IRS has $917 million for people who have not filed a 2009 return

WASHINGTON — Refunds totaling just over $917 million may be waiting for an estimated 984,400 taxpayers who did not file a federal income tax return for 2009, the Internal Revenue Service announced. However, to collect the money, a return for 2009 must be filed with the IRS no later than Monday, April 15, 2013.

The IRS estimates that half the potential refunds for 2009 are more than $500.

Some people may not have filed because they had too little income to require filing a tax return even though they had taxes withheld from their wages or made quarterly estimated payments. In cases where a return was not filed, the law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window of opportunity for claiming a refund. If no return is filed to claim a refund within three years, the money becomes property of the U.S. Treasury.

For 2009 returns, the window closes on April 15, 2013. The law requires that the return be properly addressed, mailed and postmarked by that date. There is no penalty for filing a late return qualifying for a refund.

The IRS reminds taxpayers seeking a 2009 refund that their checks may be held if they have not filed tax returns for 2010 and 2011. In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS or their state tax agency, and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts such as student loans.

By failing to file a return, people stand to lose more than refund of taxes withheld or paid during 2009. In addition, many low-and-moderate income workers may not have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). For 2009, the credit is worth as much as $5,657. The EITC helps individuals and families whose incomes are below certain thresholds. The thresholds for 2009 were:

$43,279 ($48,279 if married filing jointly) for those with three or more qualifying children,

$40,295 ($45,295 if married filing jointly) for people with two qualifying children,

$35,463 ($40,463 if married filing jointly) for those with one qualifying child, and

$13,440 ($18,440 if married filing jointly) for people without qualifying children.

For more information, visit the EITC Home Page.

Current and prior year tax forms and instructions are available on the Forms and Publications page of IRS.gov or by calling toll-free 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). Taxpayers who are missing Forms W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 for 2009, 2010 or 2011 should request copies from their employer, bank or other payer.

If these efforts are unsuccessful, taxpayers can get a free transcript showing information from these year-end documents by filing Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, with the IRS or by calling 800-829-1040.

From left: Denise Gates, Cedar Springs Regional Manager ChoiceOne Bank; Claire Guisfredi, Executive Director North Kent Community Services; Linda Anderson, Rockford Regional Manager ChoiceOne Bank

The Fire and Ice Chili Cookoff for North Kent Community Services raised close to $800 for the center last month. Over 500 chili enthusiasts attended the cook-off held at the Rockford Rotary Pavilion on February 9. The event was held in conjunction with the Rockford Ice Festival and was sponsored by ChoiceOne Bank.

“As the local community bank, we are committed to the families and businesses we serve in the Rockford community,” said James Bosserd, President and CEO of ChoiceOne Bank. “This is our second year of sponsoring this now annual event and it’s a perfect way for the bank and our employees to show our support and enthusiasm for the community and the events that truly promote Rockford’s community spirit. It’s a great event and a great time. And now an annual event!”

Those attending were able to taste and then cast their ballots for the People’s Choice award. The five judges that were selected for the event judged the other four categories. Eleven teams participated and prepared their chili on site. There were 4 award categories and winners:

• People’s Choice: Terry’s Lodge Chili

• Best Dressed Booth: Chilly Chilly Bang Bang

• Best Non-Red: Spicy Chicken Chili

• Rockford’s Best Chili: Terry’s Lodge Chili

ChoiceOne Bank recently announced that Jason A. Parker, of Cedar Springs, has re-joined the Bank as Assistant Vice President, Commercial Lender. In his new position, Parker will work with clients and new prospects to meet their commercial lending needs.

“As a Trusted Advisor of ChoiceOne Bank, I will also work with my clients to help identify all of their financial needs beyond commercial lending,” said Parker. “In that effort I will help coordinate and direct my clients to the appropriate areas within the Bank to obtain the broad range of banking services that we can offer.”

Parker’s appointment as Assistant Vice President marks a return for him to ChoiceOne Bank. Most recently he worked at Huntington Bank for five years, where he managed a $30 million portfolio. “We are pleased to welcome Jason back to ChoiceOne Bank,” said James Bosserd, President and CEO of ChoiceOne Bank. “The experience he has gained in his career and his commitment to serving customers will prove invaluable for our ChoiceOne Bank business clients. He brings a strong background and work ethic to his position.”

From 2003 to 2007, Parker was a branch manager at ChoiceOne, and prior to that a branch manager at Ionia County National Bank. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University and a bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University.

