No one wants to go through an audit from the IRS. It’s time consuming, stressful and could very well end with you paying steeps fines or even facing jail time. With that in mind, here are the top ten reasons you may get pulled for an audit this year.

Your money has been waiting patiently in state and federal treasuries, playing Angry Birds and reading the same issue of Men’s Health over and over again. But now it’s time to bring your money home!

Time is running out to file your income tax returns, so here are a few tips to ensure as many of your little green friends as possible make it home this spring.

• Plan in advance. This one might be off the table for this year, but it’s never too early to start planning for next year. You should begin by keeping accurate, organized records. It’s also important to remain informed of tax laws and how they could affect you.
• Deduct for charitable donations. There's no denying that giving feels good (except for giving blood, which makes me feel terrible no matter how many shortbread cookies and juice boxes they press into my numb hands). And luckily the IRS wants to reward you for your charitable donations in the form of a deduction. Just make sure you give to a tax-exempt organization that can provide you with a letter detailing the donation. Your roommate’s bongos are a good place to start.
• Deduct for losses occurring due to disaster or theft. The key to this deduction is that the event that caused the loss must be “identifiable, unexpected and unusual.” This includes car accidents, natural disasters and vandalism, but it does not include natural deterioration or your house cat’s unwavering belief that picture frames, vases and collectible plates belong on the floor, not the shelf, thank you very much.
• Deduct for job search expenses. You can only deduct for expenses accrued on the job hunt if you’re seeking the same position, but with a different company. First-timers and people looking to shift into a new industry are, unfortunately, out of luck. Be sure you keep receipts and records for every cost associated with the process. Related costs could include printing and mailing résumés, transportation to and from interview locations, and fees paid to employment agencies. Phone calls to and from your prospective employers are even tax-deductible, though you should probably still avoid the urge to call every 20 minutes to ask if they’ve hired you yet.
• Take the time to know what deductions you qualify for. So maybe your bike was stolen because you forgot to chain it up, or maybe your Uncle Carl isn’t exactly as “tax-exempt” as he claims to be. You may still qualify for certain deductions! Do you pay interest on a home mortgage? Do you pay union dues? Do you have to purchase and clean your own uniform for work? Familiarize yourself with the available credits and deductions for the tax year to ensure you’re not cheating yourself out of extra cash.

According to reports, the majority of filers simply use the standard deduction rather than itemizing – which can leave many feeling short-changed. So keep in mind that if you just can’t be bothered with all of those numbers and decimal points, you can hire a professional do the legwork for you! Just remember: It's your money.

Note: This guest post was written by Jesse Campbell, counselor for Money Management International.

What major life-changing events do those in their 20’s need to start planning for to be financially prepared and help avoid a quarter-life crisis?

One of the best ways to encourage saving is to write yourself a monthly bill.

Last week, I was driving in a rural area and was only able to pick up one very staticy radio station. Thankfully, the station was airing an interesting show about credit cards. I was unable to find a transcript of the show, so bear with me as I try to remember what I thought was a very interesting little known fact.

Almost half of survey respondents admitted that they’d never be able to save enough money for a down-payment on a home. This is discouraging news for the housing market in general, lenders, potential buyers, as well as existing homeowners.

Have you thought about your taxes yet? If you’re like many Americans, you will procrastinate as long as you can—especially if you suspect that you might owe the IRS. But calculating your taxes before the deadline doesn’t mean you have to file early. What it does mean is that you’ll have more time to prepare for the results.

Are you buying a new home? If you are making the move from renter to homebuyer, you are likely to find that there are some hidden costs to ownership. Starting at your closing, additional housing expenses that you hadn’t considered might cost you money you were never expecting to spend. Following are a few expenses you’ll want to be prepared for.

