Tax Season and the IRS

Last updated on December 25, 2013

The tax season is the time when the IRS is the busiest. The agency has complained about the lack of staff, but the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administrator (TIGTA) found in its 2013 report that the IRS processed tax returns and issued refunds on time in 2013 in spite of the delay in the start of the tax season.

With the tax season in 2014 opening on January 31^st, taxpayers may begin to prepare their returns and file them as early as possible. Filing returns electronically is easier and much faster than paper filing. If tax returns are filed electronically, taxpayers get the advantage of checking the status of their return and knowing the approximate date on which they may receive their refund. They may use the IRS’ online resource: Where’s My Refund?

It is during the tax season that tax scammers become active and use various methods to steal taxpayers’ tax information such as Social Security Number, filing status, date of birth, and income level. Taxpayers should take care not to share their personal and tax information with unverified email senders and phone callers.

Taxpayers who get their tax return prepared by a preparer must ensure that they have the Personal Tax Identification Number (PTIN) of their tax preparer. Before the filing of the return, they must review the information on it for accuracy. Carefulness in filing tax returns goes a long way to having a smooth tax season.