Did you already file your taxes? Check your refund status online.
The IRS is aware that some people are experiencing delays when using the “Where’s My Refund?” Tool to check the status of their tax refund.
These tips can make it easier for you to get an accurate update.
The IRS alerted taxpayers and the tax community it is experiencing high traffic on Where’s My Refund as more tax returns come in. The heavy volume of refund inquiries means that the IRS anticipates both “Where’s My Refund?” on IRS.gov and the refund feature on the IRS2go phone app will have limited availability during busier periods.
Due to the large number of inquiries and to avoid service disruptions, the IRS strongly urges taxpayers to only check on their refunds once a day. IRS systems are only updated once a day, usually overnight, and the same information is available whether on the internet, IRS2go smartphone app or on IRS toll-free lines. While “Where’s My Refund” is updated nightly, your account will not change that frequently.
The IRS is seeing a good start to the filing season, and tax refunds are being issued timely. Nine out of 10 taxpayers typically receive refunds in less than 21 days when they use e-file with direct deposit.
The IRS expects to see the number of tax returns — and related refund inquiries —steadily increase around the President’s Day holiday week.
Here are some tips to help taxpayers with their refund questions:
- Have the right tax information ready before using any of the IRS refund tools. This includes Social Security number, filing status and refund amount.
- You don’t need to check Where’s My Refund more than once a day as your information will not change.
- To avoid system delays, the best time to check on refunds is evening and weekends.
- There is no need to call the IRS about your refund; the telephone service has the same information that is available on Where’s My Refund.
Learn more about Where’s My Refund and how to check the status of your refund.
Do you need help preparing your tax return? Learn about the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.
VITA Program: If you make $51,000 or less, IRS-certified volunteers can inform you about tax credits for which you may qualify and prepare a basic tax return with electronic filing.
TCE Program: If you are 60 years of age or older, you may qualify for free tax help from IRS-certified volunteers who specialize in issues that pertain to seniors.
There are thousands of locations across the United States where you can get free tax help through the VITA and TCE programs.
When it comes to tax season, every year is a little different. Laws change, some benefits kick in while others end, and natural disasters can have an impact on your tax return.
The deadline for filing your taxes is April 15, 2013. While this is the normal deadline, there are some important new things you should know for the 2013 tax season.
The 2013 tax season started about a week later this year due to tax law changes enacted by Congress at the beginning of January. Most people can file their individual income tax returns starting January 30, but you might have to wait until the end of February or March if you’re filing certain forms, including:
The IRS has a complete list of forms it will begin accepting in late February or March.
The IRS offers tax relief programs to individuals and businesses affected by disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, and hurricanes, including last year’s Hurricane Sandy. Tax relief can include some of the following help:
Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are issued to people who want to file their taxes but do not have a Social Security Number.
Starting January 1, 2013, important changes were made to the application process, including the following:
The IRS offers more information about Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) on its website, including how to apply for one and where to get help.
While tax seasons can vary slightly each year, there’s one thing that rarely changes: scammers are always trying to steal your personal information.
Identity theft is one of the most common types of fraud. It often starts when a scammer sends out an e-mail pretending to be the IRS and asks for your personal information. It’s called phishing and may also occur through other types of electronic communication such as text messages, so be careful.
The IRS does not initiate communications via e-mails and provides these tips to help you protect your personal information. The IRS also explains what you should do if you receive a message supposedly from the IRS on its website.
Looking for a simple way to do your taxes? Trying to save time and money? The answer is Free File, and it’s available only at www.irs.gov/freefile.
There is a Free File option for everyone. Free File offers brand-name tax software to people who earned $57,000 or less last year, which is 70 percent of us. For people who earned more, there are free online fillable forms.
This program is a part of a public-private partnership between the Internal Revenue Service and 15 leading tax software companies that have agreed to make their products available to the public for free.
Here’s how to get started:
Here’s some of what you will need:
Do your taxes with either Free File software or online fillable forms. Because there are 15 participating companies, each offering slightly different rules for qualifying, it’s easiest to select “Help Me Choose A Company.” This tool will help you select a software option right for you.
You can prepare, print and e-file your federal return all for free. Some companies also offer state tax returns for free or for a fee. Using electronic filing and direct deposit remain the fastest way to get your federal refund. The IRS also has upgraded “Where’s My Refund?” so you can start tracking your refund after 24 hours.
Free File is available at www.irs.gov/freefile around the clock, giving you the freedom to choose when and how you do your taxes.
