Noelene N. Daniel & Associates LLC

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2025-28

Taxpayers should check their withholding now to prepare for next year

Proper tax withholding now is key to avoiding surprises when taxpayers file next year. Making any needed adjustments early means taxpayers won’t have to make a big change later in the year to catch up

The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator is a free online tool that helps workers, independent contractors and retirees determine if they have the right amount of federal income tax withheld from their paychecks. Using it can prevent taxpayers from having an unexpectedly large tax bill or a substantial refund when they file in 2026.

How the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator helps taxpayers plan ahead
Taxes are pay-as-you-go, which means taxpayers need to pay their tax as they receive their income. They do this through withholding.

For employees, “withholding” refers to the federal income tax portion of each paycheck that an employer takes out for tax purposes. It can also mean the amount from earnings self-employed people and others voluntarily set aside to pay their estimated taxes.

After using the Tax Withholding Estimator, taxpayers can determine if they need to submit an updated Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, to their employer or adjust the amount they voluntarily set aside for tax purposes.

By adjusting tax withholding, taxpayers can:

Prevent owing money and potential penalties at tax time.
Adjust withholdings to increase take-home pay instead of waiting for a refund.
Use the tool once a year
By using the estimator once a year, taxpayers can manage their estimates based on any personal life change, such as buying a home, changing jobs, having a child or changing their marital status.

For people who recently completed their 2024 tax return, the IRS advises using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to consider all income sources such as full-time wages, side jobs and any sale of services or commodities typically reported on Form 1099-K.

Required documents
For an effective tax withholding estimate, taxpayers will need certain documents including:

All income statements, including those of their spouse if filing jointly
Data from other sources of earnings
Their most recent income tax return

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2025-15

Tips for choosing a tax professional

When people turn to tax professionals for help preparing their federal tax return, they should choose their preparer with care. Taxpayers are ultimately responsible for all the information on their federal income tax return, regardless of who prepares the return.

Resources for choosing the right tax preparer:

The Choosing a Tax Professional page on IRS.gov has information about tax return preparer credentials and qualifications.
The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications can help identify many preparers by type of credential or qualification.
When using a tax return preparer, taxpayers should look for:

Availability: Look for a preparer who's available year-round in case questions come up after filing season is over.
Consistent service fees: Ask about the preparer’s service fees. Taxpayers should avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of the refund into their own financial accounts.
IRS e-file: Ensure their preparer offers IRS e-file. The IRS issues most refunds in fewer than 21 days for taxpayers who file electronically and choose direct deposit.
Records and receipts: Good preparers ask to see these documents when filing a return.
Qualifications: Understand the preparer's credentials and qualifications and review their history for complaints or disciplinary actions.
Complete returns: Never sign a blank or incomplete return. Taxpayers are responsible for filing a complete and correct tax return.
Mistakes: Review their tax return before signing it and ask questions if something is not clear or appears inaccurate.
Accurate account information: Make sure any refund will go directly to the taxpayer's bank account – not into the preparer's bank account. Review the routing and bank account number on the completed return and make sure it's accurate.
By law, anyone who is paid to prepare or assists in preparing federal tax returns must have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number. Paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on any tax return they prepare. Not signing a return is a red flag the paid preparer may be looking to make a quick profit by promising a big refund or charging fees based on the size of the refund. Taxpayers should avoid these preparers

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Cheers to another completed tax season..as always thank you for your continued support, referrals, encouragement…extension deadline 10/15/24.

P.S - You still have time if you haven’t filed your taxes!

Inside This Issue

IRS: Take care when choosing a tax return professional

WASHINGTON –The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers that carefully choosing a tax professional to prepare a tax return is vital to ensuring that their personal and financial information is safe and secure and treated with care.

Most tax return preparers provide honest, high-quality service. But some may cause harm through fraud, identity theft and other scams.

It is important for taxpayers to understand who they’re choosing and what important questions to ask when hiring an individual or firm to prepare their tax return.

Another reason to choose a tax preparer carefully is because taxpayers are ultimately legally responsible for all the information on their income tax return, regardless of who prepares it.

The IRS has put together a Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications to help individuals find a tax pro that meets high standards. There is also a special page on IRS.gov for Choosing a Tax Professional that can help guide taxpayers in making a good choice, including selecting someone affiliated with a recognized national tax association. There are different kinds of tax professionals, and a taxpayer’s needs will help determine which kind of preparer is best for them.

Red flags to watch out for
There are warning signs that can help steer taxpayers away from unscrupulous tax return preparers. For instance, not signing a tax return is a red flag that a paid preparer is likely not to be trusted. They may be looking to make a quick profit by promising a big refund or charging fees based on the size of the refund.

These unscrupulous “ghost” preparers often print the return and have the taxpayer sign and mail it to the IRS. For electronically filed returns, a ghost preparer will prepare the tax return but refuse to digitally sign it as the paid preparer. Taxpayers should avoid this type of unethical preparer.

