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Economic Indicators
- Major Economic Indicators Latest NumbersConsumer Price Index (CPI): +0.2% in Jan 2010 News Release Historical Data Unemployment Rate: 9.7% in Feb 2010 News Release Historical Data Payroll Employment: -36,000(p) in Feb 2010 News Release Historical Data Average Hourly Earnings: +$0.03(p) in Feb 2010 News Release Historical Data Producer Price Index (PPI): +1.4%(p) in Jan 2010 News Release Historical […]
- Major Economic Indicators Latest Numbers
Consumer News
- Coil Nailers Recalled by Hitachi Koki Due to Serious Injury HazardThe nailers could have a faulty feeder that can allow nails to be ejected sideways, posing a serious injury hazard to the user or bystanders. The coil nailers are used to project nails into drywall, wood or other materials. The model number is NV83A2 and can be found on the body of the product. Only those units manufactured between October 2002 and September […]
- Coil Nailers Recalled by Hitachi Koki Due to Serious Injury Hazard
Economic Analysis
- U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2010The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total January exports of $142.7 billion and imports of $180.0 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $37.3 billion, down from $39.9 billion in December, revised. January exports were $0.5 billion less than December exports of […]
- U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, January 2010
Budget Office
- Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of the Senate-Passed Health BillCBO has just released an estimate of the budgetary effects of the health bill, H.R. 3590, that passed the Senate on December 24. Today’s estimate differs from the estimate for a slightly earlier version of the legislation that we released on December 19 in that it encompasses all of the amendments that were adopted by [...] […]
- Estimate of the Budgetary Effects of the Senate-Passed Health Bill
Economic Outlook
- S. 1609, Longline Catcher Processor Subsector Single Fishery Cooperative ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on December 17, 2009 […]
- H.R. 4714, National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2010Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 3, 2010 […]
- H.R. 4098, Secure Federal File Sharing ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 4, 2010 […]
- H.R. 2609, Federal Insurance Office Act of 2009Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on December 12, 2009 […]
- H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care ActCost estimate for the bill as passed by the Senate on December 24, 2009. […]
- S. 1609, Longline Catcher Processor Subsector Single Fishery Cooperative Act
5 Tips to Avoid Tax Time Stress
Filing your tax return doesn’t have to be stressful. The IRS has put together five stress-relieving tips to help you.
1. Don’t Procrastinate Resist the temptation to put off your taxes until the very last minute. Rushing to meet the filing deadline may cause you to overlook potential sources of tax savings and will likely increase your risk of making an error.
2,. Visit the IRS Website In 2009, more than 296 million visits were made to IRS.gov. Make 1040 Central your first stop to learn the latest news and find answers to your questions.
3. File Your Return Electronically Last year, two out of three tax returns were filed electronically. More than 800 million tax returns have been processed safely and securely over the past 20 years. Use e-file and direct deposit to get your refund in as few as10 days. E-filed returns have a much lower error rate. Taxpayers receive a fast acknowledgement that the IRS received the return, a service not available to paper filers. You can e-file through your tax preparer or commercial software. Or, you can use Free File, a service offered by the IRS and private sector partners to prepare and e-file your federal return for free. Again, see IRS.gov for more information.
4. Don’t Panic if You Can’t Pay If you cannot pay the full amount of taxes you owe by the April 15th deadline, you should still file your return by the deadline and pay as much as you can to avoid penalties and interest. You should also contact the IRS to discuss your payment options at 1-800-829-1040. The agency may be able to provide some relief such as a short-term extension to pay, an installment agreement or an offer in compromise.
More than 75 percent of taxpayers eligible for an Installment Agreement can apply using the Web-based Online Payment Agreement application available on IRS.gov. To find out more about this simple and convenient process type “Online Payment Agreement” in the search box on the IRS.gov homepage.
5. Request an Extension of Time to File – But Pay on Time If the April 15 clock runs out, you can get an automatic six-month extension of time to file until October 15. However, this extension of time to file does not give you more time to pay any taxes due. If you have not paid at least 90 percent of the total tax due by the April deadline you may also be subject to an Estimated Tax Penalty. To obtain an extension, just file Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. The easiest way to file a Form 4868 is through Free File at www.irs.gov/freefile. Form 4868 is also available at IRS.gov or you can call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) and have a paper form mailed to you.