Tax season begins and the IRS urges to avoid mistakes to speed up refunds
He Internal Revenue Service began the 2022 tax filing season on January 24 with an urgent call to the taxpayers to take extra precautions this year to file an accurate tax return electronically to help expedite refunds.
It is expected that more than 160 million individual tax returns are filed for fiscal year 2021, most before the April 18 tax deadline.
While taxpayers in Massachusetts and Maine will have a deadline of April 19 due to Patriot Day; disaster victims have later filing deadlines in some locations.
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig noted that taxpayers should be especially careful this year due to several critical tax law changes that took place in 2021 and the ongoing challenges related to the pandemic.
“There are important steps people can take to make sure they avoid processing delays and get their tax refund as quickly as possible. We urge people to carefully review their taxes before filing. And they should file electronically with direct deposit if possible; Filing a paper tax return this year means a long delay in a refund,” Rettig said.
For most taxpayers who file a tax return without problems, the IRS anticipates they will receive their refund within 21 days of electronic filing if they choose direct deposit, similar to previous years. The average tax refund last year was more than $2,800.
IRS Recommendations for a Smooth Filing Season
Receive your refund faster by filing electronically
If you need a tax refund quickly, don’t file your return on paper – use software, a trusted tax professional, or Free File en IRS.gov.
File an accurate tax return
An accurate tax return can prevent processing delayslong refund delays, and subsequent notifications from the IRS.
Special care for EIP, advanced recipients of the Child Tax Credit
People who received a third Economic Impact Payment or an early Child Tax Credit in 2021 They must ensure that the amounts they have received are entered correctly on the tax return. Incorrect entries when reporting these payments means the IRS will need to further review the tax return, leading to considerable delay.
To help taxpayers, the IRS is sending special letters about stimulus payments and Child Tax Credit advance payment amounts. People can also check the amount of their payments in their online account available at IRS.gov.
Refunds of the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit
By law, the IRS cannot issue a refund involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, although eligible individuals can file their returns as early as January 24, provide this time to help the IRS stop the issuance of fraudulent refunds.
Avoid phone delays
Avoid delays and see IRS.gov for get information about refunds and answers to tax questions. Setting up an online account at IRS.gov can also help taxpayers get information quickly. The online account feature has recently been expanded to allow more people to gain access.
Don’t normally file a return?
For people who don’t normally file taxes and didn’t file a 2020 return or use the Non-Filers tool, they may still qualify for important credits for which they are eligible, including the Recovery Refund Credit (stimulus payment)the Advance Child Tax Credit, or the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Online Options for Free Help
Use IRS.gov for answers to tax questions, check the status of a refund or pay taxes . There’s no waiting time or appointment needed – online tools and resources are available 24 hours a day.
Other free help options
Free File del IRS is available to any individual or family who earned $73,000 or less in 2021. Qualified taxpayers can also find free tax preparation help nationwide through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.
Tips to help with filing your 2021 tax return
People whose 2020 tax returns have not yet been processed can still file their 2021 tax returns. For those e-filers in this group, here’s a critical point. Taxpayers need their adjusted gross income, or AGI, from their most recent tax return when they file electronically.
For those waiting for their 2020 tax return to be processed, be sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year’s AGI on the 2021 tax return. Visit Validating your electronically filed tax return for more details..
The tax deadline is April 18
The filing deadline is April 18 for most taxpayers; Automatic six-month extensions to file are available to anyone who file Form 4868Request for Automatic Extension of Time to File US Individual Income Tax Return.
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The 2022 tax filing season begins on January 24