In addition, taxpayers should always choose a tax professional with a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number. By law, anyone who is paid to prepare or assists in preparing federal tax returns must have a valid PTIN. Paid preparers must sign and include their PTIN on any tax return they prepare.

Other tips
Here are a few other tips to consider when choosing a tax return preparer:

Look for a preparer who’s available year-round. If questions come up about a tax return, taxpayers may need to contact the preparer after the filing season is over.
Review the preparer’s history. Check the Better Business Bureau website for information about the preparer. Look for disciplinary actions and the license status for credentialed preparers. For CPAs, check the State Board of Accountancy’s website, and for attorneys check with the State Bar Association. For enrolled agents go to IRS.gov and search for “verify enrolled agent status” or check the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers.
Ask about service fees. Taxpayers should avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of the refund into their own financial accounts. Be wary of tax return preparers who claim they can get larger refunds than their competitors.
Find an authorized IRS e-file provider. They are qualified to prepare, transmit and process e-filed returns. The IRS issues most refunds in fewer than 21 days for taxpayers who file electronically and choose direct deposit.
Provide records and receipts. Good preparers ask to see these documents. They’ll also ask questions to determine the client’s total income, deductions, tax credits and other items. Do not hire a preparer who e-files a tax return using a pay stub instead of a Form W-2. This is against IRS e-file rules.
Understand the preparer’s credentials and qualifications. Attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents can represent any client before the IRS in any situation. Annual Filing Season Program participants may represent taxpayers in limited situations if they prepared and signed the tax return.
Never sign a blank or incomplete return. Taxpayers are responsible for filing a complete and correct tax return.
Review the tax return before signing it. Be sure to ask questions if something is not clear or appears inaccurate. Any refund should go directly to the taxpayer – not into the preparer’s bank account. Review the routing and bank account number on the completed return and make sure it’s accurate.

Inside This Issue

Things to remember when filing 2023 tax returns

WASHINGTON —The Internal Revenue Service today offered a checklist to help taxpayers as they prepare to file their 2023 tax returns during filing season.

These six easy tips will help make tax preparation smoother in 2024. Much of this information is also available on a special IRS. gov free help page:

1. Gather all necessary tax paperwork and records for accuracy to avoid missing a deduction or credit. Taxpayers should have all their important and necessary documents before preparing their return. This will help file a complete and accurate tax return. Errors and omissions slow down tax processing, including refund times.

Before beginning, taxpayers should have:

Social Security numbers for everyone listed on the tax return.
Bank account and routing numbers.
Various tax forms such as W-2s, 1099s, 1098s and other income documents or records of digital asset transactions.
Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace statement.
Any IRS letters citing an amount received for a certain tax deduction or credit.
2. Remember to report all types of income on the tax return. This is important to avoid receiving a notice or a bill from the IRS. Don’t forget to include income from:

Goods created and sold on online platforms.
Investment income.
Part-time or seasonal work.
Self-employment or other business activities.
Services provided through mobile apps.
3. Filing electronically with direct deposit is the fastest way to receive a refund. Avoid paper returns. Tax software helps individuals avoid mistakes by doing the math. It guides people through each section of their tax return using a question-and-answer format.

For those waiting on their 2022 tax return to be processed, here's a special tip to ensure their 2023 tax return is accepted by the IRS for processing. Make sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year's adjusted gross income (AGI) on the 2023 tax return. Everyone else should enter their prior year's AGI from last year's return.

4. Free resources are available to help eligible taxpayers file online. Free help may also be available to qualified taxpayers. IRS Free File provides a free online alternative to filing a paper tax return. IRS Free File is available to any individual or family who earned $79,000 or less in 2023.

With IRS Free File, leading tax software providers make their online products available for free as part of a 21-year partnership with the IRS. This year, there are eight products in English and one in Spanish. Taxpayers must access these products through the IRS website.

People who make over $79,000 can use the IRS' Free File Fillable Forms. These are the electronic version of IRS paper forms. This product is best for people who are comfortable preparing their own taxes.

Qualified taxpayers can also find free one-on-one tax preparation help around the nation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

5. Consider which filing option to use; each one has its own benefits. Taxpayers should decide based on their personal situation and comfort level with tax preparation.

Personally file taxes.
Use online filing services.
Hire a tax professional. Choose a tax professional carefully. Most tax return preparers are professional, honest and provide excellent service to their clients. However, dishonest tax return preparers who file false income tax returns do exist. The IRS has a Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications and more on choosing a tax pro on IRS.gov.
6. Don’t wait on hold when calling the IRS. Use online resources at IRS.gov to get answers to tax questions, check a refund status or pay taxes. There’s no wait time or appointment needed — online tools and resources are available 24 hours a day. The IRS’ Interactive Tax Assistant tool and Let Us Help You resources are especially helpful.

Internal Revenue Service | An official website of the United States government Pay your taxes. Get your refund status. Find IRS forms and answers to tax questions. We help you understand and meet your federal tax responsibilities.

The Internal Revenue Service today announced Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, as the official start date of the nation’s 2024 tax season when the agency will begin accepting and processing 2023 tax returns.