Last night, the IRS confirmed that January 28, 2019 will be the start of the tax season.
Although live assistance from the IRS number isn’t available, their staff is determined to keep the tax season going. “We are committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive their refunds notwithstanding the government shutdown. I appreciate the hard work of the employees and their commitment to the taxpayers during this period,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said.
Now that you have an idea of when you should have your 2018 tax return prepared by, here’s what you need to know.
Will my refund still be delayed?
During the government shutdown, there was uncertainty about whether or not taxpayers would receive their refunds on time. Now, the IRS has notified taxpayers that refunds will be scheduled as normal.
Here are the deadlines:
- Monday, April 15, 2019 is the filing deadline for 2018 tax returns
(This is also the last day to claim your 2015 tax refund due to the IRS three year statute of limitations for refunds, the last day to file an extension for your tax return, and the last day to file returns with a tax liability without accumulating penalties) - Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17, 2019 to file their returns
- October 15, 2019 is the e-file deadline and the last day to file your extension
Update your tax filing information
Don’t forget to renew your ITIN number to file your 2018 tax return by filing Form W-7. All ITINs issued before 2013 with middle digits of 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 81, or 82 (Example: (9XX-73-XXXX) expired on December 31, 2018. Any ITIN with middle digits 70, 71, 72, 78, 79 or 80 that expired in 2016 and 2017 can also be renewed.
For taxpayers with an IP PIN (Identity Protection PIN), they need this six digit PIN to e-file their tax return. Otherwise, the IRS will reject the e-file, and if paper-filed, will reject the paper-file and require additional information to verify the taxpayer’s identity.
Click here for more information on retrieving your IP PIN online.
Do you paper-file or e-file?
The IRS urges taxpayers to e-file (electronically file) their tax returns for faster refunds, processing time and to minimize errors.
How to file with RapidTax
Get head start this tax season by following these easy steps.
- Create a username and password for your account.
- Enter your tax information.
- Submit your account and it will be e-filed as soon as the tax season begins!
It’s that easy. You don’t need to arrange a sit down appointment with a tax professional when you can arrange a phone consultation with one without leaving your home!
Start your 2018 tax return.
Now that you know that you should have your return ready by January 28, how about starting your taxes right now? You can always save your information, log out and return to your account when you’re ready.
