WASHINGTON — With the April 15 deadline fast approaching, the Internal Revenue Service today offered taxpayers still working on their 2014 taxes a number of tips designed to help them avoid common errors that could delay their refunds or cause other tax problems in the future.
First and foremost, the IRS encouraged taxpayers to file electronically. Doing so, whether through e-file or IRS Free File, vastly reduces tax return errors, as the tax software does the calculations, flags common errors and prompts taxpayers for missing information. And best of all, there is a free option for everyone. Whether filing electronically or on paper, be sure to make a copy of the return. In addition, the IRS offers these last-minute tips:
Check Out Tax Benefits
Before filing, the IRS encourages taxpayers to take a moment to see if they qualify for these and other often-overlooked credits and deductions:
- Benefits for low-and moderate-income workers and families, especially the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Savers credit, claimed on Form 8880, for low-and moderate-income workers who contributed to a retirement plan, such as an IRA or 401(k).
- American Opportunity Tax Credit, claimed on Form 8863, and other education tax benefits for parents and college students.