Published: April 10, 2011
More and more Alabamians are choosing to electronically file their income tax returns rather than fuss with a mountain of paperwork, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
Dan Boone, Alabama and Tennessee media specialist for the IRS, said e-filing is up about 10.6 percent from this time last year.
And with the deadline for filing income tax returns a little more than a week away, there’s still plenty of time to e-file — or even file the old-fashioned way. But Boone urges Alabamians to not wait too long.
“First of all, people who wait until the last minute to file generally make the most errors,” he said. “We always encourage people to not wait. We expect 350,000 people in Alabama to file in these last two weeks and about 125,500 to request extensions.”
Boone said the best way to avoid errors on your return is to file online.
“Because most people e-file now, the most common error is to type in an incorrect number in tax software,” he said. “For example, mixing up the numbers in your Social Security number. Make sure you do type accurately. If you do that, you should have an error-free return.”
Boone said e-filers include about 75 percent of Alabamians, including professional tax preparers who file online.
While Boone encourages e-filing, not everything tax-related on the Internet is legitimate. The IRS now uses a YouTube channel, a Twitter account and a smartphone application (IRS2GO), but Boone said to be careful to avoid scam artists on the Internet.
“We want to remind filers that we’ll never email them about their taxes,” he said. “If you get an email claiming to be the IRS, it’s a scam.”
The filing deadline usually falls on April 15. However, it was pushed back this year because Washington is celebrating Emancipation Day.
If you know you aren’t going to make the April 18 filing deadline, you do have options.
“Taxpayers needing additional time beyond that date should file a form 4868 to get a six-month extension,” Boone said. But he warned, “The extension is an extension of time to file, not to pay. Anything paid after April 18 is subject to penalties and interest.”
Alabamians needing help with their tax returns can call 1-800-906-9887 to find a nearby tax assistance center.
Alabama tax returns
Alabama Department of Revenue representative Carolyn Blackstock said residents filing their state tax returns can expect to receive their refunds about 12 to 15 weeks after it is approved.
As of Friday, Blackstock said the state had issued 577,755 refunds totaling $225 million. Last year, Alabamians received more than $625 million in state tax refunds, she said.
Blackstock said specific data for the number of state returns processed was not immediately available. However, the Department of Revenue website said about 1.15 million returns had been processed as of April 1. Blackstock said Alabamians filed more than 1.8 million state returns in 2010.
According to the April 1 data, 989,397 Alabamians had e-filed their state tax returns compared to the 161,104 residents who filed with paper returns.
Blackstock said residents can check the status of their refund by going to www.revenue.alabama.gov and clicking on the “Where’s My Refund?” link. Smartphone owners can also download an application called My AL Refund.
Dan Boone’s Tax Tips
IRS media specialist Dan Boone offers some tips for those preparing to file income tax returns. Make sure to:
» Attach your W-2 forms;
» Sign your income tax return;
» Use a calculator and double-check your math;
» Use the correct numbers from the tax table; and
» Affix a stamp to the envelope in which you are mailing your returns.
source:yahoo.com/2.oanow.com