Parker is active in his community serving as a member of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Celebration Committee. He is a past member of the Cedar Springs Rotary Club, past board member of the Cedar Springs Chamber of Commerce, and past Treasurer of the Lowell Rotary Club. Parker also helps coach youth soccer.

“Jason’s involvement in local service organizations is typical of what our employees are known for at ChoiceOne Bank,” added Bosserd. “As the local community bank, we want to do all we can to help the families and businesses in our communities succeed.”

Curves International announces its 15th Annual Food Drive, “Feed the Need,” and challenges Curves’ club members in the U.S. and Canada to meet a goal of 100,000 donations during the two-week period of March 11—March 23. Each club, including Curves of Cedar Springs, is asking its members to donate bags of non-perishable food or cash to support their local community food bank. In addition, Curves of Cedar Springs will waive the joining fee for new members who bring in a bag of non-perishable food or donate $30 to their local food bank during the two week period.

When combined donations from all Curves clubs reaches the goal of 100,000 donations, Curves International will donate 10 percent of March 2013 profits to “Blessings in a Backpack,” a non-profit organization that ensures that impoverished elementary school children are fed on the weekends throughout the school year.

“This year’s theme, ‘Feed the Need,’ really represents both what we want to accomplish with this year’s food drive and what we do as a business,” said a Curves of Cedar Springs staff member. “We want to help feed local families and school children who would otherwise go hungry on the weekends and we also want to ‘feed the need’ of local women seeking a health and fitness program that fits their busy lifestyle.”

For more information about Curves of Cedar Springs, located at 55 N. Main, and the 2013 Curves Food Drive, contact a Curves of Cedar Springs staff member at 616-696-1689 or 97PF9XZPO@curvesmail.com. For more information about Curves, please visit www.curves.com.

Small businesses sometimes barter to get products or services they need. Bartering is the trading of one product or service for another. Usually there is no exchange of cash. An example of bartering is a plumber doing repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental services.

The IRS reminds all taxpayers that the fair market value of property or services received through a barter is taxable income. Both parties must report as income the value of the goods and services received in the exchange.

Here are four facts about bartering:

1. Barter exchanges.  A barter exchange is an organized marketplace where members barter products or services. Some exchanges operate out of an office and others over the internet. All barter exchanges are required to issue Form 1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions, annually. The exchange must give a copy of the form to its members and file a copy with the IRS.

2. Bartering income.  Barter and trade dollars are the same as real dollars for tax reporting purposes. If you barter, you must report on your tax return the fair market value of the products or services you received.

3. Tax implications.  Bartering is taxable in the year it occurs. The tax rules may vary based on the type of bartering that takes place. Barterers may owe income taxes, self-employment taxes, employment taxes or excise taxes on their bartering income.

4. Reporting rules.  How you report bartering varies depending on which form of bartering takes place. Generally, if you are in a trade or business you report bartering income on Form 1040, Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business. You may be able to deduct certain costs you incurred to perform the bartering.

For more information, see the Bartering Tax Center in the business section at IRS.gov.

The Internal Revenue Service reminds parents and students that now is a good time to see if they qualify for either of two college education tax credits or any of several other education-related tax benefits.

In general, the American opportunity tax credit, lifetime learning credit and tuition and fees deduction are available to taxpayers who pay qualifying expenses for an eligible student. Eligible students include the primary taxpayer, the taxpayer’s spouse or a dependent of the taxpayer.

Though a taxpayer often qualifies for more than one of these benefits, he or she can only claim one of them for a particular student in a particular year. The benefits are available to all taxpayers—both those who itemize their deductions on Schedule A and those who claim a standard deduction. The credits are claimed on Form 8863 and the tuition and fees deduction is claimed on Form 8917.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act, enacted Jan. 2, 2013, extended the American opportunity tax credit for another five years until the end of 2017. The new law also retroactively extended the tuition and fees deduction, which had expired at the end of 2011, through 2013. The lifetime learning credit did not need to be extended because it was already a permanent part of the tax code.

For those eligible, including most undergraduate students, the American opportunity tax credit will yield the greatest tax savings. Alternatively, the lifetime learning credit should be considered by part-time students and those attending graduate school. For others, especially those who don’t qualify for either credit, the tuition and fees deduction may be the right choice.

All three benefits are available for students enrolled in an eligible college, university or vocational school, including both nonprofit and for-profit institutions. None of them can be claimed by a nonresident alien or married person filing a separate return. In most cases, dependents cannot claim these education benefits.

