Tax day is just weeks away, and that means the efforts of online scammers hoping to take advantage are in full swing. Many scams involve messages using stimulus checks or the COVID-19 vaccine, designed to extract personal information or attract a click on a malicious link. Sometimes con artists impersonate the IRS. Here’s how to protect your information, and yourself.
The Internal Revenue Service says that its customer service phone number is experiencing lengthy wait times due to a record volume of incoming calls as taxpayers await refunds.
Tax officials says using the IRS’ online tools will help taxpayers who are seeking help to avoid extended hold times.
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“Lengthy phone delays are frustrating,” the IRS said in a tweet. “Please use the #IRS online tools to get answers to tax questions, check your refund status, pay taxes and much more.”
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Tax Season
Calling the IRS to speak with a live representative will not speed up processing for refunds. Tax officials encourage the public to only call if it has been more than 21 days since a return was filed online, or if its online tool directs a user to call.
“Unless Where’s My Refund? directs you to call us, our representatives will not be able to provide any additional information,” the IRS wrote on its website for the one of its most frequently asked questions.
Here are two IRS resources that can help taxpayers get off hold and find answers to their questions.
Where’s My Refund?
Taxpayers can check the status of their 2021 tax refund using the IRS Where’s My Refund online resource.
The tool becomes available to taxpayer 24 hours after a refund has been received electronically and four weeks after a return is received by mail.
Updates on the tool are at made daily, usually at overnight. Officials say the portal only needs to be checked once a day.
Interactive Tax Assistant
The IRS’ Interactive Tax Assistant tool provides users with answers to tax law questions specific to individuals.
The tool provides answers based on taxpayer responses in the online portal. The ITA can determine if a tax return was filed, the filing status, if a dependent was claimed, verify taxable income, and more.
The ITA can also answer questions related to deductions, credits, retirement, and requirements.
