Question: At work we were told to look at our withholding because we could get a bigger tax bill in April if we don’t change it now. They sent out a link to use. I didn’t do it because I wasn’t sure what they do with the information. I have more than one job to report income from. What do you know about this?
Answer: Since major changes to the U.S. tax code took effect in January, the Internal Revenue Service has been urging taxpayers to do a “paycheck checkup” to ensure their federal income tax withholding is high enough to avoid a surprising bill when they file their 2018 income taxes, which come due in April.
The IRS has a “withholding calculator” online to help taxpayers complete this task and says that it does not save or record any of the information entered there. The calculator does not ask for your name, Social Security number, address or bank account numbers. Find it at apps.irs.gov/app/withhold ingcalculator.
If you’d still rather not enter income information online, you can use a pencil and paper to figure out whether you are withholding enough from your paychecks, following the instructions in IRS Publication 505, which you can search for and download at irs.gov.
Either way, as a person with more than one job, you are among the taxpayers who really need to get this done, according to the IRS. The agency also emphasizes the urgency of the task for two-income families and taxpayers who itemize deductions, claim tax credits and have dependents age 17 or older, among other characteristics.
Have your most recent pay stubs and tax return handy before you get started on the calculator or worksheet, which will only be as accurate as the information you input.
Although most commonly described as a tax cut, the new federal law won’t have uniform effects. The law changed tax rates and brackets. While it increased the standard deduction and the child tax credit, it also eliminated personal exemptions and eliminated or limited numerous deductions.
Q: Some time ago you referenced an excellent website about Hawaii hiking trails. I meant to bookmark it but forgot. I Googled, but so many different sites came up that I couldn’t find it. Would you mind repeating this information?
A: We believe the site you’re looking for is hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails, which is overseen by the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program.
Na Ala Hele, which is administered by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, was established in 1988 amid concern about the loss of public access to hiking trails amid rising development.
Its website lists sanctioned trails throughout the state, and can direct you to trailheads via GPS. You can filter your search by island and according to other factors, such as amenities found at the trailhead and hazards in the area.
Volcano village
Friday’s column prompted an email from Sherry Bracken, Mahalo Broadcasting radio host and Hawaii Public Radio reporter on the Big Island, who said, “I appreciated reading (the) column about Volcano House. If you get a chance, you might remind your Kokua Line readers that although facilities inside the park (Kilauea Military Camp, Volcano House) are closed, there are really nice and very open hotels and bed-and-breakfast places in Volcano Village, just outside the park, such as Kilauea Lodge and several individually owned places. And there are art galleries and stores and some really good restaurants! Volcano Village is rustic, and beautiful, and a fun place to visit. There is a new Volcano Village website, too, that would help: experiencevolcano.com.”
Consider it done.
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