Last-Minute Filing Tips

If you haven’t done your taxes yet, don’t despair. There’s no time like the present to prepare and file your 2014 tax return. Visit IRS.gov for tax tools and help that can make filing your tax return a bit less taxing.

1.    Don’t delay.  Don’t wait until the last minute to do your taxes. The old saying is true: haste makes waste. If you rush to beat the deadline, you may miss out on tax savings or make a mistake. An error will likely delay your refund and often causes the IRS to send you a letter.

2.    Try IRS e-file.  No matter who does your taxes, you should file them using IRS e-file. It’s the safe, easy and accurate way to file your tax return. You’re 20 times less likely to make a mistake when you e-file compared to filing a paper return. That’s because the tax software catches and corrects common paper filing errors. It also will alert you to tax credits and deductions you may otherwise miss.

3.    Visit IRS.gov.  Go online for tax information and resources. The Interactive Tax Assistant, Tax Trails and IRS Tax Map can help answer questions you may need answered to complete your return.

4.    File on time.  If you owe taxes but can’t pay by April 15, you should still file on time and pay as much as you can. This will minimize penalties and interest charges. If you can’t pay all the tax you owe, you may apply for an installment agreement. The easy way to apply is to use the Online Payment Agreement tool on IRS.gov. You can also apply by mail using IRS Form 9465, Installment Agreement Request.

5.    File an extension.  If you’re not ready to file by April 15, you can get an automatic six-month extension. You can e-file your extension request for free using IRS Free File. You may also file using Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Make sure to e-file or mail the form and pay an estimate of any tax due by April 15. You can get the form at IRS.gov/forms anytime. 

Don’t be Fooled, Phone Scams Continue to be Serious Threat Nationwide

WASHINGTON — As April 1st approaches, the IRS warns taxpayers not to be fooled by the tricks scammers use to take advantage of those they target. Scammers use fake names, provide bogus IRS badge numbers and alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS is calling. With the final two weeks of the filing season about to begin and millions preparing their returns, taxpayers should be alert. "This is no April Fool's joke. Everyone should be on the lookout for threatening calls from people faking IRS phone numbers and demands for immediate payment," IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. "These are scams. I urge taxpayers to stay vigilant and remain aware of the constantly changing tactics used by these criminals.” As the filing season nears its end, there has been a surge of phone scams where scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other threats. They often leave “urgent” callback requests and sometimes prey on the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English. Scammers have been known to impersonate agents from IRS Criminal Investigation as well. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. The IRS will not: Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill. Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do: If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue. If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or report it online at the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting Page. If you’ve been targeted by this scam, also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their FTC Complaint Assistant at FTC.gov. If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes. Remember, too, the IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue involving bills or refunds. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to IRS.gov and type “scam” in the search box. Additional information about tax scams is available on IRS social media sites, including YouTube and Tumblr, where people can search “scam” to find the related posts. Back to Top Thank you for subscribing to the IRS Newswire, an IRS e-mail service. If you know someone who might want to subscribe to this mailing list, please forward this message to them so they can subscribe. This message was distributed automatically from the mailing list IRS Newswire. Please Do Not Reply To This Message.