Income Tax Forms: Learn About W-2 Forms and 1099 Forms & More

Tax Forms 101: Which Income Tax Forms Do You Need?

Understand the difference between W-2 forms and 1099 forms before filing your taxes

If you live or work in America, you probably know that tax day is April 15—the day all your federal tax forms are due. Before you can file your federal tax return, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct income tax forms on hand. The most common basic income tax forms most people need are W-2 forms and 1099 forms.

W-2 Forms and 1099 Forms

W-2 form

If you receive a net paycheck from your employer with tax withholdings already taken out, use W-2 forms to complete your taxes. Employers are required to mail W-2 forms to employees by January 31. If you’ve had more than one job in the past year, you’ll need to collect W-2 forms from each employer. If you’re an independent contractor, you’ll need to use 1099 forms. Three copies of 1099 forms need to be filled out by the employer or payer: one for themselves, one for the payee and one for the IRS. Employers need to submit 1099 forms to the IRS by the end of February. Just like W-2 forms, copies of 1099 forms must be sent to payees, or contractors, by the end of January. If your income totals less than $600, however, you do not need to file 1099 forms.

1099 forms are also used to record other income sources. These might include tips, scholarships or dividends. Typically 1099 forms are used to record income that has not yet been taxed.

W-2 forms and 1099 forms are submitted with your federal tax return form. You’ll still need to fill out all the paperwork on the individual forms. Simply attach the W-2 forms and 1099 forms with your tax return.

1040 forms

Most people need a 1040 form to file federal taxes. The most common types of 1040 forms are the 1040EZ and 1040 short forms.

1040EZ form

For most Americans, the 1040EZ is the simplest form for federal tax filing. Some key factors that need to be true in order to qualify to use this tax form include:

– You and your spouse are under 65

– Your total income is less than $100,000

– Your interest income is less than $1,500

– Your income is solely from wages, interest, unemployment compensation and Alaska Permanent Fund dividends

– You are single or married filing jointly

1040A (short form)

The 1040A, also called the 1040 short form is another commonly used tax form. Unlike the 1040EZ, this form allows you to claim adjustments to income. Some key factors that need to be true in order to qualify to use this tax form include:

– Your total income is under $100,000

– You have income from wages, interest, dividends, capital gain distributions, IRA or pension distributions, unemployment compensation or Social Security benefits

Some of the income adjustments this 1040 tax form allows you to claim are:

– Penalty for early withdrawal of savings

– IRA contributions

– Student loan interest

– Jury duty pay given to your employer

Buy the tax forms you need

Keep in mind that this is just an overview of the basic tax forms most commonly used by Americans. You may also need to file additional tax forms for things like large gifts or interest from foreign bank accounts. When you’re ready to file, visit the IRS website and simply print the forms you need.

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Choose Day Planners, Wall Calendars or Desk Calendars

Discover the Calendar or Personal Organizer That Suits Your Organizational Style Best

Why not keep your own unique style while also keeping a schedule? When you’re looking for a calendar or personal organizer to keep you organized, be sure you find one that caters to your personal preferences. The more compatible the calendar is with your work, school or lifestyle, the more helpful it will be.

Academic calendars

Academic calendars are a great way for teachers, students and parents to plan throughout the school year. Teachers might consider dry erase academic calendars to write down class assignments from Monday to Friday. You can also find desktop calendars to keep notes and appointments in front of you. For parents, fill your academic calendar with vacation dates and school functions. Of course, students can take advantage of academic planners and calendars to keep track of assignment due dates.

Day planners

Whether traveling on business or just hopping between meetings, day planners provide the organization and note-keeping space you need in a compact product. Planners and organizers often have a monthly at-a-glance calendar to review your month, as well as a larger space for each day of the week. This allows users to fill out notes and appointments in more detail, making their day planners a source of organization and information. Some personal organizers also have a space to store business cards, take in-depth notes, record addresses or phone numbers and more. You can also keep everything you need on hand and protected with a personal organizer or day planner that zips closed.

Wall calendars

Wall calendars make it simple to view an entire month’s worth of appointments. Perfect for doctor’s offices, reception areas or your cubicle wall, you can find wall calendars with fun images to match your office décor. You might prefer wall calendars to day planners or personal organizers if you like to keep all your important dates at eye level. If this will help keep you organized, then a wall calendar may be right for you.

Desk calendars

Desk calendars provide ample room for scheduling and organizing while keeping information literally at your fingertips. Many offices choose to purchase them, since they can help keep desktops pristine and protected from scratches. Desk calendars are available as a pad or a base with refillable pages. Take advantage of the extra writing space with color-coded notes and appointment reminders. Since desk calendar pages are so large and not easily saved or transported, consider using wall calendars or day planners in addition to your desk calendar.

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Interect Solar Lunch & Learn

With the holiday season now behind us and a new year beginning, Interect Inc., a wholesale distributor of solar systems and provider of educational workshops, has started something a little bit different this year. During the week of Jan. 23rd to 27th, Interect Inc. will be hosting a Solar Lunch & Learn everyday from 12pm-1pm. Anyone with an interest in Solar PV and who would like to learn more about it can drop by to see what solar energy is all about and if it’s right for them. There will be a short presentation with some videos and pizza and light refreshments will be available.

