Tuesday, May 4, 2021
May 2021 Financial Update
The 2020 tax season is … going. Going well seems to be another story.
On April 22, the Taxpayer Advocate Service published a blog post talking about the difficulties that the IRS is experiencing this year, with millions of unprocessed tax returns hanging out waiting for manual processing. A variety of things are creating delays. One is the late passage of the of laws affecting tax returns, which has complicated the forms and slowed the processing of refunds.
The result is that many taxpayers are awaiting refunds, sometimes waiting a long time, well past the IRS’s usual 21-day time frame. Complicating matters, taxpayers who call the IRS are unable to get through to ask a question about it or get a real status update, as only a small percentage of calls are ever answered. The online system often simply says a return hasn’t been processed, but not why or any further details.
So how is tax season going for accountants? That’s not much better. Reportedly, it’s “The worst.” Deadline changes plus revised and unclear guidance on legal changes have created complications. 2020 has really challenged tax preparers’ ability to process tax returns in a timely and accurate manner.
This may be an unfair question in a challenging year, but do accountants, those who enjoy the challenge of taxes, normally enjoy doing their own? Nope. Even professionals hate doing their own taxes.
Finally, do you understand how tax brackets work? Many people don’t, but this TikToker explains how it works in under a minute.
2021 Financial Calendar – May:
Taxes are now due May 17. Have you filed your taxes or an extension?
This month’s financial work involves debt. Do you owe the IRS this year? If not, maybe you have outstanding loans and credit card debts. This is a good month to figure out how much you owe and your debt-to-income ratio. That ratio is a big factor in your overall financial health. Do you have a plan for paying it back? Many websites often a path to managing debt and tips.
2021 Tax Updates and Dates
May is 2021’s last month of tax season owing to the extended tax deadline. For a full list of tax deadline dates, see the IRS Tax Calendar:
- May 17: Form 1040 and 1040 SR are due today, along with payment. If you file an extension, make sure to pay estimated tax.
- May 17: First installment of 2021 estimated tax is due today.
- May 17: Nonprofit 990 filings are due today.
Note that not all states extended the deadline, although most did. Here’s a list of state deadlines (or see below for the chart).
Government Aid in Coronatimes
Taxes are the big story for May, but the pandemic’s financial effects keep marching on. Unemployment as of March is high but dropping, and the American Rescue Plan is continuing to be rolled out. Stimulus payments continue to be processed. Localities are developing plans to use the stimulus money they are receiving as well. The Small Business Administration is rolling out a $5 billion dollar grant program to help small businesses and nonprofits especially hard hit by the pandemid
The Usual PPP Application and Forgiveness Resources
- Gusto’s Small Business Guide to PPP Round 2 Funding
- NFIB’s Guide to Forgiveness of PPP Loans under $50,000
- the FMA PPP Toolbox for Nonprofits
- the Freelancers Mutual Aid Circle,
- the SBA’s Coronavirus Small Business Guidance page
- Quickbooks has a Q&A Forum on the PPP
- Gusto Payroll has a Step-by-Step Guide to the forgiveness application
- Paychex has a PPP Practical Guide
What’s Happening, in Charts
It’s a wild and crazy tax year. Did your state extend the deadline? Probably, but some have extended it even farther.
Meanwhile, the political and financial landscape has a distinct urban flavor in America. This map shows the outsize financial impact of urban areas in America, with localities such as the New York area contributing a staggering 1.77 trillion in economic output to the national economy.
Business Links!
-
Types of Businesses: Which Structure Is Right for You?
The Shopify blog takes on the question of incorporation - does incorporating really matter? If so, what type? A few questions answered.
-
Be 'Louder' About Your Parenting at Work
The pandemic has pushed many of us to be more open about our parenting at work. Ignoring the reality of family at work isn't healthy, and misses the reality that parenting can make us better workers.
-
Equity updates – what we’ve been up to and what comes next
Instagram posted about the work of the Instagram Equity team, focusing on the experiences of people with marginalized backgrounds within Instagram.
Nonprofit Links!
-
The Tax Issues Facing Tax-Exempt Organizations
David Thompson of National Council of Nonprofits discusses tax law issues that affect nonprofits, because despite being tax-exempt, nonprofits can run into a lot of issues with changing laws.
-
Associations Rethink Reserve Policies and Revenue Strategies Amid Pandemic
Should nonprofits rethink how much money to keep in reserve? The pandemic stretched a lot of budgets a little too thin, and nonprofits are responding by altering goals and rethinking budgets.
Security Links!
-
Do people really want personalised ads online?
Do personalized ads really make for a better experience? People surveyed in Europe overwhelmingly said they'd rather not be tracked.
-
How Facebook’s Ad System Lets Companies Talk Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths
NYU's Cybersecurity for Democracy project reports that ads from companies are being targeted to political leanings, meaning that some companies are saying contradicting themselves in their advertising.
-
Why You Shouldn’t Use Google Chrome After New Privacy Disclosure
Forbes recommends ditching Google after their disclosures about surveillance on their browser. Do you use Google Chrome? Will their revelations about how much they track and sell your data convince you to switch to something with better privacy in mind?
-
Data of 553m Facebook users dumped online: how to see if you are impacted
The big news in privacy this month is that millions of users' Facebook data was leaked online, including names, dates of birth, gender, location, relationship status and more. Were you impacted?
