Georgia income tax Form 500 question

[oldfella1962]

Okay, in a perfect world the Georgia state income tax form 500 should not be any more complicated than the Federal form 1040.
That being said I have a question before I even get to "Line 1" in the line-by-line instructions! And here it is....fiscal year.
Fiscal year beginning __ __-__ __- __ __ __ __ fiscal year ending __-__-__ __ __ ? "fiscal year"? I think that starts in September or October
but why would they want the fiscal year anyway when the 2022 tax year begins on 1 January 2022 and ends on 31 December 2022?
Do they mean the actual year beginning 1 Jan 2022 but call it the fiscal year? The form says 2022 on the top so logic would dictate I'm using this form to pay my 2022 taxes. Any thoughts?

 

[JustUs4All]

If you use a fiscal year for accounting purposes, this is where you tell them what it is. If you use the calendar year you ignore that.

 

[oldfella1962]

If you use a fiscal year for accounting purposes, this is where you tell them what it is. If you use the calendar year you ignore that.

"If you use the calendar year you ignore that".
I ignore what? I don't get what you are saying. In other words, I ignore their request to enter the fiscal dates and just put in the regular dates for the tax year (1 Jan 2022 - 31 Dec 2022)? My memory is terrible, but I think in years past I put the actual tax year date in the blanks and wrote a comment saying "actual tax year date" to explain myself. I do remember that one year I called the Georgia tax assistance line and asked them why they wanted the fiscal date when the tax year is the actual calendar year. I don't remember what they told me. But I mail in "hard copies" so I can physically write comments
on the form.

 

[oldfella1962]

update: sure enough you tube answered my question since google failed me miserably. You only fill in the "fiscal year" if you run your tax year using alternate dates rather than the traditional calendar AKA Federal tax season dates. So regular filers like myself can just leave it blank.

Another thing about Georgia tax forms versus Federal forms - you have to put down the employer Federal ID number and State ID number but that info is already on the W-2's that you send in. Also, some other terms & nomenclature vary from the Federal form. I imagine all states are like this, but it would be nice if they were as simple as the Federal taxes.

 

[JustUs4All]

Sorry, I thought my explanation was more clear than it seems to have been.

 

[oldfella1962]

Sorry, I thought my explanation was more clear than it seems to have been.

It's not you it's me - my brain wiring is suboptimal to say the least.
What's clear to 99 percent of the population may not make sense to me.
I have huge gaps in my reasoning ability.

 

[JustUs4All]

Don't feel lonesome. I am beginning to get huge gaps in that and my explaining ability too. LOL

 

[oldfella1962]

Don't feel lonesome. I am beginning to get huge gaps in that and my explaining ability too. LOL

When I bounced your explanation up against you tube it made sense. My brain just needed a "jump start". IMHO you tube is a great tool - a game changer - for people like me who have to see things (be it a drawing, video, or an example/sample) to figure them out most of the time. And I generally need constant, relentless repetition to actually deep-down learn something involving multiple steps. Regardless, thanks for answering my tax question!

 

[Oldstick]

It's not ya'll, its everyone.

Every single year my federal tax form is simple only two pages. Names and info, income received, tax due and tax already paid, refund or balance due, plus my 1099 and done. (I usually file the federal online for free). But the state requires me to complete at least five pages of paper plus include copies of my federal. Else pay online to file it which I absolutely refuse to do.

 

[oldfella1962]

It's not ya'll, its everyone.

Every single year my federal tax form is simple only two pages. Names and info, income received, tax due and tax already paid, refund or balance due, plus my 1099 and done. (I usually file the federal online for free). But the state requires me to complete at least five pages of paper plus include copies of my federal. Else pay online to file it which I absolutely refuse to do.

Thanks for reminding me! I need to make a copy of my Federal 1040 form to send along with my state return. Once again, I will bring up the obvious:
Since I'm sending my 1099 to the Georgia tax center, all the info they need to confirm that I did my GA state taxes correctly on the Georgia F500 is right there on the 1099.

In other words, the Federal IRS doesn't need a copy of my Georgia F500 because - as I mentioned - I'm sending them my 1099 along with my 1040.

I think Georgia tax center is trying to save themselves some time & effort by just getting the info they need off the copy I send of my Ferdal 1040.