The 2016 tax season has not started yet but you can still get your head in the game!
Every season has a start and an end. Let’s take football for example. You can’t throw a few linebackers and quarterbacks on a field mid-May and tell them to play for the SuperBowl ring. There needs to be officials present and aware of what is going on… not to mention some team preparation and uniform fittings.
The same logic applies to taxes. Taxpayers can prepare for tax season all they want by gathering documents and sorting receipts. It doesn’t mean that you can submit your return to the IRS before the season starts and expect them to accept it. That’s because there are annual changes and documents that need to be issued prior to the start date.
Why are tax preparers saying that 2015 tax preparation is available now?
Some online tax preparation websites are claiming that 2015 tax returns can be prepared and filed. Well, in their defense, that’s half true. In fact, they should be advertising that you can prepare now and file much later (once the IRS starts accepting tax returns).
This may sound tempting but it could just end in more time spent on taxes than really necessary. What do we mean? Well for one, the IRS does not release the new tax forms until the very end of the year (We’re talking post Eggnog binge). That means that all of the information that you are entering onto your account may be incorrect. Not to mention that the financial year hasn’t ended yet so the income amount you enter on your account will need to be updated, regardless come January when you are issued your W-2 form from your employer(s).
So when does the season begin?
The start of the season tends to be around January 20th each year. In fact, the word around the street is that the start date will be even earlier this year on January 5th. The IRS announces the official start date before the beginning of the year. This is when the IRS will start to accept submitted tax returns. Bookmark this page and we’ll keep you posted on all dates and deadlines.
Why you should choose RapidTax once the 2016 season starts
We’ll keep it simple with a list of the top 5 reasons why preparing with RapidTax is a great decision!
- We offer free tax advice. Whether you create an account or not, you can reach our team of tax pros via telephone, livechat and email with any questions you have.
- Your tax return can be prepared in 15 minutes! Our application is easy to navigate and use. And even if you DO encounter a hiccup, see #1.
- Our prices are super reasonable. You can prepare your return with us for the same amount that you give to your local Starbucks barista.
- You can prepare prior year tax returns too. If you’re playing catch-up, we can help prepare your taxes all the way back to 2005!
- Find out your refund amount before creating an account. That’s right! Find out how much you’ll get back from the IRS before even giving us your first name.
