Tax Season is almost upon us in the United States and this means many things. Among those things we find that United States citizens must fulfill their obligation by sending the annual Tax Return to the IRS. When making the obligatory tax return we could have doubts and problems and that is why it is normal to look for help in this regard.
In this sense, there are also scammers, who are waiting for some innocent American to fall into the trap of losing all their Tax Refund money. And this type of people take advantage of any opportunity to get more money in a totally illegal way. And the worst part of this whole situation is that if they do something totally illegal, it is possible that we will be blamed later.
Therefore, the IRS warns that we are in a time when we can get help to send the Tax Return, but we must watch out when looking for that help. Any United States citizen who looks like they might be able to help us send in the paperwork must meet certain mandatory requirements. Likewise, you must also take several actions to make sure you are doing things absolutely right.
How to avoid IRS Tax Return scams?
Nowadays it is very common for United States citizens, either due to lack of time or lack of knowledge on the subject, to hire an external advisor to the IRS to help them with the Tax Return documentation. This is normal and totally legal, but we must watch out about it.
A #FriendlyReminder that any paid tax preparer must sign and include their PTIN on your tax return. Ghost preparers who don’t sign #IRS returns are very likely trying to scam you. https://t.co/stfe7DGJWY pic.twitter.com/bX9kIQ7Kei
— IRSnews (@IRSnews) January 26, 2024
If the advisor does not sign the documentation with his or her real name and employee number, it is very likely that we are dealing with a fraudster. Therefore, if we apply for this help and he refuses to sign the documents before sending it, you should completely refuse his help.
That is the best way to avoid unpleasant surprises that will directly affect our economy. Luckily, the IRS can help us in this regard by telling us whether such financial advisor really works legally or not. So try to get as much information as possible before taking all the steps to send the Tax Return.
When does the Tax Season start?
The Tax Season 2024 starts next 29th. This year, we will have until the 15th of April to send all the documentation related to our 2023 taxes. Remember that 2024 income is not part of this Tax Return.
However, some Americans will be able to ask for an extension of time. This extension does not have official dates yet, but it will have them soon. Even so, remember that the time extensions are not for all Americans, but for a reduced group of Americans.
As there is still a long time to go before the end of the Tax Season, Americans who have to send the documentation to the IRS will be able to do it with peace of mind in the next few weeks. However, the sooner we send the documentation, the sooner we will get our Tax Refund if we are eligible.