April 15th – “The Day of Reckoning”! Every year, millions of Americans get ready to pay taxes to Uncle Sam, or get ready to collect a tax refund from Uncle Sam; when did this become the great day that it is for taxpayers, and when are we actually required to file a income tax return? Let’s take a look at the beginnings of the income tax date of April 15 and why it was chosen?

The first known income tax that Americans were legally required to pay was enacted during the early 1860s, and the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War was proving very costly to finance, and the President and Congress created the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and enacted a law requiring citizens to pay federal income tax. This could be considered the start of our modern day income tax. This income tax was based on principles of graduated or progressive taxation and of withholding income at the source. The commissioner was given authority to assess, levy and collect federal income taxes. The authority to enforce tax laws by seizure of property and income and by prosecution.

Originally, the deadline for completing and filing your individual income tax was not April 15th. In the beginning, it was first set for March 1st. Then, during 1918, Congress pushed the date out to March 15th. Then, in the great overhaul of 1954, the date was once again moved forward to April 15th, and this is where it remains today. Why April 15th? The main thought from most scholars say the reasoning is that the date gives the IRS more time to handle the work load and more time to hang on to your money before offering a tax refund. This date has only been set this way for a little over 50 years. That’s not very long, in historical terms, and it could possibly be changed again.

If you are an individual taxpayer, you are required to file either a return or an extension of time to file (Form 4868) by April 15th. Corporate and other legal entities are required to file their federal income tax return by March 15th, and if not, they also must file an extension of time to file. What this extension does not do, is to extend the amount of time you have to pay any taxes due the government. So, if you are unable to ready your personal or business financial information in a timely manner, and have no reasonable estimate as to the amount of tax you may owe, you can expect to pay some form of penalty.
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According to a recent “Retirement Trends” survey by Fidelity Investments, 96 percent of Americans saving for retirement don’t know the current contribution limit for an individual retirement account, with some guessing as low as $1,000. The reality is that for tax year 2005, IRA contribution limits increase to $4,000 — up from $3,000 in 2004.

When it comes to knowing the facts about retirement, misperceptions can lead to missed opportunities. Today’s workers will face rising health care costs when they retire, as well as declining pension benefits and a higher cost of living. That’s why it’s important to save as much as possible, and as early as possible, in tax-advantaged accounts like IRAs.

Knowing the facts can help dispel common myths that may keep some investors from making the smart move of saving in an IRA.
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“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”
Benjamin Franklin

I, like many other good citizens from this great country of ours, left it to the very last moment to mail off this year’s tax return. As I entered the local post office and saw the long line, I once again promised myself that next year would be different. I really would make the effort to get them off before the last minute rush.

As I moved slowly towards the front of the line, I began wondering, in this day and age is this really the best system our great and wonderful leaders can come up with. After all, we now live in a world that allows a satellite miles above us to read a number plate. We can get the worldwide web on our cell phone, download TV programs that we may have missed or just want to save onto our iPods.

The original tax laws introduced in 1913 were a very simple affair. They began with tax brackets ranging from 1 to 7 percent – a far cry from today’s levels. The IRS tax codes, regulations and guidelines now have well over 9 million words. No wonder there’s so much confusion. Is there truly anyone who really understands this monster. Let’s put this into some form of prospective. The Declaration of Independence has a little more than 1300 words. The Constitution which has served us well for more than 200 years comes in around 5000 words and the Holy Bible makes do with less than 800,000 words.
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Undoubtedly, you are aware of Dear John letters. Often a young lady sent them to men in the military, often containing bad news. Well, the IRS sends them to taxpayers as well.

Dear John Letters From The IRS

The Internal Revenue Service sends out millions of Dear John letters to taxpayers every year. Instead of informing you of a break up, these letters let you know the IRS would like to get a bit closer. Before you bang your head on the wall, you should understand these letters are typically not the sign of impending doom.
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