human Resources Managers currently employed in the United States, and Optima is proud to announce that our HR team has ranked in the Top 50!
About Comparably
Comparably is a leading workplace culture and corporate brand reputation platform with over 15 million anonymous employee ratings on 70,000 companies. Comparably awards are based on feedback provided by current employees in several categories. Workplace culture categories included the following:
Compensation
Leadership
Co-workers
Work-life balance
Professional development opportunities
Perks and benefits
Executive Team
Retention
Happiness
Meetings
Diversity
Team
CEO Rating
Manager
eNPS
Gender
Overall Culture
Office Culture
Of nearly 20 different categories total, all ratings were provided from March 2021 through March 2022.
Optima’s HR Team
Optima’s Associate VP of Human Resources Kimberly Carson shared her experience working with Optima, saying, “When I came to Optima, I was provided the opportunity to build almost an entirely new HR department/team. We have been incredibly blessed for the way that both the current and new HR team members have come together to show support for one another in working as a team, to be selfless and supportive every day, and exhibit a true love for life and positivity. I wake up each day excited to work with this team, and I feel incredibly honored that their efforts are being recognized for all the great work they do to make it the best department! I could not be prouder of our team!”
Optima is just as honored to have the great support system that is our HR department. We look forward to our company’s growth and improvement in all categories for next year’s list. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
The state of the economy can be detrimental to your IRS or state tax liability. What exactly happens to your tax debt during inflationary periods? CEO David King and Lead Tax Attorney Phillip Hwang discuss the difference in interest rates, deadlines, and what to do if you find yourself in this circumstance.
The inflation is directly affecting drivers and daily commuters alike with skyrocketing gas prices. In California, the average cost for regular gas is now up to $5.82, or $6.21 for premium. Recently, the government has decided to step in on federal and state levels to alleviate costs and provide support to the public. This has led to the creation of a new gas stimulus, which would support households that own vehicles.
Gas Rebate Act of 2022
The Gas Rebate was introduced by Reps Mike Thompson (CA-05), John Larson (CT-01), and Lauren Underwood (IL-14). The bill calls for an energy rebate of $100 per month, plus another $100 for each dependent for the rest of 2022.
“The Putin Price Hike is putting a strain on our economy,” Thompson said, “and I am proud to be working with Reps. Larson and Underwood to introduce this legislation to provide middle-class Americans with monthly payments to ease the financial burden of this global crises.”
The stipulation is that the average gas prices must exceed $4.00 per gallon; meaning, if at any time during the year the gas prices drop to an affordable price, then the stimulus check would not be dispersed that month.
What are the requirements to be eligible for the gas stimulus check?
Single filers earning less than $75,000 and phases out to $80,000
Joint filers earning less than $150,000 and phases out at $160,000
If you earn more than $80,000, you could still be eligible for a smaller amount.
Gavin Newsom’s Gas Proposal
Governor Newsom proposed $400 per vehicle in direct payments for California taxpayers. The maximum is two cars per household. The proposal calls for the use of $9 billion of the state’s budget surplus to provide the $400 rebate.
Optima will continue to follow news on the Gas Rebate Act of 2022 and Governor Newsom’s proposal, and update our readers and client accordingly.
At Optima, we help clients that are facing tax debt in their journey to a resolution. Give us a call at (800)536-0734 for a free consultation today.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS was forced to close its doors. Since reopening, there has been an extensive backlog of tax returns that the organization couldn’t seem to catch up on. Many American taxpayers have been waiting for refunds that are a year or more behind. In recent weeks, Commissioner Charles Rettig stated that the IRS backlog is due to clear up by the end of 2022.
What has changed for the IRS?
In addition to the complications of being a business in the midst of a pandemic, being understaffed has also immensely affected the turn-around for tax returns. This month, the IRS has accelerated their recruiting process in order to reach a goal of hiring 10,000 new employees. The hiring push is expected to cut tens of millions of tax returns in the backlog.
What does a clear backlog mean for 2023 filing season?
Commissioner Rettig said, “As of today, barring any unforeseen circumstances, if the world stays as it is today, we will be what we call ‘healthy’ by the end of the calendar year 2022, and enter the 2023 filing season with normal inventories.”
This means that next year, the IRS will likely resume usual enforcement and collection activity. With a lack of backlogged returns and a mostly healthy nation, in addition to thousands of new hires, the IRS can operate normally- if not better than the last two years.
What does IRS enforcement look like?
When you have a penalty or fall behind in paying your taxes, you should expect a notice from the IRS. The notice is the first step in communicating a liability. From there, your penalty can accrue interest daily until paid.
The IRS is also known for applying liens and levies, taking legal possession of your assets. Ideally, you want to contact them before this point to gain compliance and prevent worst-case scenarios.\
What if you owe back taxes currently?
At Optima, we help clients that are facing tax debt in their journey to a resolution. Give us a call at (800)536-0734 for a free consultation today.
Many taxpayers rely on Social Security to get by after retiring. Unfortunately, taxpayers with outstanding tax liabilities may be at risk of a levy on their retirement funds. How much can the IRS take and what should you do? CEO David King and Lead Tax Attorney Phillip Hwang discuss everything you need to know about Social Security garnishments.
Optima Tax Relief has once again teamed up with the IRS to provide assistance to low-income residents and other members of their surrounding community with free tax preparation services. Over 100 members of Optima’s staff registered with the United Way of Orange County, California to participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which was launched by the IRS to provide free tax preparation services to those such as:
Persons with disabilities
Limited English-speaking taxpayers
Elderly taxpayers
Low to moderate-income taxpayers
The free tax help offered by the VITA program is particularly beneficial for those who are 60 years of age and older, as it specializes in questions about pensions and other retirement-related issues that are unique to seniors. Many of the community members who would qualify for the program are retired individuals associated with non-profit organizations that receive grants from the IRS. This year, however, we saw a wide range of ages attend for assistance. We were happy to help anyone that we could!
“It gave me the opportunity to offer assistance, to the people of our community, who may not have had the fortune to go elsewhere for tax assistance and walk away with a smile on their face for the help and guidance they received,” said Associate Director of Payments Steve Stoffel.
SVP of Accounting, Richard Hamiprodjo called volunteering for the VITA program “a rewarding experience getting involved with the community and helping those who are in need.”
By partnering with the IRS, the VITA program is able to offer reliable, trustworthy tax filing services for free. Optima’s volunteers for the VITA program helped with tax preparation, greeting guests, and some gathered the appropriate tax documents from taxpayers.
Associate VP of Human Resources Kimberly Carson was also a volunteer this year. She shared her thoughts and experience, saying, “It was great to have the opportunity to give back to our community and help people with getting their taxes completed. Not everyone has extra money to get their taxes done by professionals to ensure it is done correctly, so to be able to provide this service to the community is not only needed but fulfilling. Thank you for the opportunity!”
Our volunteers exclaimed how exciting and fulfilling it was to be part of this event. The culture within Optima is very community oriented, and it shows through the tenacity Optimians have for helping others and connecting. Martha Casillas, a Payments Coordinator at Optima said, “My participation as a VITA volunteer gave me a boost of self-confidence, and self-esteem within the company. Being new to the OTR family, it also allowed me to connect with other Optimians, as well as see some of the involvements OTR has within the surrounding communities.”
Case Manager Kateri Drewes added, “For me, being a VITA volunteer means taking the time to give back to my local community. I cherish the opportunity to help folks get the care and quality service they deserve!”
Optima looks forward to working with United Way to host our very own VITA site at our California office next year. Our goal is to serve more taxpayers with a bigger outreach in the Santa Ana community.
