Have a tax question? Ask The Taxgirl®.
For years, I’ve answered questions from taxpayers about the IRS, tax returns, deductions, credits, tax bills, estate and gift taxes, and all the other things that make people wonder, “Wait, is that really how this works?”
Some questions have quick answers. Others are more complicated. And sometimes, especially because this is tax, the answer really is, “It depends.”
If you have a question that you haven’t seen answered, consider Ask The Taxgirl®.
Tax Questions, Answered
With Ask The Taxgirl®, I take real questions from readers and answer them in plain English. I generally choose questions that will be useful to more than one taxpayer, especially when I’m seeing the same issue come up repeatedly or when a tax topic is making news, so keep that in mind.
You can find recent examples in issues of the Taxgirl newsletter:
If you aren’t a regular subscriber, you can subscribe here—it’s free.
How To Ask
Have a question of your own? You can send it to askthetaxgirl@taxgirl.com.
Before you do, there are a few things you should know.
Before You Ask
1. Keep it focused. Tell me enough to understand the issue, but I don’t need every detail of your tax life. A question like “Should I file Married Filing Jointly or Married Filing Separately?” probably needs more information. Your shoe size and your mother’s maiden name? Definitely not.
2. Give me a little time. I get a lot of questions, and I can’t answer them all. I tend to prioritize questions that are timely, come up often, or are likely to help many readers. That being said, while I try to answer as many questions as possible, I can’t answer them all. If your question feels urgent, don’t wait for me—seek out a tax professional.
3. Email is the way to go. I prefer email. Don’t leave tax questions on my voicemail—I won’t be able to return those calls. Don’t post personal information (like your phone number or Social Security number, both of which happen with alarming regularity) in the comments or on Facebook or other social media. And please put the subject of your question in the email subject line so it doesn’t disappear into the spam folder.
4. Protect your privacy. Questions may be published on Taxgirl.com, in my newsletter, or on the podcast, so don’t include anything you wouldn’t want made public. Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want your mother—or mine—to see, and do not include personally identifiable information like your phone number or Social Security number (see again #3).
5. Remember that this isn’t legal representation. I can explain tax rules and answer general tax questions, but I can’t call the IRS about your refund, intervene in your audit, or represent you in a tax matter unless you are actually my client and we have a representation agreement.
One more thing: if you’re already sitting in an audit—or you’re hiding in a closet while the feds bang on your door—this is not the time to email Ask The Taxgirl®. Put down the phone or computer and find a qualified tax professional who can help you with your specific situation.
And please don’t send advertisements, promotions, tax treatises, or political pitches disguised as questions. I promise, I can tell.
Ask Your Question
Ready? Email your question to askthetaxgirl@taxgirl.com.
And once more, with feeling: Questions and answers published as part of Ask The Taxgirl® are for general informational purposes and are not legal or tax advice for your individual circumstances. Submitting a question does not create an attorney-client relationship.