Displaying items by tag: income tax returns
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NASHVILLE - The Internal Revenue Service today reminded tax filers who owe taxes and are purposely waiting until the last-minute to file and pay that they can easily postpone paying but are less likely to make mistakes if they file now, before the April rush.
The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that today, April 18, is the federal tax deadline for this year.
Through April 14, about 1.97 million tax returns have been e-filed by Tennesseans. The IRS expects a total of 2.75 million paper and e-filed returns to be filed this year by Tennesseans.
"People who owe taxes should file their return or an extension by midnight tonight in order to avoid the late-filing penalty," said IRS spokesman Dan Boone. "They should pay as much as they can with the return or extension to help reduce possible penalties and interest."
All taxpayers can file an extension free at www.IRS.gov through the IRS Free File program and most can e-file their 2010 tax return free through Free File.
Filers who are due a refund need to remember that there is generally a 3-year window to file and claim a refund. That window closes today for tax returns for 2007. IRS records indicate that about 17,000 Tennesseans have not filed a return for 2007 but would get about $17 million in refunds if they do file today.
Taxpayers who need a payment agreement should visit IRS.gov and fill out an Online Payment Agreement (OPA) application.
Taxpayers can contact the IRS toll-free by phone at 800-829-1040 for tax questions or at 800-906-9887 to locate a tax help site that is open today.
With the Monday, April 18th federal income tax deadline rapidly approaching the IRS wants remind taxpayers about the self-help tools that are available to make filing taxes easier.
Taxpayers seeking last minute help can find a wide variety of useful products and information from the comfort of their home through the IRS website.
IRS.gov is "open" 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The 2011 Filing Season Tax Tips, available on www.IRS.gov, provide a wealth of information and links to help taxpayers meet the deadline. 1040 Central is the comprehensive source for individual income tax information. Interactive Tax Assistant is a tax law resource that guides taxpayers through a series of questions and provides responses on credits, deductions and general filing questions.
The IRS daily filing season tax tips also available on the website provide easy to read plain language information to help taxpayers. Here are a few of the available tax tips covering some of the most common taxpayer questions.
-Want to file your return electronically for free?
Free File on IRS.gov is always open - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-11- Let Free File Do the Hard Work for You.
-Want to know more about filing electronically?
Electronic filing is no longer the exception, it’s the norm - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-10 - Prepare and File Your Taxes Electronically
-Need more time to file?
Request an Extension until October 17 - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-69 - Seven Things about Getting More Time to File Your Tax Return.
-Can’t pay or need an installment agreement?
File on time and the IRS may be able to grant more time to pay - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-64 -Read This if you need More Time to Pay Your Taxes.
-Need a form or publication?
No need to call, download it from IRS.gov - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-04 - Five Ways to Obtain IRS Forms and Publications.
-Not sure if you have to file a tax return?
Your age, income, marital status all make a difference - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-02 – Do I Have to File a Tax Return?
-Need IRS Individual Tax Law Information?
The IRS has a pub for that - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-30 - Six Facts About IRS Publication 17.
-Have a question about your refund?
Check out the "Where's My Refund" tool - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-66 - Ten Things to Know about Tax Refunds.
-What other information is available on the IRS website?
Need to know more? - See IRS Tax Tip 2011-05 - Top Ten Reasons to Visit IRS.gov.
Following are the first five scams to avoid from the IRS Dirty Dozen for 2011: 1. Hiding Income Offshore If someone tells you there's no need to report an offshore account to the IRS, don't believe them. The IRS aggressively pursues taxpayers involved in abusive offshore transactions as well as the promoters, professionals and others who facilitate or enable these schemes. The IRS announced a special voluntary disclosure initiative, open through Aug. 31, 2011, designed to bring offshore money back into the U.S. tax system and help people with undisclosed income from hidden offshore accounts get current with their taxes. 2. Identity Theft and Phishing If you get an e-mail that appears to be from the IRS or from your bank or other financial institution, watch out - it may be a scammer phishing for your personal information! Identity theft is a major problem that affects many people each year. That's why it's important that taxpayers protect their personal information. Anyone who believes his or her personal information has been stolen and used for tax purposes should immediately contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. More information on identity theft and taxes is available on the IRS website. A suspicious e-mail or an “IRS” Web address that does not begin with http://www.irs.gov should be forwarded to the IRS at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 3. Return Preparer Fraud If a tax preparer brags about getting you a bigger refund than the preparer down the street, walk away. That may indicate you've chosen someone who is about to prepare a fraudulent tax return. While most return preparers are professionals who provide honest and excellent service to their clients, some make basic errors or engage in fraud and other illegal activities. Dishonest return preparers can cause big trouble for taxpayers who fall victim to their ploys. To increase confidence in the tax system and improve compliance with the tax law, the IRS is implementing a number of requirements for paid tax preparers, including registration with the IRS and a preparer tax identification number (PTIN), as well as competency tests and ongoing continuing professional education. 4. Filing False or Misleading Forms Maybe you've heard of this - one version of this scheme is based on the bogus theory that the federal government maintains secret accounts for its citizens and that taxpayers can gain access to funds in those accounts by issuing 1099-OID forms to their creditors, including the IRS. Not true! Because scammers often use information from family or friends in filing false or fraudulent returns, beware of requests for such data. Don’t fall prey to people who encourage you to claim deductions or credits you are not entitled to or willingly allow others to use your information to file false returns. If you are a party to such schemes, you could be liable for financial penalties or even face criminal prosecution. 5. Frivolous Arguments It can start with a coworker or friend telling you that no one is really required to file taxes. Promoters of frivolous schemes encourage people to make unreasonable and outlandish claims to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The IRS has a list of frivolous legal positions that taxpayers should avoid. These arguments are false and have been thrown out of court. While taxpayers have the right to contest their tax liabilities in court, no one has the right to disobey the law or IRS guidance. How to Report Suspected Tax Fraud Activity Suspected tax fraud can be reported to the IRS using Form 3949-A, Information Referral. The completed form or a letter detailing the alleged fraudulent activity should be addressed to the Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888. The mailing should include specific information about who is being reported, the activity being reported, how the activity became known, when the alleged violation took place, the amount of money involved and any other information that might be helpful in an investigation. The identity of the person filing the report can be kept confidential. Whistleblowers also may provide allegations of fraud to the IRS and may be eligible for a reward by filing Form 211, Application for Award for Original Information, and following the procedures outlined in Notice 2008-4, Claims Submitted to the IRS Whistleblower Office under Section 7623.
