No Time to Waste

Well, we’ve done it again, have we? We let that income tax filing deadline creep up on us, and now we’re faced with a mad dash to get things filed before the deadline.

While we don’t have time to waste, it’s not time to panic either.

From here on, you’ll need to be deliberate and driven. At this stage, time drives the process. So here are some things that can help you get that return filed on time – and avoid those nasty little penalties that the IRS tends to charge late filers.

 E-File – E-File – E-File

Get the picture? Without a doubt, filing your taxes is faster, safer and easier on the hassle factor than dealing with paper forms. Here at 1040.com, we can zip your return through cyberspace to the IRS faster than you can say “bandwidth,” and give you access to all the things you need – like a printable copy of your filed return, and e-mail notifications that your return’s been accepted by the IRS. Depending on your situation, your federal return could be free; and we have every state available if you need to file your state taxes as well.

By this time you should have everything you need to get the job done – W-2 forms, mortgage statements, receipts, and so forth. Before entering your figures onto the online forms, do a quick check to make sure you have what you need. While there may not be time to get a missing form, there is still time for a workaround (we’ll get to that in a minute).

When you do start putting in numbers, remember to double-check the Social Security Numbers for everyone mentioned in the return. That means you, your spouse and any dependents. It may sound really elementary, but hundreds of thousands of returns get rejected because the Social Security Numbers are wrong. Many times, it’s a case of just one digit. But on others, the taxpayer accidentally switched their SSN with their spouse.

File Here, Pay Here

Of course, we all want a refund. But if you have to pay tax, you can do that right here at 1040.com too. Not ready to pay just yet? You can use the e-payment center www.1040paytax.com to send your federal payment electronically – or to have them bill you. Just remember your tax payment is still due on the tax deadline – even if you’ve filed an extension.

And speaking of extensions, remember that workaround we talked about earlier? If you do not have all the documents you need to file, and getting them by the deadline is doubtful, filing an extension is probably your way to go. You can file one free here at 1040.com, and it's easy and fast.

So if you haven’t filed your taxes yet, it’s time to do, well, something. Whether you e-file it all or just file an extension, time is running out. But that Panic button isn’t an option just yet.