5 Facts To Know That Will Make Your Tax-Filing Easier This Year

23 Mar 2016

Make Tax Filing Easier

Tax season is here. With that, we know every year brings confusion, sometimes delays, and new laws. There are some things everyone should know that may make their tax filing easier.

1. Tax Professionals Get Swamped as The Tax Season Draws Closer to The Deadline

The earlier you get your taxes to a tax professional the faster you can file or receive a refund. If you have a very simple return you can go directly to free-file at the IRS website. It is best to file on time and avoid penalties. If you are self-employed late filing can affect your social security recording.

2. Tax-Filing Methods are Constantly Changing

There are many ways to file your taxes, more complicated forms require a certified public accountant to less complicated forms, where you can use an enrolled agent. A simple form can be free-filed as mentioned above at the IRS website.

3. The IRS Has Put New Tools in Place to Help Prevent Identity Theft

The IRS has made it a lot harder for criminals to steal identities and file returns under names that are not theirs. They have placed many layers of protection in place to make it harder. With that said, it is always smart to file your taxes early to avoid getting hit by identity theft criminals.

Figure out what to do with your tax refund by using this handy, Easy Budget Planner

4. Theft Preventing Safety Precautions Could Make the Process Longer

Because the IRS has added layers of protection to protect taxpayers from fraud, it will, unfortunately take longer to process these layers. It is better to wait a little longer, than to be a victim. Undoing a tax fraud process takes much longer than an initial protection takes.

5. IRS Customer Service Levels Might be Low Again, Due to a Decrease in Agents.

Because congress has made many cuts to the IRS budget, there are less agents to help with your problems. The better option, no matter what, is to first visit the IRS website and search 2016 questions and answers, the next best is to read articles pertaining to your problem that outline laws, the next best is to download actual IRS publications that pertain to your problem. For instance: If you are “selling a business”, search IRS publication on selling a business, the same is true for “selling a home”. There are literally thousands of publications that lay out all of the laws and other facts
you need to make correct decisions. If you will have a tax professional do your return read the articles or publications before you visit with your tax professional.