THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022 Page 15 IRS begins 2022 tax season T Taxpayers urged to file returns electronically to speed refunds, avoid delays he Internal Revenue Service (IRS) kicked off the 2022 tax filing season with an urgent reminder to taxpayers to take extra precautions this year to file an accurate tax return electronically to help speed refunds. The start of this year’s tax season – which takes place earlier than last year’s February 12 opening – signals that the IRS is now accepting and processing 2021 tax returns. More than 160 million individual tax returns for the 2021 tax year are expected to be filed, with most before the April 18 tax deadline. Most taxpayers face an April 18 deadline this year due to the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C., falling on April 15. Taxpayers in Massachusetts and Maine will have an April 19 deadline due to Patriots’ Day; disaster victims have later filing deadlines in some locations. IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig noted that taxpayers need to take special care this year due to several critical tax law changes that took place in 2021 and ongoing challenges related to the pandemic. “IRS employees are working hard to deliver a successful 2022 tax season while facing enormous challenges related to the pandemic,” Rettig said. “There are important steps people can take to ensure they avoid processing delays and get their tax refund as quickly as possible. We urge people to carefully review their taxes for accuracy before filing. And they should file electronically with direct deposit if at all possible; filing a paper tax return this year means an extended refund delay.” For most taxpayers who file a tax return with no issues, the IRS anticipates they will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically if they choose direct deposit – similar to in previous years. Last year’s average tax refund was more than $2,800. “There are simple steps that people can take that will help them navigate this challenging tax season,” Rettig said. “Filing electronically and using online resources instead of calling are just some of the steps that can help people avoid delays.” “IRS employees will do everything possible with the available resources to serve taxpayers this year,” Rettig said. “We will work hard to deliver refunds quickly, serve as many people as possible and work to catch up on past tax returns affected by the pandemic. The IRS thanks you for filing your taxes, a critical part of helping our great nation.” IRS tips for a smooth filing season • Fastest refunds by e-filing, avoiding paper returns: Filing electronically with direct deposit and avoiding a paper tax return is more important than ever this year to avoid refund delays. If you need a tax refund quickly, do not file on paper – use software, a trusted tax professional or Free File on IRS.gov. • Avoid delays; file an accurate tax return: More than ever this year, the IRS urges people to make sure they’re ready to file an accurate tax return. An accurate tax return can avoid processing delays, extensive refund delays and later IRS notices. • Special care for Economic Impact Payment (EIP), advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) recipients: The IRS also encourages caution to those people who received a third EIP or advance CTC in 2021. Taxpayers should ensure the amounts they’ve received are entered correctly on the tax return. Incorrect entries when reporting these payments mean the IRS will need to further review the tax return, creating an extensive delay. To help taxpayers, the IRS is mailing special letters about the stimulus payments and advance CTC payment amounts. People can also check the amount of their payments in SEASON | SEE PAGE 25
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