IR-2015-57: Taxpayers in Increasing Numbers Find Help from IRS.gov

IR-2015-57: Taxpayers in Increasing Numbers Find Help from IRS.gov March 20, 2015 follow above link to the IRS website for more information.

At the Vernal Equinox of 2015, the Internal Revenue Service have gathered some statistics based on taxpayer use of the IRS website www.irs.gov. 

This year more than ever users are making use of the many tools available on their website. 

11% more taxpayers have used irs.gov than they did last year in 2014. What is interesting to me is that the term eleven percent is relative to the other 88% - which is what?

The count of 11% of taxpayers is about 215 million users. Since March 13, 2015 "Where Is My Refund?, has been visited 164 million times in the last two weeks. 

From experience, I am sure that the same person, or firm may use the IRS website multiple times, even in the same day, but there is a decidedly larger bunch using the website this year. 

According to the article, there have been 15 (fifteen) million visits in the last seven days alone! 

?Cuando Recibire' Mi Reembolso? IRSvideosmultilingua

Where Is My Refund?

The second most visited link on the IRS.gov website, is "Get Transcript." So far in 2015, over 10 million people have ordered prior year tax returns from the IRS. Now that the IRS allows ordering on-line, it has made the process much faster. In the past the only way to get them was to visit you local IRS Office, or on phone, and/or by mail! Snail mail.

Obtaining Tax Transcripts by FAME Maine

There are many other handy tools available on the IRS website, such as; Request an Electronic Filing PIN, The Interactive Tax Assistant, Order Forms.

One other thing you may have noticed on the multilingual video placed within this article is that videos, pods, and other information can be found in many languages, as well as American Sign Language; 

ASL IRSVideos- Increase Fraud - The IRS Doesn't CALL!

It is my hope that your tax filing experiences are positive and that you are able to get the help you need with your Tax Return. 

IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2014-17: Use IRS Online Tools to Get Year-Round Tax Help

IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2014-17: Use IRS Online Tools to Get Year-Round Tax Help

The I.R.S. (Internal Revenue Service) often gets a bad rap, and all we hear are horror stories of how the IRS has targeted Right-Wing groups for audits, and other scary stories. It would be helpful if U.S. Taxpayers realized that the IRS is basically the clearing house/administrative branch of the U.S. Treasury.

Rules are made, and tax law changes come via the Senate and House of Representatives. All of this is policed and monitored by the United States Treasury Department. That is the reason why U.S. Taxpayers must wait for the Congress to complete it's job, in completing tax law changes, before the IRS can open the "gates" for the acceptance of tax returns for the previous tax year. 

2014 taxes will be prepared and filed in 2015 - There are some entities who have different times when their "fiscal year" stops and starts. An example is that the State of Arkansas.gov, has a fiscal tax year starting in July, and ending in June. Many business owners end up filing extensions, changing their tax filing years some.

Again, lately all I have heard about the IRS in the news has been how their investigations have focused on GOP / Tea Party participants. Here are some facts that media does not tell: 

1. 90% of the Tea Party / GOP members who have been "targeted" by the Department of Justice (D.O.J. the police force of Federal Agencies), has been due to their own A). Arrogance and Ignorance, and B). The violators of 501(c)3 non-profits, have been foolish enough to call in the press, and use social media to trumpet their violations, as some sort of victory. 
2. When an organization decides to register themselves as an entity with the IRS, they have choices: Sole Proprietor, Corporation, Non-Profit, Charitable Non-Profit, etc.. As a charitable non-profit, an entity would be given a pass on paying taxes, because they are set up as a CHARITY, who is not POLITICKING. If their organization wants to push a political agenda, as a focus, and deride charity, they are not eligible for a tax break from our society. 

Here is a link to Politicus USA article: "1000 Evangelical Preachers Will Break the Law and Support Republicans from The Pulpit" by Rmuse.

Here is what the IRS has to say about churches and religious organizations: IRS; PDF - Churches & Religious Organizations

A new easier form: 1023-EZ - IRS ASL Videos - YouTube

*****************

I said all of that above, to say this; the IRS is made up of a wide variety of people from all walks of life. There was a time during the 1970 -1980's, when the IRS's authority and over-reach were stopped, and the agency became more "taxpayer friendly."

The Internal Revenue Service, has many avenues for the help and assistance to taxpayers. The Summer Tax Tip announced by the IRS today if full of links to help from the IRS. 

IRS Free File Fillable Forms and Free File is one benefit offered through the IRS website. It is possible for a taxpayer to go directly to companies offering tax software, I think it is more legitimate going through the IRS Website. 

Withholding Calculator: This is important for those who may be over withholding, or worse, under-withholding on their income tax. 

Help Yourself: In Spanish:

There are many other ways to get taxpayer assistance through the IRS. Stay informed.