Friday, April 24, 2009

What are my Insurance Benefits

There are many different types of insurance benefits that you may want to have coverage from. Most insurance policies are created around a fixed monthly fee with a substantial payment if you need to cash in the policy. One of the most popular types of insurance benefits has to do with health insurance. This is not surprising as when you look at the cost of routine check ups which may not be too much, but once you have an emergency or major procedure done that can all change.

Dental insurance benefits are very important too. Most people are told to visit their dentists twice a year to maintain healthy strong teeth. If you are unlucky however and need a lot of work done then it can cost heavily. It is also something that you really do not have much choice concerning, without healthy teeth life becomes pretty miserable.

Both health insurance and dental insurance can be obtained through your employer in most instances. If you can’t get it from them you need to look into coverage on your own. There are many insurance companies now that realize many people are looking for personal insurance policies for themselves and their families and have many different schemes so finding one that suits you should not be difficult.


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Am I entitled to Tax Benefits?

The majority of us dread having to take care of filing our taxes each year. For most however who work a single job the process of completing your return is relatively easy. Not only that but if done correctly and researched well you can quite often discover you are entitled to many rebates and refunds you may not have been aware of.

These types of tax benefits will help to reduce the amount of money you owe. In some instances they will put you in a different tax bracket and you will get money back. One example is a tax break on defendants. If you have a dependent spouse or child then ensure they are named on the form as you will receive tax credits for them.

For low-income families, the Earned Income Tax Credit is a great way for them to get a large chunk of money back when they file their taxes. By completing these forms with your employer you will receive more money in your pay cheque which is a great bonus rather than waiting a year to get it refunded.

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How do I get Tax Refunds

All homes and families in the USA are required to complete and submit a tax return by April 15th in most circumstances. For many the process of filing is not one to delay as they entitled to a refund, some submit their forms as early as January. Many people complete the process on their own with old fashioned forms. They can also use a software program to walk them through the system.

There are plenty of professional tax preparers out there as well. With the process of filing your return being a daunting one and also one that takes a significant amount of time, many companies now specialize in doing this for you – even to the point of advancing your refund. There are high fees associated with this process though and that is where the agency makes even more money.

It is very important to be honest about all of the information on your tax return. Should you receive a refund that you do not believe you are entitled to then you need to alert the tax office immediately. There are fines and penalties that will apply to your account should you not do this and they can really add up quickly. Should it be discovered that the information you provided was intentionally fraudulent in order to get a refund, you can face criminal charges as well.

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Information on Avoiding an IRS Audit

Large amounts of itemized deductions on a tax return or large amounts of contributions to non profit organizations can really highlight your return. These are areas where the IRS is really getting tough because of fraudulent claims. Make sure you are very honest about these amounts on your tax returns.

You can be sure there are plenty of agencies that report income to the IRS as well. The online age and access to your personal banking information means that if your tax return is in contradiction with information received from banks, online sites such as PayPal, and other reports then you can be sure they will be contacting you for an audit. Even if you don’t get a 1099 or a W-2 for work you did you need to honestly report that income on your tax return.

Sometimes, however, there is nothing at all that you can do to avoid an IRS audit. Take consolation in that as long as you have done things by the book you will have nothing to worry about. If you are intimidated by the thought of meeting with the IRS though hire a representative to go with you. If you have a tax accountant many of them will work with you for no cost as part of their services. Make sure you keep all of your records for seven years though so you have proof of your claims on your tax returns.

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What are Refunds & Rebates

Make sure you read all of the details associated with the refund and the rebate. You will likely have to submit your original receipt as well as your proof of purchase from the item in order to get it. It is always wise to keep a copy on file for your own reference also. Many people just take a picture with a digital camera too as proof that they did indeed get this information and submit it.

Try to get a copy of the completed form that you are sending as well. You will want the address and the phone number to contact them about it if you don’t get your refund and that will be on the form. Many refunds and rebates can take six or eight weeks to process and in that time many people forget about it. It is recommended that you take note of when you should have received your refund in a diary so that if not received then you can chase it up with the appropriate person..

In general companies are very responsible when it comes to honoring refunds and rebates and it is worth it for you to save money to take advantage of such offers. Very often these smaller payments add up quickly into a nice extra sum of cash you would not have otherwise had. It doesn’t take very long to complete the process and in most cases they are hoping you won’t. Yet not doing so is simply throwing money away


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