Taxpayers are urged to file their returns when ready and not to wait on Congress and decisions they may make in the coming weeks. Martha Waggoner for the Journal of Accountancy shares more in the article, Don’t wait on action on tax bill to file returns, IRS tells taxpayers. She encourages all taxpayers to not worry about changes from governmental actions and to know that if these do affect individual’s taxes the new guidelines can then be applied to their returns.
Tag: tax payer
Don’t Miss Out on Tax Refunds
Low to middle income families who are not required to file returns may not be aware they are entitled to certain individual tax credits as well as refunds based on tax withholdings by their employer. Other people who may benefit include, those experiencing homelessness, students new to the work force who may have worked part time, and parents (child tax credit). Learn more here: Not required to file doesn’t mean shouldn’t file
Another Look at the IRS
Tax season is fast approaching and tax payers are finding that the IRS customer service is lacking. Michael Hiltzik for the Los Angeles Times suggests that the blame may not be on the organization itself but on the federal government who has repeatedly cut funding for the agency. In the last thirty years the tax payer base has grown from 254 million people, collecting $1.1 trillion in revenue to 330 million people now dealing with over $3.5 trillion. During this time, the staff at the IRS has been cut by almost 30,000 and over the last decade, “the agency’s budget has declined by 20% in inflation-adjusted terms.” According to statistics published by the IRS National Taxpayer Advocate, last year only 11% of calls to the agency were answered. What does this mean for the IRS and the general taxpayer? Read more here: Don’t blame the IRS for its lousy service. Blame Congress