What are the Most Common Business Tax Return Errors?

As you rush to complete your business and personal tax returns and submit them by April 15, don't get in such a hurry that you make mistakes. The best way to avoid errors is to use one of the tax return preparation software services, but even that is no guarantee you won't make mistakes. Before you send in that return, run through this list of common tax return mistakes.

The 5 Most Common Business Tax Return Errors
The IRS says they see these errors most often on tax returns, including business tax returns:

1. Incorrect or missing social security numbers or employer ID numbers.
   
2. Incorrect tax entered based on taxable income and filing status
   
3. Computation errors in figuring the taxable income, withholding and estimated tax payments, and common credits and deductions.
   
4. Withholding and estimated tax payments entered on the wrong line, and
   
5. Math Errors. Both addition and subtraction.

Other Common Tax Return Filing Mistakes

• Illegible or missing name or address
  
• Checking more than one filing status or checking no filing status
  
• Incorrect or missing income, deductions and credits, or not putting that information on the correct line
  
• Failing to put brackets (parentheses, like this) to show negative amounts
  
• Failing to figure the tax correctly, from the tax tables
  
• Failing to sign and date the return and, if it is a joint return, failing to have your spouse also sign and date the return
  
• Failing to attach any 1099-MISC forms you received for income, whether or not income tax was withheld
  
• Failing to attach all necessary schedules (including Schedule C) in sequence number order
  
• Failing to send the return to the correct IRS location
  
• Forgetting to put a postage stamp on the envelope
  
• Forgetting to enclose your check payable to "United States Treasury" and including your name, address, taxpayer ID, daytime phone, tax form and tax year on the payment
  
• Forgetting to include your financial institution routing and account numbers for your refund direct deposit

The IRS has a complete list of tax return errors and how to avoid them in Tax Topic 303, available online.