Ask a CPA

HSA Contributions for the current year can be made through Aoril 15,th of the Following Year.

IRA (Traditional or Roth) Deadline to establish the plan and the Deadline to fund the plan is April 15th of the following year.
SEP IRA - Deadline to establish the plan is the due date of the tax return, including extensions and the Deadline to fund the plan is due date of the tax return, including extensions.
Simple IRA - Deadline to establish the plan is October 1st of that year and the Deadline to fund the plan for the Employee contributions must be withheld from pay by December 31st and remitted to the investment firm as soon as reasonably possible and the Employer contribution must be made by the tax return due date, including extensions.
401-K or 403(b)- Deadline to establish the plan is October 1st of that year for safe harbor plans, otherwise December 31st of that year. Deadline to fund the plan for the Employee contributions must be withheld from pay by December 31st and remitted to the investment firm as soon as reasonably possible and the Employer contribution must be made by the tax return due date, including extensions.
Defined Benefit Plans and Profit Sharing Plans and Keough Plans must be set up by Dec 31st of that tax year.

IRA (Traditional or Roth) Deadline to establish the plan and the Deadline to fund the plan is April 15th of the following year.
SEP IRA - Deadline to establish the plan is the due date of the tax return, including extensions and the Deadline to fund the plan is due date of the tax return, including extensions.
Simple IRA - Deadline to establish the plan is October 1st of that year and the Deadline to fund the plan for the Employee contributions must be withheld from pay by December 31st and remitted to the investment firm as soon as reasonably possible and the Employer contribution must be made by the tax return due date, including extensions.
401-K or 403(b)- Deadline to establish the plan is October 1st of that year for safe harbor plans, otherwise December 31st of that year. Deadline to fund the plan for the Employee contributions must be withheld from pay by December 31st and remitted to the investment firm as soon as reasonably possible and the Employer contribution must be made by the tax return due date, including extensions.
Defined Benefit Plans and Profit Sharing Plans and Keough Plans must be set up by Dec 31st of that tax year.

To claim the American Opportunity credit or Lifetime Learning credit you must pay qualified expenses for yourself, your spouse or dependents claimed as exemptions on your tax return.

Nine out of 10 taxpayers typically receive refunds between 14 and 21 days, when they use e-file with direct deposit.
Due to the large number of inquiries and to avoid service disruptions, the IRS strongly urges taxpayers to only check on their refunds once a day. IRS systems ("Where's My Refund") are only updated once a day, usually overnight, and the same information is available whether on the internet, IRS2go smartphone app or on IRS toll-free lines (1-800-829-4477).
While "Where's My Refund" is updated nightly, your account will not change that frequently.
The heavy volume of refund inquiries means that the IRS anticipates both "Where's My Refund?" on IRS.gov and the refund feature on the IRS2go phone app will have limited availability during busier periods.
Here are some tips to help taxpayers with their refund questions:
Have the right tax information ready before using any of the IRS refund tools. This includes Social Security number, filing status and refund amount.
You don't need to check the IRS website “Where's My Refund” more than once a day as your information will not change. To avoid system delays, the best time to check on refunds is evening and weekends.
There is no need to call the IRS about your refund; the telephone service has the same information that is available on “Where’s My Refund”.

Your receipt of your Federal refund might be delayed to the end of February, 2017 if your tax return claimed a earned Income tax credit or the additional child tax credit. Here are some tips to help taxpayers with their refund questions:
Have the right tax information ready before using any of the IRS refund tools. This includes Social Security number, filing status and refund amount.
You don't need to check the IRS website “Where's My Refund” more than once a day as your information will not change. To avoid system delays, the best time to check on refunds is evening and weekends.
There is no need to call the IRS about your refund; the telephone service has the same information that is available on “Where’s My Refund”.

This safe harbor method is an alternative to the calculation, allocation, and substantiation of actual expenses for purposes of satisfying the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code.
The new optional deduction is capped at $1,500 per year and is based on $5 a square foot for up to 300 square feet.
Homeowners using the new option cannot depreciate the portion of their home used in a trade or business nor deduct actual expenses related to the qualified business use of that home. Also, they may not carryover any excess deductions in any other taxable year.
The current restrictions on the home office deduction, such as the requirement that a home office must be used exclusively and regularly for business and the limit tied to the income derived from the particular business, still apply under the new option.

Rules for every taxpayer:
Must have earned income, such as wages, tips or the income from running a business or farm. Most other types of income, such as retirement pensions, though usually taxable, do not count as earned income.
Must have a Social Security number that is valid for employment for self, spouse and any qualifying children.
A person can get the credit even with a small amount of investment income, such as interest from a bank account. However, the amount of investment income is limited to $3,400.
The filing status used must be single, head of household, married filing jointly or qualifying widow or widower. A taxpayer who files as married filing separately cannot get the credit.
Generally, must be either a U.S. citizen or resident alien. Cannot be a qualifying child of another person. Cannot file Form 2555 or Form 2555-EZ.

Special Rule for Combat Pay. Combat pay received by members of the military serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and other combat zone localities is usually exempt from tax.
But under a special rule, the taxpayer can choose to count all of this as taxable income when figuring the EITC. In many cases, making this choice enables the person to claim the credit, or if already eligible, claim a larger credit.

Taxpayers without a qualifying child must meet three additional tests.
Lived in the U.S. for more than half of 2016, at the end of 2016, was at least age 25, but under age 65, cannot qualify as the dependent of another person.