5 Helpful Tips to Correctly File Your Tax Return

Did you know that the IRS hands out an average of $2,476 per year to every eligible American as tax refunds? And did you also know that a massive majority of taxpayers get their refunds delayed indefinitely because of a minor mistake like a missing signature in the 1040 form? Over the years, filing for a tax return has only become easier but still, the maze of details that are required in the different forms confuses many. Keep the following tips in mind while filing for your return. Do it right and get your refund in due time. $2,476 is no small amount and it helps many to sort out their finances just with the tax refund money.

1. Be extra careful with your charitable donations

As the Internal Revenue Service has also increased their vigilance. The IRS is on a mission to cut down on tax fraud and double-checking every donation that the taxpayers are listing on their forms. So, be sure to have the full details of the organization that you are contributing to and the value of the commodities that have you might have received in return. If the organization is unregistered, get its recent 501(c)(3) determination letter to prove your donation to a legitimate agency.

2. Fill your Third-Party Designee section correctly

Not all of us prepares our tax returns ourselves or deals with the IRS’s questions personally. It is common for Americans to take the help of qualified accountants to prepare their tax documents, file a return, and discuss the matter on their behalf. If this is your case, fill out the Third-Party Designee form with caution. Again, include all relevant details that the IRS will require like the Taxpayer ID number and the Social Security Number of the designee. Note that the designation will expire after one year from the due date. If your refund is delayed due to some reason and you want to stick to the same designee, you will need to fill a new form.

3. Double-check your tax deductions

Tax returns also get delayed due to the dispute over tax deductions between the taxpayers and the IRS. It might appear that you are eligible for a tax deduction and you claim the same but the IRS will counter you during verification, thus delaying the process. The opposite might also happen. You might not know that a certain income is exempted from taxes and not including the same reduce your refund. So, verify your tax deductions against genuine sources, take help if necessary, but be extra careful with this section.

4. Be sure to sign everything

Your signature plays a vital role while filing for a return. It tells the IRS that you, in your conscious state, have declared the details in the forms and stand by every word that you have written. A missing signature or a misplaced signature renders this void. The IRS cannot go forward with the refund process until it receives your proper signature and declaration again. Check every page of each form and sign everywhere required. Put the date of your signature correctly – the day you are actually signing and not any other day. These nuances matter if you want to avoid refund delays.

5. Prepare for an IRS Debt

Although you may be expecting a return/refund, you never know when your W-4 and 1040 can add up and throw you into an IRS debt where you will owe the IRS money or extra tax and not the other way around. The situation might seem astronomical but prepare for the same anyway, especially if you run on a tight monthly budget. To avoid it altogether, increase the tax withheld amount in your W-4 with the employer and surely receive a tax return at the end of every term.