Tax Filing Season Now Open

The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and tax industry leaders warned tax professionals to be alert to an email scam from cybercriminals posing as clients soliciting their services, according to a release.

There’s some new things to look out for when filing your 2016 tax returns – such as delayed refunds for those claiming Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit.

Do you have an IRS-issued Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN)? “Even with these significant changes, IRS employees and the entire tax community will be working hard to make this a smooth filing season for taxpayers”. This phone line also supports Spanish speaking taxpayers.

Mark your calendar for Tax Day 2017: April 18.

Taxes are usually due on April 15, but this year that falls on a Saturday.

In reality, taxpayers taking these credits will probably have to wait even longer to get their refunds – until the week of February 27, the IRS says, because of weekends and the President’s Day holiday. Warning: Any ITIN that has not been used in the past three years will no longer work for filing that return.

When choosing a tax preparer, choose wisely.

“Most refunds, nine out of ten, will get to taxpayers in 21 days or less”, IRS spokesperson Raphael Tulino told KDKA money editor Jon Delano, “however…”

The Taxation and Revenue Department says some New Mexico residents may wait longer for income tax refunds in 2017 as the state steps up efforts to combat identity theft and tax refund fraud.

The reason? Congress is cracking down on tax-return-related fraud.

Once tax season is over, will this office remain open should there be a problem with my tax return? Taxpayers can visit INfreefile to see if they qualify for free e-filing and to get started. Some refunds will not be released until after February 15. Review the status of your refund by visiting the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? website ‎or take advantage of the IRS2Go smartphone app.

If you have a lot of questions, you don’t have to go through the process alone.