Normally, a student will receive a Form 1098-T from their institution by the end of January of the following year. This form will show information about tuition paid or billed along with other information. However, amounts shown on this form may differ from amounts taxpayers are eligible to claim for these tax benefits. Taxpayers should see the instructions to Forms 8863 and 8917 and Publication 970 for details on properly figuring allowable tax benefits.

Many of those eligible for the American opportunity tax credit qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student. Here are some key features of the credit:

The credit targets the first four years of post-secondary education, and a student must be enrolled at least half time. This means that expenses paid for a student who, as of the beginning of the tax year, has already completed the first four years of college do not qualify. Any student with a felony drug conviction also does not qualify.

Tuition, required enrollment fees, books and other required course materials generally qualify. Other expenses, such as room and board, do not.

The credit equals 100 percent of the first $2,000 spent and 25 percent of the next $2,000. That means the full $2,500 credit may be available to a taxpayer who pays $4,000 or more in qualified expenses for an eligible student.

The full credit can only be claimed by taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $80,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $160,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $180,000 or more and singles, heads of household and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $90,000 or more.

Forty percent of the American opportunity tax credit is refundable. This means that even people who owe no tax can get an annual payment of up to $1,000 for each eligible student. Other education-related credits and deductions do not provide a benefit to people who owe no tax.

The lifetime learning credit of up to $2,000 per tax return is available for both graduate and undergraduate students. Unlike the American opportunity tax credit, the limit on the lifetime learning credit applies to each tax return, rather than to each student. Though the half-time student requirement does not apply, the course of study must be either part of a post-secondary degree program or taken by the student to maintain or improve job skills. Other features of the credit include:

Tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance qualify as do other fees required for the course. Additional expenses do not.

The credit equals 20 percent of the amount spent on eligible expenses across all students on the return. That means the full $2,000 credit is only available to a taxpayer who pays $10,000 or more in qualifying tuition and fees and has sufficient tax liability.

Income limits are lower than under the American opportunity tax credit. For 2012, the full credit can be claimed by taxpayers whose MAGI is $52,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $104,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $124,000 or more and singles, heads of household and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $62,000 or more.

Like the lifetime learning credit, the tuition and fees deduction is available for all levels of post-secondary education, and the cost of one or more courses can qualify. The annual deduction limit is $4,000 for joint filers whose MAGI is $130,000 or less and other taxpayers whose MAGI is $65,000 or less. The deduction limit drops to $2,000 for couples whose MAGI exceeds $130,000 but is no more than $160,000, and other taxpayers whose MAGI exceeds $65,000 but is no more than $80,000.

Eligible parents and students can get the benefit of these provisions during the year by having less tax taken out of their paychecks. They can do this by filling out a new Form W-4, claiming additional withholding allowances, and giving it to their employer.

There are a variety of other education-related tax benefits that can help many taxpayers. They include:

Scholarship and fellowship grants—generally tax-free if used to pay for tuition, required enrollment fees, books and other course materials, but taxable if used for room, board, research, travel or other expenses.

Student loan interest deduction of up to $2,500 per year.

Savings bonds used to pay for college—though income limits apply, interest is usually tax-free if bonds were purchased after 1989 by a taxpayer who, at time of purchase, was at least 24 years old.

Qualified tuition programs, also called 529 plans, used by many families to prepay or save for a child’s college education.

Taxpayers with qualifying children who are students up to age 24 may be able to claim a dependent exemption and the earned income tax credit.

The general comparison table in Publication 970 can be a useful guide to taxpayers in determining eligibility for these benefits. Details can also be found in the Tax Benefits for Education Information Center on IRS.gov.

If you paid for medical or dental expenses in 2012, you may be able to get a tax deduction for costs not covered by insurance. The IRS wants you to know these seven facts about claiming the medical and dental expense deduction.

1. You must itemize. You can only claim medical and dental expenses for costs not covered by insurance if you itemize deductions on your tax return. You cannot claim medical and dental expenses if you take the standard deduction.

2. Deduction is limited. You can deduct medical and dental expenses that are more than 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.

3. Expenses paid in 2012. You can include medical and dental costs that you paid in 2012, even if you received the services in a previous year. Keep good records to show the amount that you paid.

4. Qualifying expenses. You may include most medical or dental costs that you paid for yourself, your spouse and your dependents. Some exceptions and special rules apply. Visit IRS.gov for more details.

5. Costs to include. You can normally claim the costs of diagnosing, treating, easing or preventing disease. The costs of prescription drugs and insulin qualify. The cost of medical, dental and some long-term care insurance also qualify.

