PHOENIX — It’s tax season, and if you’re wondering when federal tax returns are due, 12News has you covered.
Here’s everything you need to know from the deadline to a helpful program created to make doing your taxes an easy task for you to check off your to-do list.
For most Americans, the deadline to file federal tax returns is Tuesday, April 18, because April 15 fell on a Saturday this year, and the next weekday, April 17, is recognized as Emancipation Day in Washington.
Thankfully, for plenty of people, there's a list of ways you can get last-minute help.
“We offer help with both your federal and your state taxes, if you fall within the scope of our program,” said Julie Bordelon, who oversees the VITA program for the City of Phoenix. It’s a volunteer income tax assistance program.
“Right now, most VITA sites are pretty full, because it’s such a popular program, because our services are free,” she said.
The program has been around for about 50 years, and it’s sponsored by the IRS nationwide.
Bordelon said even if you’re unable to get an appointment, there are two other options.
You can file your taxes through a facilitated do-it-yourself page by going here.
“We also have a program where we worked with the United Way, called MyFreeTaxes.com,” she said. “You will even be able to have a volunteer potentially help you, if you’ve got some issues with that.”
Here are a few more tips to make your filing experience go smoother:
- Make sure you file electronically. The IRS e-file service is available to everyone, and many can file their taxes for free.
- Carefully check identification numbers, specifically the social security numbers for each person listed. This includes you, your spouse, and your dependents.
- Be sure to sign your form. You must sign and date your return. If you're filing a joint return, both you and your spouse must sign it, even if only one of you had income.
The most important thing to remember? Make sure you file your taxes on time or file an extension.
“Because if you owe money, the IRS will charge you a penalty for filing late,” said Bordelon. “In addition to that, they will charge you interest if you owe money.”
Bordelon recommends paying as much as you can upfront. If you don’t have enough money to pay all your taxes, she said the IRS has multiple programs to help you make payment plans.
The bottom line is if you don’t put it off, you can have your taxes done in no time with little to no hiccups in the process.
The City of Phoenix will have services starting at three locations in June, and going through the first week of October. You can also go to IRS.gov and search VITA sites, based on your zip code.
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