Home insurance. At closing, you may be required to pre-purchase a year of homeowners insurance. Homeowner’s insurance often costs quite a bit more than renter’s insurance, because it covers the home, in addition to your personal property. Depending upon where you live, you may also need to purchase supplemental insurance for hurricanes, floors, tornados, earthquakes, and other natural disasters that are not covered under your standard policy. In addition, if you own any valuable items, such as sports memorabilia or jewelry, you may want to add coverage specifically for those items.

Maintenance and repairs. Owning a home also means that you are responsible for the home’s upkeep. These costs can add up quickly, especially in an older home with older systems. These expenses can include the cost to repair or replace appliances, heating and cooling systems, exteriors, and anything else that needs to be fixed. Every year, you should expect to spend some money on routine maintenance, and always keep an emergency fund with money available for emergency repairs. Keeping up with routine maintenance, although expensive in the short-term, will ultimately save you money.

Utilities.  Prepare to spend some additional money on utilities, including water, garbage collection, heat, and electricity. With more space, it’s likely that even the bills you paid when you rented will be higher in your new home.

Homeowners' association fees. Find out if you will have to pay homeowners’ association fees. Many communities have a homeowners’ association, commonly called an HOA. An HOA is typically tasked with maintaining common areas and enforcing deed restrictions. Membership in a community HOA is often mandatory and members are charged a monthly or annual fee.

Home furnishings. You’ll probably need , or at least want, to purchase furniture and décor items for your new home. Most people, when purchasing a new home, decide to paint, upgrade the décor, purchase new furniture, and buy new linens.

When purchasing a new home, factor in these items to your total budget to make sure that you are completely financially prepared for homeownership. By doing this, you’ll rest assured knowing that you are purchasing a home that you can comfortably afford.

The number one mistake most buyers make is underestimating the cost of homeownership. You may be able to afford a mortgage, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to be a homeowner. There are tons of other expenses, outside of mortgage payments, including taxes, insurance, maintenance, and periodic home repairs. Being a homeowner can be very expensive and a bit overwhelming at first, but it is still the most important investment most people will make. The housing market can teeter from good to bad, as we’ve seen with the recent housing crisis, but home values tend to go up building significant equity over time. In fact, according to Lending Tree, home prices in the U.S. rose by three to six percent annually during the past couple of decades. In many cases, owning a home is how most families build wealth. In honor of National Homeownership Month and the many incentives to buying, consider taking your piece of the American Dream and become a homeowner. Before making the leap into homeownership, it’s important to do your homework – make sure you can afford the cost of owning a home and make sure you understand the true cost of buying a home. The following are a few ‘hidden’ costs to regard when buying:

Title insurance – the fee that’s charged at closing that protects your investment in the event that the previous owner did not actually own the home that was sold to you. This fee is based on the value of the home.

Legal fees – is not required, but is often recommended because buying a home can be a complicated legal transaction. Home transactions typically use boilerplate forms for everything. If so, the legal review may not be required.

Private mortgage insurance – is charged when the house is being purchased with less than 20 percent down. If you have a loan that requires it, count on paying a couple month's premiums in advance.

Notary fee – is charged at closing and is required to swear that you are who you say you are. This could cost around $50.

Lender/broker fee – this fee is charged by lenders and brokers to prepare purchase documents. This fee could cost between $600 to $1000.

Appraisal fee – this fee is charged to determine fair market value and cost $250 on average.

Survey fee – is the fee that’s charged to determine the exact boundaries of the property. You won't need to pay for this fee if an existing survey can be used. On average this could cost $150 to $400.

In addition to closing cost and other fees required to get the keys to your new home, don’t forget the hidden cost to actually live in the home. Moving expenses, utility deposits, pest control, paint and new carpet are all additional cost to consider when buying a home. For more information on buying and owning a home, visit www.hud.gov.

If you are like many Americans, you are probably anxiously awaiting your tax refund from the Government. Instead of stalking the mailman, try using the IRS’s Where’s My Refund feature. It is free to track your refund through this secure Web site.