2013 tax filing season opens up today
IRS: Filing electronically is preferable
Reporter: Justin Schecker
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It's that time of year to figure out how much you owe Uncle Sam with the IRS opening up the 2013 tax filing season today.
Since Congress waited until the last minute to make changes to the tax laws at the start of the year, the IRS pushed back the start date by 8 days in order to update forms and its processing system.
Before you file, tax experts say make sure you have all of your income reporting forms, such as W2 forms.
More than 80 percent of the 2.8 million taxpayers in Arizona filed online last year.
"Its beneficial for the taxpayer if they actually e-file," said Jessica Villegas, who works at the IRS taxpayer assistance center downtown. "They get their refunds a lot faster."
Within 48 hours of filing online, the IRS will let you know if there are any issues.
Still, you are more likely to make a mistake when filing the old-fashioned way, IRS spokesperson Bill Brunson told Nine on Your Side on over the phone.
With one in five taxpayers in Arizona having not taken advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit last year, Villegas said its important for families to check to see if they qualify.
While most income tax rates did not go up when the country backed off of the Fiscal Cliff, a two-year tax break on Social Security expired.
"That means they're going to have less of a paycheck," Villegas said. "They're going to be paying more into social security."
With the Social Security tax rate going back up to 6.2 percent, your employer will withhold an extra $1,000 from your paycheck for every $50 thousand you make.
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