Looking for Someone Who Knows Taxes

[pax 0]

I've already prepped my federal and state taxes (I owe on both; just a few bucks to the state but several hundred to the IRS, but let's not talk about that!). The problem is my local taxes. I have an extremely complicated local tax situation, as you'll see:

1.) I started off the year living, let's say, in City A and working in City B. City A's local income tax is 2.85% and City B's is 1.75%. The firm I worked for was deducting local taxes for City B, not City A where I actually lived, at the City B rate.

2.) In March, I received paychecks from my current job in City C, with an income tax rate of 3.4%, while still living in City A. However, I've only just now discovered that my job in City C has only been deducting at 1% for my local taxes, even though the job is located in City C at 3.4%.

3.) From April through the end of September, I lived and worked in City C, all the while having only 1% deducted from my taxes. I also acquired, in June, a second job in City C. I forget what rate they withheld at for my local taxes, but I don't think it was enough.

4.) Finally, in October, I moved to City D, whose local tax rate is only 1%. I continued to work both jobs in City C.

To recap:

City A: 2.85%, where I lived but did not work from January-March.

City B: 1.75%, where I worked but did not live from January-February.

City C: 3.4%, where I lived and worked from April-September.

City D: 1&, where I lived but did not work from October-December.

So:

1.) Who do I file taxes for? My gut says only cities A, C, and D.

2.) Which income do I report to each? Only the income I made while I was living there?

3.) How do I figure out how much tax I owe to each and how much was actually deducted while I lived in each city?

Thanks to anyone who can sort this out.

[almaty 19]

wow!!!!!!!! good luck..i posted here to give you a bump..to someone more in the know

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Yeah I read this too and had no idea.

pax, have you tried one of those free consultations with a tax guru at H&R block or Hewitt ?

[Sister Fracas 5]

soz, I thought the subject was going to be someone who knows TEXAS.

I know little about either....so I'll get my hat and coat now....

[faith 0]

i've never heard of filing a city tax before. All the municipalities that have taxed me do not require a tax form being filled out. They tax you and that's it. There's a space on your federal taxes for municipality taxes, but no forms. *shrugs* sorry I can't help!

[TracyTN 237]

Would Turbo Tax (or another software) walk you through and ask you exactly what rates were used? I've never dealt with local taxes, just wondering how it would handle it.

[pax 0]

They'll do free consults at H&R or Hewitt? That's cool.

Usually my dad the accountant is my tax prep consultant, but he's mobbed at work right now, so I'm not wanting to pester him.

Tracy, because local taxes vary wildly around the country, I don't think there's a tax prep software that will cover them. I did use Turbo for my state and federal returns, though.

Faith, yes, around here, there are separate local tax returns for municipalities because they do assess earned income taxes as well as property taxes. They look very much like a state or federal return.

[faith 0]

I hope you get it all straightened out!

[almaty 19]

I hope you get it all straightened out!

sister faith..st louis has a city tax...

[TracyTN 237]

Let us know what you find out. I figured it was a long shot w/ the software programs but thought I'd ask anyway.

[faith 0]

I hope you get it all straightened out!

sister faith..st louis has a city tax...

yes, brother dean, they do for residents of st. louis city. If you are a non resident of St. Louis, you will have city tax taken out of your check, but you are not required to file a form as you are not a st. louis resident.

[gimygirl 0]

ugh!!! i could hardly get my head around that, abby!!! that was like a logic puzzle!!!

my first suggestion is to stay put in 2006!! heehee and second is to mention this to dad (since he's aware of your moving around in 2005). you still have a little over 2 weeks to file ... give him a ring, maybe offer to bring some chinese take-out to his house while you both look it over!!!

good luck girl!!!!

[joyeann 0]

Just wanted to say that you can go to www.irs.gov and there are free sites on there that will help you figure out your taxes. I had the same issue when i lived in Harrisburg PA. Ugh! They tax you to death!! I believe you are correct that it is only for the months that you lived in that area. That is what I did. I only paid for an example 1.75% to Newberry Towniship for 2 months, and 2.35% to Susquehanna Township for 5 months etc. Hope that helps.

[Fischkoepfin 1]

I was also going to suggest the free sites that link from the IRS-site. Or even better, check if your state offers online-filing on the state-IRS-site; in Indiana that option has saved me many headaches in regard to local and city taxes...

Edited April 5, 2006 by Fischkoepfin

[Jasman0717 9]

Do you know that you can call the IRS for tax advice? http://www.irs.gov/help/article/0,,id=96730,00.html