Have you filed your taxes yet?
If not, you’re not alone.
With layoffs at the IRS, experts are urging folks to file electronically to save you from any potential delays and headaches.
If you hire someone to help you file, IRS-enrolled agent Amber Gabourel, known as “Amber the Tax Lady,” says make sure you do your due diligence.
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“Just because, you know, your friend said to go to this person or your parents said to go to this person, go to the IRS website. They have a tax pro directory where you can put in that person’s last name and their zip code and they pop on the IRS directory. At least you know they have invested some type of continued education to stay abreast on the tax laws,” said Gabourel, who is on that list, and is the owner of Whitehead Tax and Financial Services.
Click here to look up your tax return preparer.
Gabourel says if something seems off with your paperwork, ask questions.
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“Because once you sign off on that you are signing that you have reviewed that return and everything is accurate to the best of your ability,” Gabourel said.
Make sure your preparer puts their name on your return and their preparer tax identification number (PTIN).
“Your PTIN number is almost like a social security number for tax preparers, so if you don’t see their name or their PTIN number on there then you may want to kind of run because they’re considered ghost preparers. And so if you have any issues with your return, when you’re trying to go find them you may not be able to find them anymore -- hence the term 'ghost preparer,'” said Gabourel.
The IRS and tax experts also suggest you create an extra layer of protection when filing your taxes by creating something called an identity protection pin, or "IP Pin."
This prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your social security number.
You can create one through the IRS website. You need to upload a government ID to confirm your identity.
NBC CT Responds Consumer Reporter Caitlin Burchill made one.
She said no matter how many photos of my license she took, the IRS wouldn’t accept it, and said the pictures were too blurry.
She even had a photographer at NBC CT try, and the picture was still too blurry.
Uploading a picture of her passport was much easier.
The key now is to not forget to include your assigned IP Pin on your return or you’ll create your own problem.
