Tax Day passed by yesterday. Now, the serious tricks to steal from people using the pressure and fright of taxes begins. For those of us that filed an extension or have filed yet, there is a lot of stress over taxes. This stress makes us more likely to act emotionally and not completely rationally. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
The IRS, while working on its public image, is still not friendly enough to call tax payers about problems with their tax bills. They still use traditional USPS. If you get a call from "the IRS", it is NOT the Internal Revenue Service. Do NOT continue the conversation. The scammer on the line is trying to scare you into thinking you are about to be fined or jailed. By doing this, they play on your already amplified emotions making it more likely that you will act without thinking things. through. It sounds simple enough to avoid, but it works.
Be cautious of online services promising to prepare and file your taxes for you without a fee. There are many reputable online tax services, but they charge for their services. Many offer to take their fees out of your return, but they will clearly state that this is what they are doing. There are some organizations that offer to help prepare and file taxes free of charge, however, these are usually non-profit organizations. These non-profits often support a particular community (seniors, military families, etc.) and so provide the free service to those communities specifically.
Follow the take-a-breath/sleep-on-it rule. Even if you are late filing your taxes, do not make rushed decisions about using new or unknown services to prepare and file your taxes. If you are using a service you've used in past years, then you have a previous relationship and know what to expect. When we are under pressure and trying to select a new service provider, we tend to act on emotion instead of logic. Take the time to think about the services being offered and the fees being requested. Do they seem reasonable? Would they sound reasonable even if you weren't in a hurry?
Comments