IRS Offers Electronic Filing Services For Tax Season
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This tax season, the Internal Revenue Service has a slew of helpful online services to help make the process as painless as possible. NY1’s Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.It's time once again to start thinking about taxes, but there’s a little good news for all the procrastinators out there.
“This year, taxes are not going to be due to be filed and paid until Tuesday, April 17,” says Dianne Besunder, spokesperson for the Internal Revenue Service.
Since the April 15 is a Sunday and DC will be observing Emancipation Day on Monday, you get two more days to wait until the last minute, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Besunder says the sooner you file, the sooner you'll get your refund, especially if you file electronically.
“Last year, actually 79 percent of all taxpayers filed electronically,” says Besunder. “It's really the norm now, it's not the exception.”
Combine e-filing with direct deposit and you should see your refund in less than 21 days, but speed isn't the only benefit. There's also increased accuracy.
“The error rate with electronically filed returns is less than one percent, where there's a 20 percent error rate on paper return,” says Besunder.
Plus, you might be able to file online for free. Anyone making less than $57,000 a year is eligible for the IRS's free file program, which allows them to use brand name software at no charge, provided they go through the IRS website.
Those making more than that can use “Fillable Forms,” which are also free and available to just about anyone.
For those who need help and prefer a little face time, the IRS is testing out a pilot program. For the first time ever, Virtual Service will allow taxpayers to speak to a representative via video conferencing from kiosks located at 10 IRS offices around the country.
Besunder says the trial is part of an ongoing effort to keep the bureau technologically up to date.
“We have a lot of YouTube videos, we're very active in Twitter and we have a couple of Facebook accounts out there, so we're really trying to use social media and more modern ways to reach the taxpayers where and when they want to get the information that they need,” says Besunder.
For more information, visit IRS.gov or call their toll free hotline at 1-800-829-1040.