Jefferson City certified public accountant gives tax return advice

JEFFERSON CITY — The IRS has officially started accepting and processing 2019 tax returns, and that means it is time to get some money back from Uncle Sam.

During this year's filing period, there are new documents and penalties of which individual taxpayers should be aware.

Not all forms are finalized yet, so not all returns are being accepted as of January.

The president of Doerhoff & Associates CPA said jobs that pay $600 or more in a year's time will require a 1099 form.

"Look back at what you've done for the year, make sure you have all your stuff together before you start," Doerhoff said. "That's the simplest piece of advice: if it's just one W-2, hit it and run. Take the money and run and go. But make sure you haven't done any other things that are going to create taxable income and just kind of go back through those."

Doerhoff also said there is a new form for people who have switched jobs, that can make filing more complex.

"The IRS has a new W-4 and its kind of the nightmare of nightmares," he said. "It's like you have to do your own tax return to fill out the W-4. They ask you how much income your spouse has they ask you how much income you have, because there's no longer a deduction for a dependent."

His biggest piece of advice was to get all documents and information together before starting to file.

"The thing that really catches people is when people do a little side job or something. They don't report it on their return, they go ahead and do it and then the business they did the side job for sends them the 10-99," Doerhoff said.

"And now they either have to file an amended return or they get a little valentine from Uncle Sam at some point in the future saying 'hey we can't find this on your return.' So look back at what you've done for the year, make sure you've got all your stuff together before you start."

The national deadline for filing taxes is April 15.