Credit Reports Revisited

Back in 2008, I entered a two-post series on credit & credit reports. As a refresher, here is a link to an article on "How to Read Your Credit Report" that discusses and the four main parts of a credit report.

Remember, each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are required to provide one free copy of your credit report to you - EVERY YEAR. But, you must request it from them - they are not required to send it to you automatically.

Tax Breaks for Parents

If you're a parent, check out this blog posting from a New York Times writer - it is a good summary of many different provisions in the tax law that provide tax credits, exemptions or deductions for activities related to children.

See the blog here.

Individual Income Tax Return Deadlines

The federal income tax filing deadline for individuals is April 15, 2010.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, for the tax year 2006, there were 1.4 million people who did not file tax returns for the year 2006, the estimate is that this number represents $1.3 billion in refunds.

See this article for more details.

"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 the refund within three years, the money becomes the property of the U. S. Treasury."

The three year deadline for unfiled 2006 returns is April 15 2010.

So, if you didn't file a return for 2006 and might be due a refund, time is running out.