Tax Season Nearing Start

As the year draws to a close, it is almost time to start filing those federal income taxes.

Tax season starts in January and the Internal Revenue Service is urging people to wait until the start of tax filing in January to file that tax return.

IRS Spokesman Mark Green said the agency strongly recommends that people wait for their W-2 form to file their taxes and not use their last paycheck stub.

“Sometimes people use that to get a loan towards their federal income tax refund,” said Green. “What I would cause individuals to do is that by using that last paycheck stub, you are setting yourself up to pay an additional fee once the tax return comes.”

Green also said that for some people this year, their refunds may be delayed until the middle of February so using their last paycheck stub and getting an advance loan on their refund could mean it would take longer to re-pay that.

Starting this year, the IRS said that individuals who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit on their return will have refunds delayed until on or after February 15.

Green said it is being done to try and further protect the taxpayer.

“The reason we are doing this is to cut down on the number of cases we see of tax fraud,” said Green.

Meanwhile, Green said one other thing to keep in mind as the start of tax season nears is for people who have chosen to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number that was issued in 2013 or before.

He said those people may need to get a new one.

According to Green, the numbers may have expired, especially if they are from 2013 or prior to that.

Green said those individuals may have to go online and get a new number for this upcoming year.

For more information on tax season and tax tips, visit www.irs.gov.