Get Ready for Tax Season: Tips to Avoid Mistakes and Get Your Refund Faster
Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be stressful! A little preparation goes a long way in avoiding mistakes and ensuring you receive your refund as quickly as possible. Here are some smart steps you can take to get ready for tax season. Remember Morris and Associates can prepare and file your taxes for you, helping you get the biggest refund as fast as possible. Located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Morris and Associates can personally meet with you to understand your tax situation and reduce the amount of tax you owe or maximize your tax refund. Schedule a tax consultation today.
1. Get Your Records in Order
2. Report All Your Income
Make sure to report every source of income, including wages, self-employment earnings, gig economy jobs, and unemployment benefits. Many of these will come with tax forms like W-2s or 1099s, but even if you don’t receive one, you’re still responsible for reporting the income.
3. File an Accurate Return
Before submitting your tax return, double-check everything! Ensure names, Social Security numbers, and financial details—like your bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit—are correct. Filing a complete and accurate return helps prevent delays in processing your refund.
4. Choose a Reliable Tax Preparer
If you’re working with a tax professional, be sure they’re qualified. The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers can help you find someone with recognized credentials or participation in the IRS filing season program.
It is also recommended to avoid tax preparation firms with hundreds of locations. Those firms are designed to do your tax return as fast as possible, but will not specialize in your specific tax situation. Many times you will be dealing with a junior level accountant with little experience. These firms are basically the same as using tax preparation software yourself.
Morris and Associates are experience, certified agents in good standing with the IRS and can assist you to prepare and file your taxes – making the entire process quick and easy for you. A tax professional such as Morris and Associates can help you get the maximum refund as quickly as possible. Schedule a tax consulation today.
5. File Electronically for Faster Processing
The IRS recommends filing electronically to reduce errors and speed up refunds. Tax software does the very basic functions. It will do the math for you, catch common mistakes, and can check for some other important details. However, tax software will not maximize your refund or reduce the amount of tax that owe. If you use a tax professional make sure that they file your return electronically. Morris and Associates can file your return electronically for you.
6. Opt for Direct Deposit
Want your refund as quickly and securely as possible? Choose direct deposit! It’s faster and safer than receiving a paper check, which is 16 times more likely to get lost, stolen, or misdirected. You can even split your refund across multiple accounts.
7. Take Advantage of IRS Online Tools but be careful
IRS.gov is a 24/7 resource for tax information, electronic filing, and payments. The Interactive Tax Assistant is especially useful—it answers tax questions based on your specific situation, just like an IRS representative would over the phone. The IRS Services Guide PDF also provides details on how to access help when needed. But be careful, filing taxes yourself will inevitably cause you to leave money on the table. A tax professional can ensure that you are getting the biggest refund possible.
8. Review Publication 17 for Tax Guidelines
Need a comprehensive guide to filing your federal income taxes? Publication 17: Your Federal Income Tax covers general filing rules and is available in multiple languages, including Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified and traditional). The latest version is easier to navigate and faster to download.
By taking these steps, you’ll be well-prepared for tax season and can avoid unnecessary delays. A little preparation now means a smoother filing process and a faster refund in your bank account!
9. Stay away from Do-It-Yourself Tax Software
Tax software is simply, interview based software and is generic. Yes, you can file your taxes with it but you’re ultimately losing money by doing it yourself with this software. No software can compare to a tax professional.
A tax professional such as Morris and Associates can help you get the maximum refund as quickly as possible. Morris and Associates makes it easy. Everybody’s tax situation is different. We make sure that we personally meet with you to understand your tax situation so that you can get the maximum refund. Schedule a tax consulation today.
