Personal Finance: Ask the Experts: IRS: Most taxpayers can start filing for the 2013 tax season

Personal Finance: Ask the Experts

Get advice on money matters from The Bee's Claudia Buck and a panel of local experts

January 30, 2013

IRS: Most taxpayers can start filing for the 2013 tax season

Let the tax returns begin. The IRS officially kicked off the 2013 tax season, meaning most individual taxpayers can start filing their returns today, ahead of the Monday, April 15, filing deadline.

The IRS also announced new efforts to thwart fraud and connect with taxpayers.

Among them:

• Redesigned its IRS.gov website to make it easier to navigate and find information.

• Beefed up identity-theft and refund fraud, including more than 3,000 staffers - double the number in 2011 - assigned to I.D. theft issues. The IRS also installed stronger computer filters that it says will help detect fraudulent tax returns.

• Added more social media access to IRS information, including a new site on Tumblr. The IRS also updated its smartphone app (IRS2Go) and has more than 100 YouTube videos on tax topics such as refunds and tax credits.

While the majority of taxpayers can start filing today, those who file for certain tax credits and deductions must wait until mid-February or early March. Those include tax credits for education, residential energy and business deductions. The delay is due to last-minute tax changes enacted by Congress in early January that require the IRS to update its computer systems.

The IRS also reminds those who earn $51,000 or less that free tax preparation help is available at various schools, libraries and community centers, offered by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. To find the nearest VITA site, call (800) 906-9887 or visit the IRS website.

In 2012, the IRS said it issued 9 of 10 refunds within 21 days of filing and expects a similar rate this year. It also noted that last year 80 percent of all tax returns were filed electronically.

In Sacramento, the IRS office at 4330 Watt Ave. has tax forms, publications and a VITA center to help low-income taxpayers.

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Claudia Buck is The Sacramento Bee's personal finance columnist. Read all her columns here. Contact her at cbuck@sacbee.com

Terri Carpenter

Terri Carpenter offers advice on job hunting, retraining and career counseling. Carpenter works at Sacramento Works Inc., the career and job training arm of the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA). With 15 years in the field, she has hands-on experience with everyone from first-time job seekers to career professionals seeking advice after a layoff or looking for a mid-career change. Ask her a question.

Carlena Tapella

Carlena Tapella is a partner in the law firm of Webb & Tapella Law Corp. in Sacramento. The firm specializes in estate planning and probate, such as estates, trusts, conservatorships and litigation. She is a past president of the Sacramento County Bar Association's Estate Planning & Probate Section. Ask her a question.

Kimberly Foss, certified financial planner, is the founder of Empyrion Wealth Management in Roseville. With nearly 30 years in the financial industry, her clients include women in transition, small business owners, retirees and "pre-retirees." Ask her a question.

Gregory Burke, a CPA and tax expert with John Waddell & Co. in Sacramento since 1984, worked as an IRS tax auditor for six years. He’s a past chairman of the California Society of CPAs. Ask him a question.

Daniel Tahara takes your questions about California taxes. Tahara, a spokesman for the state Franchise Tax Board, has 10 years of experience as a tax auditor. Ask him a question.