Being a renewable or “green” energy company, Interect sees this as a way to align itself with their continuous goal of helping to build a healthy and sustainable planet; this starts with education. Through its work as a solar EPC company, designing projects, procuring materials and professionally installing solar systems, Interect incorporates its core values of integrity, honesty and sustainability into every project. “A green today for a greener tomorrow” has long since been the company’s slogan. Aside from Interect’s work on the wholesale and project end of the solar industry, they are also the umbrella for the Interect Solar Education Program, ISEP. Education has been a part of the company since its beginnings in solar in 2008, starting with a few 4 hour introductory workshops. The ISEP training program has now expanded to include weekly Basic Fall Protection Certification courses, 3 Day Introduction To PV workshops and even 8 week programs. A combination of theory and hands-on is used to teach the students the technology of the solar industry.

A Solar Lunch & Learn is the next step Interect is taking to promote green energy and inform the public about solar technology. Whether you are looking to put a solar system on your home or get involved in the solar energy industry in some other way, this short workshop will be a great place to gather information and get your questions answered. Learn about solar energy to see if it’s right for you.

With their knowledgeable and friendly staff, Interect encourages anyone to participate. It is $5 to attend and pre-registration is required. For more information, please contact Interect’s office by emailing questions to Julie@interectinc.com or calling 416-282-9992. The Solar Lunch & Learn will be held at Interect’s facility in Scarborough at 510 Coronation Drive, Unit 17.

About Interect Inc.

Interect Inc. is a wholesale distributor of solar systems and provides solutions for on- and off-grid applications. They are an emerging leader in the renewable energy industry. INTERECT Inc is one of the most competitively priced renewable energy companies in Canada. INTERECT Inc offers a broad range of products and solutions for solar PV, grid connected and off grid applications that generate electric power for private homes and businesses worldwide. http://www.interect.ca

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Choose a Business College In Illinois

Choose a Business College In Illinois

A business degree gives graduates the opportunity to consider careers in a range of diverse areas like finance, marketing and accountancy. Numerous colleges in Illinois offer a vast range of business degrees and programs that are designed for many job opportunities. There are many business colleges that state residents and non-residents can choose from such as private, public, small, large, religious or non-religious institutions.

The Range of Business School Programs

Thousands of undergraduate students attend business schools across Illinois. Business courses are made to help students find their passions and build solid business foundations. They will learn how to stay on top in the professional world, follow worldwide trends and develop a competitive edge that many businesspeople are always discussing. There are bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees available that include finance, accountancy, administration, management, accountancy, taxation and many other topics. Some schools focus on practical training and others focus on business knowledge like theory and research. There are also religious schools with some offering Biblical studies, psychology and preaching courses. These schools have internships, adult education programs and a number of sports teams and student clubs.

The Qualities of Certain Schools

The top universities offer courses in international business for people who want to study abroad and participate in exchange programs. Students can choose from a range of resources that will get them ready for a position in the global market. Some schools are world-renowned for creating top-notch professionals through part-time, full-time and executive Masters in Business Administration (MBA) programs. The same schools are known for large numbers of early job placements for graduates who are usually employed before graduation.

Different Types of Courses

Many business courses are made to provide students with a real-world experience and give them the analytical skills needed to thrive in an international market. Online programs cater to individuals who need convenience with the same quality that comes in the classroom. Most distance education programs have technical support and around-the-clock online tutoring.

Additional School Services and Opportunities

Many schools provide an assortment of educational and personal services like counseling, practical training and internship options. Some schools offer career assistance through corporate partners. With these opportunities, students are qualified to receive corporate recruitment services and participate in internships, professional networking and executive educational opportunities. Some schools provide programs known as Career Clusters that allows students to complete courses in a range of fields to increase their skills and knowledge and open up career options.

Some of the most well-known business colleges and universities in the U.S. are colleges in Illinois. These colleges are made in all sizes and have a large variety of majors. Some can be found in the center of downtown Chicago, some operate near Lake Michigan and others are located near downstate cornfields. Prospective undergraduate and graduate students who want a business degree will have no lack of choices in regards to business colleges in that state.

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Don’t Let Your Idea Fade Away

Don’t Let Your Idea Fade Away

If you come up with a unique, original and useful idea for a product, don’t let it fade into obscurity or allow someone else to get the credit for it. You deserve to make money off of your idea; the only way to do this is to apply for patent rights on your invention so that nobody else can manufacture your product without your consent.

You can’t copyright an idea because ideas are abstract and more than one person can come up with the same idea at the same time. However, you can do the next best thing–create a prototype of your idea and then apply for patent rights on your prototype.

Provisional Patents

Visit the website for the U.S. Patent Office to apply for patent. Although you can’t copyright an idea, you can apply for a provisional patent while you are still developing your idea. To apply for a provisional patent, you have to have a written description of your invention and in some cases, you may also need to include sketches of your prototype. Provisional patents are granted for 12 months; if you don’t have your full patent after this period of time, the idea will no longer be protected. You can’t renew a provisional patent.

