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Taxes Information |
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Anticipating Your IRS Refund Can Cost You Plenty
While accountants are reaching for aspirin, millions of Americans are reaching for some fast cash this tax season. Unfortunately, those who reach for fast cash in the form of a "refund anticipation loan" are getting hit with interest rates and fees that are out of this world. The tempting ads are plastered in newspapers and on television for "fast cash refunds", "express refunds", or "instant refunds." The ads offer to get your refund in a day or two, or in some cases even instantly. What is a "refund anticipation loan"? It's a loan that borrows against your anticipated tax refund from the IRS. Refund anticipation loans, or RAL's as they are known in the tax industry, carry annual percentage rates (APR's) of about 60% to over 700%, a fact that many consumers either don't realize or simply overlook. RAL's are marketed to people who need money the most such as low and moderate income workers. A report by the National Consumer Law Center notes that "about 40% of the 12 million refund loan customers in 2000, were families who received the Earned Income Tax Credit, the largest federal poverty assistance program." And since the RAL's often use the term "refund" in their ads, many of those who take the bait don't realize that they're receiving a loan and not their actual refund from the IRS. The fees associated with RAL's are expensive. For example, let's say the IRS owes you a refund of $2,000. In order to get a RAL you pay the following: RAL loan fee = $75, Electronic filing fee = $40, tax preparer's fee = $100. Total fees associated with your RAL = $215 which is more than 10 percent of your estimated refund. The APR on your refund loan equals a whopping 142 percent! Many low and moderate income workers are without bank accounts and wind up paying an additional fee to set up a one-time-use account so that their IRS refund can be direct deposited. Before giving in to the temptations of refund anticipation loans, ask yourself if you really need your money that quickly. If you can wait just a bit longer for your refund you'll line your own pockets with extra cash rather than forking it over to a RAL lender. A great way to save money at tax time is to go to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. VITA sites provide free tax preparation to low and moderate income taxpayers and are sponsored by the IRS. They can be found in libraries, community centers and other locations during the tax season. To find a VITA site call the IRS general help line at 1-800-TAX-1040 or visit www.tax-coalition.org. About The Author James H. Dimmitt James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter with personal finance news and tips. You can subscribe to the newsletter by visiting http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com. He is also author of "Identity Theft - How to Avoid Becoming the Next Victim!" available at http://tinyurl.com/bc45
MORE RESOURCES: RIVERWOODS, Ill., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As more and more baby boomers are reaching retirement age, they'll have many factors to consider in choosing where to live in retirement, including the tax ... NEW YORK (TheStreet) - Candidate Mitt Romney wants you to believe he will lower taxes while cutting the national debt. But President Romney will need to raise taxes if he is going to have any chance of lowering U.S. debt, according to his former private equity pals. Now a strong frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, Romney has repeatedly said that cutting the national debt ... When it comes to taxes, it seems that everyone has an opinion. Whether it's the way they're spent (or misspent), or whether we should pay less (or someone else should pay more), this surprisingly feisty ... WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Small U.S. business owners are unhappy with the amount of taxes large corporations and their executives pay, a recent survey indicates. With tax season getting under way, today I'll answer reader questions about property taxes, the new Medicare surcharge starting in 2013 and how to get those old-fashioned paper tax forms. Q: Tony G. asks, "Has anything... Small business owners see corporate tax loopholes and the shifting of U.S. profits to offshore tax havens as serious problems, according to a new independent national poll. Small business owners think big corporations and the wealthy don’t pay their fair share of taxes, the poll shows. Retirees can face hefty taxation if they don't follow certain strategies when managing their money. Using these tactics will help lower the bill. These strange taxes are making everything from bagels to hot air balloon rides more expensive. Kevin Drum looks at how regressive taxes are at the state and local level, an issue that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Is it April Fool’s Day? Has somebody in Paris hacked the website at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development? Have we been transported to a parallel dimension where up is down and black is white? |
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