1. April is Tax Month
Tax returns for the calendar year 2017 must be filed by April 17, 2018
Tax day is normally April 15
People who get a refund tend to file in February or March.
People who owe money tend to file in April

2. Tax Time – Your W2
W-2
Your employer generally uses this form to report wages, tips, and other compensation.
Your W2 also shows withheld income and FICA taxes,
this includes bonuses, vacation payouts, severance pay, moving expense payments, travel allowances and third party payments of sick pay.
Companies are required to give their employees their W2 form by January 31st each year

3. Tax Time – Other Common Forms
Other Income:
1099: Form shows interest you earned from a bank account, investment account, etc
1099 MISC – Shows income you received as a private contractor.
Deduction forms:
1098: Form shows Interest you may have paid to a mortgage, student loan, etc.
This interest is “tax-deductible.”
That means it gets subtracted from your total income and will lower your tax burden.

4. Tax Time – Other Common FormsW4
The form you fill out on the first day of work
“Just mark it 0, that’s what everybody does.”
If you take this form seriously, it may put more money in your pocket earlier.

5. Tax Time – Ways to maximize your income for next year:
1. Get as little as possible withheld from your paychecks. This will involve redoing your W-4, with the help of whoever handles this at your workplace. It should take less than a minute.
2. You’ll now have more take-home pay in each check. Take the difference and invest it somewhere (NB: exacta boxes at the dog track are not an investment. Toyota stock is.)
3. Write the United States Treasury a check at 11:59 p.m. on April 15 (if you owe money).