6. Travel is included. You may be able to claim the cost of travel to obtain medical care. That includes the cost of public transportation or an ambulance as well as tolls and parking fees. If you use your car for medical travel, you can deduct the actual costs, including gas and oil. Instead of deducting the actual costs, you can deduct the standard mileage rate for medical travel, which is 23 cents per mile for 2012.

7. No double benefit. Funds from Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Arrangements used to pay for medical or dental costs are usually tax-free. Therefore, you cannot deduct expenses paid with funds from those plans.

You’ll find more information in IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses. Also see Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans. They are available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

The IRS receives thousands of reports every year from taxpayers who receive emails out-of-the-blue claiming to be from the IRS. Scammers use the IRS name or logo to make the message appear authentic so you will respond to it. In reality, it’s a scam known as “phishing,” attempting to trick you into revealing your personal and financial information. The criminals then use this information to commit identity theft or steal your money.

The IRS has this advice for anyone who receives an email claiming to be from the IRS or directing you to an IRS site:

Do not reply to the message;

Do not open any attachments. Attachments may contain malicious code that will infect your computer; and

Do not click on any links in a suspicious email or phishing website and do not enter confidential information. Visit the IRS website and click on ‘Identity Theft’ at the bottom of the page for more information.

Here are five other key points the IRS wants you to know about phishing scams.

1. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or social media channels to request personal or financial information;

2. The IRS never asks for detailed personal and financial information like PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts;

3. The address of the official IRS website is www.irs.gov. Do not be misled by sites claiming to be the IRS but ending in .com, .net, .org or anything other than .gov. If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but you suspect it is bogus, do not provide any personal information on their site and report it to the IRS;

4. If you receive a phone call, fax or letter in the mail from an individual claiming to be from the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine if the IRS has a legitimate need to contact you. Report any bogus correspondence. Forward a suspicious email to phishing@irs.gov;

5. You can help the IRS and other law enforcement agencies shut down these schemes. Visit the IRS.gov website to get details on how to report scams and helpful resources if you are the victim of a scam. Click on “Reporting Phishing” at the bottom of the page.

Direct deposit is the fast, easy and safe way to receive your tax refund. Whether you file electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to your refund faster than a paper check.

Here are four reasons more than 80 million taxpayers chose direct deposit in 2012:

Security. Every year the U.S. Postal Service returns thousands of paper checks to the IRS as undeliverable. Direct deposit eliminates the possibility of a lost, stolen or undeliverable refund check.

Convenience.  With direct deposit, the money goes directly into your bank account. You will not have to make a special trip to the bank to deposit the money yourself.

Ease.  It’s easy to choose direct deposit. When you are preparing your tax return, simply follow the instructions on the tax return or in the tax software. Make sure you enter the correct bank account and bank routing transit numbers.

Options.  You can deposit your refund into more than one account. With the split refund option, taxpayers can divide their refunds among as many as three checking or savings accounts and up to three different U.S. financial institutions. Use IRS Form 8888, Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases), to divide your refund. If you are designating part of your refund to pay your tax preparer, you should not use Form 8888. You should only deposit your refund directly into accounts that are in your own name, your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint account.

Some banks require both spouses’ names on the account to deposit a tax refund from a joint return. Check with your bank for their direct deposit requirements.

Check the instructions in your tax form for more information about direct deposit and the split refund option. Helpful tips on both are also available in IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. Publication 17 and IRS Form 8888 are available on IRS.gov or by calling the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

The Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Founders Day Weekend celebration March 16-18 to commemorate the incorporation of Cedar Springs as a village on March 18, 1871.

The fun begins on Saturday, March 16, with the Lions Club Pancake breakfast, from 7 to 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church. The Cedar Springs Historical Museum will be open, and will be teaching Pioneer Crafts to the kids from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Founders Day Dance Extravaganza at the Kent Theatre will run from noon to 2 p.m., with different types of dance performances. From 3 to 9 p.m., there will be a concert and BBQ, featuring three different area bands. The concert tent will be located on Ash Street, across from city hall, so no worries about weather! Admission to the concert is free for all ages. Food will be available for purchase, with The Grilling Company and Salidino Smoke there grilling delicious meat. There will also be a variety of beverages to purchase.

On Sunday, the museum will be open again from noon to 4 p.m. to teach Pioneer Crafts, and The Grilling Company will be on hand with food available for purchase.

On Monday, the actual anniversary of incorporation, there will be a historic storytelling time called “Legends of a Lumber town” behind the Cedar Springs Fire Barn, at the flowing well at 5 p.m., with Post Editor Judy Reed and other storytellers.