2009 Tax Brackets, Tax Deductions, and Super Effective Money Saving Tips – Simple Ways to Smart Abundant Savings

It’s that time of the year again—tax time. Every year millions of Americans overpay on their annual income tax. This creates undue stress and frustration for many individuals and families alike. In this article you’ll find the 2009 tax brackets, unique tax deductions, and super powerful money saving tips—all designed to help you save when it comes to paying your annual taxes and living a prosperous life.

Here in the United States, we have what's called the Graduated Income Tax System where individual taxpayers will determine how much their estimated income tax is based on their annual income and how they choose to file—single, married filing separately, married filing jointly, and head of household. This information will help you to determine which tax bracket applies to you. The 2009 tax brackets are show below:

Single

$0 - $8,350 --- 10%
$8,350 - $33,950 --- 15%
$33,950 - $82,250 --- 25%
$82,250 - $171,550 --- 28%
$171,550 - $372,950 --- 33%
More than $372,950 --- 35%

Married Filing Separately

$0 - $8,350 --- 10%
$8,350 - $33,950 --- 15%
$33,950 - $68,525 --- 25%
$68,525 - $104,425 --- 28%
$104,425 - $186,475 --- 33%
More than $186,475 --- 35%

Married Filing Jointly

$0 - $16,700 --- 10%
$16,700 - $67,900 --- 15%
$67,900- $137,050 --- 25%
$137,050 - $208,850 --- 28%
$208,850 - $372,950 --- 33%
More than $372,950 --- 35%

Head of Household

$0 - $11,950 --- 10%
$11,950 - $45,500 --- 15%
$45,500 - $117,450 --- 25%
$117,450 - $190,200 --- 28%
$190,200 - $372,950 --- 33%
More than $372,950 --- 35%

Note: Please consult your tax adviser for more information about the 2009 tax brackets.

Tip # 1: The Mindset

Obtaining, maintaining, and implementing the proper mindset when it comes to saving money is just like building a structurally sound foundation when it comes to building a house. If the foundation is structurally compromised, the house will not stand. Likewise, if you don’t obtain and apply the proper “mindset” when it comes to saving money, you could end up being financially compromised—deep in debt, losing your home, or worse, having no savings and living paycheck to paycheck with no end in sight. Lucky for you, help has arrived!

The proper mindset can be applied in a few simple steps:

Step One: Your Unique Saving Opportunities

Everywhere you go, all around you, there are unique saving opportunities. These opportunities are only presented to those who have truly opened their eyes and who dare to question the negative status quo that has so fully engulfed our society. The simple sad truth is that many people have been conditioned to believe that we have lost our ability to bargain. But rather than discussing the problem, let’s talk about how we can solve it.

It all begins by paying attention to your unique saving opportunities that are specific to you, and then to apply a few simple ideas. Here are a few things you can do to challenge the status quo and appeal to your inner saver:

“Is That The Best You Can Do?”

Next time you make a purchase, simply ask the seller, “is this the best price you can give me?” These simple little words can work wonders! And if the seller won’t budge, ask for a discount or tell him you’re going to his competitor. It’s time to negotiate!

RetailMeNot.com

This neat website, and others like it, are chock-full of great coupons and discount codes you can use to save money. RetailMeNot.com even has a section under “printable coupons” where you can actually enter your zip code and it will automatically search for coupons in your local area—amazing!

Internet Research

The internet is the ultimate consumer saver tool. All you have to do is perform a quick search for “cheap, discount, low cost __(product name)__” and you’ll be surprised at what you can find.

Step Two: Set a Budget

One of the most important aspects of saving money is to set a budget and track your expenses. An easy way to do this is to simply grab a sheet of blank paper or open up Microsoft Excel, or a similar program, on your home computer and list your expenses. After you’ve listed your expenses, put them into categories and then set a budget by going through each expense, looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary expenditures.

Step Three: Return and Report

After you’ve set your budget, make sure you track it and report and record how you did at the end of each and every month. This requires a little self control, but don’t forget to have faith in yourself. You can do it! If you need a little help, you can always establish a reward and consequence for keeping or not keeping within your budget. Follow this simple system, and make wise investments, and you’ll be surprised at how much your savings will grow.

Tip # 2: Unique Savings with Your Taxes

Now that you know what the mindset is, and how to apply it, here are a few ways of incorporating it with your taxes. There are many examples of this, but here are three that will do you well:

Children Under the Age of 17

Did you know that if you have a child that's under the age of seventeen the government gives you $1,000 per child. That can really add up.

Charitable Donations

If you have a favorite charity you're always contribution to, it can mean a big tax deduction for you. You can even write-off your tithing; so if you pay tithing to your church, put a smile on because this will save you money.

Home Business Expenses

Most of the expenses you incur while running a home business are tax deductable. Things like business stationery–pens, paper, printer ink, etc; phone lines, internet connection service charges, utility expenses, gasoline used for business, client meals, etc can be deductible. Don’t forget to keep good records, because it makes it much easier to look back at these expenses and claim the deductions.

Tip # 3: Use the Right Tools

This is probably one of the most useful tips you can use to help you save money and time. There are many programs out there that will assist you in establishing goals, tracking your budget, filing your taxes, and so much more. Here are two that I really like:

Mint.com – Free online budgeting software

TurboTax.com – #1-rated and easy to use online tax filing software

I hope this article has helped you to gain a clear vision of what is possible when you step out of the box and take a look around at the saving opportunities that are all around you. As they say, the ball is in your court now. What are you going to do? Jump back in the box and close the lid tight or start saving with your unique saving, and tax deduction, opportunities.

If you’re looking to file your taxes with an easy to use, step-by-step system, I recommend using the #1-rated tax filing software—TurboTax. You can even use their FREE efile to get your refund fast!