Getting Ready for The Full Patent

After you get your provisional patent, you should create a working prototype of your idea as quickly as possible. Once you’ve built your prototype, you can apply for your full patent. Your patent application includes detailed descriptions and drawings of your prototype and explanations of how it differs from other products already on the market. Your idea must be significantly different than anything else already in production. For example, you can’t patent an object that is a differently-colored version of an existing product. The U.S. Patent Office will check your application against filed patents to make sure your idea is original before granting the patent. Getting a patent can take several months or even years; there is no set time frame for establishing a patent.

Applying for Patents

Filing a patent application takes time and effort. You have to research other patents, build a prototype, and write detailed descriptions of your invention. However, it is worth it to do this work because if the U.S. Patent Office grants your patent, you will have the sole right to make money off your idea for the next several years.

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Market your business through direct mail marketing

There are plenty of marketing techniques to boost the sales of your business and direct mail marketing is one of the easiest and affordable ways to target audience. Success of business in America depends upon targeting the right type of audience and communicating with them effectively. Direct mail marketing is one of the effective ways to reach the potential clients within a short span of time.

There are various marketing companies available who help to perform everything ranging from communication to connecting with customers. They also prepare complete consumer mailing list and business mailing list to the customers across US.

Mailing list brokers use the latest tools to access quality databases to get the complete details of the potential customers. Not to mention, both business owners and marketing professionals must invest carefully by choosing the best marketing solutions.

Direct mail marketing has plenty of benefits; it not only helps to get response from customers in the mailing list but also from other people who are interested in your products or services. Direct mail marketing is a great way to market and promote your business and services and get huge returns within a short span of time.

Better quality of mailing lists helps to provide better delivery rates but on the other side a poor delivery list can cause 25% to 35% of your mail getting delivered to junk mail. It is easy to get more leads, boost up the sales of your business and increase the customer base through professional direct mail marketing strategy.

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Good, Durable and Comfortable Office Chairs – The Urgent Need of the Hour

You can easily get different types of office chairs in the market in the form of computer chairs, drafting stools, ergonomic office chairs, desk chairs, leather office chairs and several other fascinating chairs. However, before you try to select any office chair, you should follow certain basic steps so that you can buy the best and the most comfortable office chairs or big and tall chairs. You need to make sure that the material used in the making of big and tall chairs or for that matter any type of office chair is of the highest order. On the other hand, the chosen furniture should be very durable and comfortable to sit in. A bumpy perch can be the main difference between pain, relative relaxation and discomfort at your job and in times of strain, having an office chair that doesn’t work well for you can be very agonizing.

Customers should always try to purchase office chairs from reputable or branded furniture stores. This way they can easily obtain the best and the most durable desk chairs, guest chairs, drafting chairs or any other kind of chair. The overall quality and output of the office chairs will be of the highest order without any lapses. One of the most vital aspects to consider is lumbar support. However, if you don’t want your office chairs to be excessively fancy, lumbar is simply another method of supporting the lower spine. You are familiar that part of the human body that emits pain may be due to bad or poor office chairs as pointed out by chiropractors. A good desk chair will allow you to alter the lumbar support and thus, you can easily regulate the resistance that section of the office chair has. Some individuals want desk chairs to be soft and some firm and yet sometimes the penchant alters with the seasons. Customers will also certainly want office chairs with adjustable height.

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Sea Jobs- Candidates Can Obtain One When They Pursue These Guidelines

The overall scope of sea jobs, marine jobs or for that matter cruise ship jobs is immense all over the world. The career prospects and salary benefits are great in merchant marine jobs or ship engineer jobs. However, these types of jobs involve utmost concentration, hard work and perseverance. On the other hand, if a candidate has a bachelors or masters degree in marine engineering or hotel management, then the scope will be even greater. The huge opportunity to travel all over the world and getting to explore fabulous destinations can be truly exciting. There are diverse career probabilities onboard a ship. Candidates can work as a seaman, cruise employee or take any other position accessible on a ship. However, it has been observed that several young aspirants want to explore cruise ship jobs. These are extravagant ships carrying international passengers on vacation, holiday from one interesting holiday location to another all over the globe.

A job on a cruise ship can be very exhilarating and interesting. Imagine travelling to those exotic destinations and yet getting remunerated Cruise ship jobs can be the finest sea jobs without any doubt. Several individuals also favour cruise ship jobs due to remarkable and stunning luxury cruise ships. They are just 5 star hotels on sea. You can meet different individuals from diver nations. Getting to know these individuals is a superb networking prospect. Candidates having a degree in marine engineering can get marine jobs or ship engineer jobs in several internal cargo ships depending upon their practical and theoretical knowledge. Finding these types of jobs can be very easy if you intend to explore them on the internet. There are several genuine job portals that offer legitimate cruise ship jobs, ship engineer jobs, merchant marine jobs and related shipping jobs to deserving candidates.

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