Every single year, IRS fraud filters put millions of refunds under review, sometimes, including those that are super legitimate, at least that’s what the Taxpayer Advocate Service declared. Even if most of them are usually released after confirmation of identity or data clarification (or any other tax information, for that matter), the process is still a bit frustrating.

If you want to make sure that it won’t happen with your refunds, make sure you follow the tips we’ve enlisted here! When it comes to IRS tax refunds, you need to make sure you’re up to speed with everything. Otherwise, you might miss out on opportunities that could save you a ton of money!

Hire a professional

You might want to consider hiring a tax professional to make sure your taxes are correctly filed. In reality, most complications that usually appear in dealing with the IRS might be avoided by taking the time to triple-check your returns right before filing, unless you only have one W-2 and 0 deductions to claim.

However, some people would rather avoid doing this (and for good reasons), in which case the best thing to do is to hire an expert. The investment will efficiently pay off in bigger returns, too.

Find an advisor before it’s too late

If hiring a tax professional is something you consider doing, then the last thing you’d want to do is wait until the last minute. Tax professionals head into overdrive in the months leading up to the deadline.

So to make sure everything’s alright, call your tax accountant as soon as possible, make an appointment, or at least drop that paperwork off earlier, to make sure you put a hold on the line of your favorite CPA. This might result in a faster filing, while also getting a hold of that important tax refund quicker.

Use an online program

If you don’t want to hire a tax professional (which is also super understandable, given the fact that it might cost you a couple of bucks), you should consider using an online program to cut down on all possible errors. When you’re manually entering numbers on your tax form, it is so easy to put a number on the wrong line.

This could also lead to incorrect calculations and a delay in your refund. One efficient way to mitigate the risk of inserting various numbers on an incorrect line is to complete the tax form online. Generally, these programs might alert you when a number seems a bit inconsistent with other numbers that were already entered, or with numbers you might have inserted last year. Usually, these programs help you provide accurate information.

Besides, using an online program might keep you updated with the most current tax law changes for this year. By doing this, you might be able to file an accurate tax return, knowing all the online program’s double-checked information, and adjusting to the current year’s tax updates.

Double-check your personal identification information

Make sure all your personal information (name, address, email, and even your Social Security number) is correct.

Double-check your tax credits

For lots of taxpayers, the biggest challenge is getting credits right on their returns. At some point, it can slow down a refund as long as the information for earned income credits, the child tax credit or even the education credits isn’t correctly entered.

Double-check that your wages match your W-2

Your employer might send you a copy of your W-2 directly to the IRS. That’s why if the wages you reported don’t match what’s written on that form, your refund might be delayed, as the IRS automatically waits for an explanation. In most cases, it’s nothing but a data-entry error, and that’s why you have to be extra cautious and put that wage information correctly, otherwise, it might slow down your refund.

Make sure you check the Social Security numbers for everyone mentioned on your tax forms

If you notice an error on a Social Security number of a dependent, it might slow down the entire process. The Social Security error might happen to anyone, and if the numbers aren’t entered correctly, it will only slow down the refund.

Make sure there’s only one filing status selected

Before you file, make sure that you’ve chosen the right filing status on the tax return form. It could seem fairly simple, but you might have to commit to one filing status box, even if two or more boxes are applicable. An incorrect filing status could eventually delay a refund or potentially require additional documentation in the indicated filing status box.

Make sure only one of you is claiming your child as a dependent if you decide to file separately

Only one parent could claim each child as a dependent, so you should speak with your ex beforehand to settle on who will claim the child. Because if you both claim him or her and your ex is the first one to do so, your return won’t be accepted by the IRS, which will certainly cause delays in your refund.

Don’t wait to file those taxes

Each year, taxpayers need to pay their taxes by April 18, but there’s no need to wait until that day, especially if you have the option of filing them earlier. It’s highly recommended to fill them out earlier because you’ll have more time to correct any errors and also have a better chance to beat the scammers. Check your math and all the entries, to make sure everything is in the right place and, of course, in the right order.

File your taxes electronically

If the option is still available, you should try filing your income tax returns electronically. If you want to get your refunds as soon as possible, you might want to opt for a refund that will be directly deposited into your bank account. As the IRS mentioned, filing electronically and deciding on a direct deposit is still one of the fastest and safest ways to file your income tax return and still receive a refund.

Make sure your direct deposit information is accurate

By filing electronically and getting a return via direct deposit, you choose to get your return in the fastest way possible. However, if the direct deposit information that you filed is incorrect, it might cause unnecessary delays.

Don’t forget to include the right direct deposit information on your tax return. Because if any of the numbers, either the routing ones or the account numbers, are incorrect even by one digit, it might cause a delay in return.

If you file on paper, make sure it’s correct

Some taxpayers might need to file paper returns, especially if they need to include attachments. If that’s the case for you, then here’s what you need to do:

• Sign and date all the forms;
• Use the right tax tables so you can calculate your tax;
• Fill in all the needed information.
• Attach all the needed schedules and forms;
• Mail the return to the right address;

If you feel that the IRS is still unknown territory for you, we get it. One of the many reasons why so many people are terrified of the IRS is that they might get audited at any time. If that’s the case for you too, then you might want to dig a little deeper into this subject, by reading this article: Warning: 9 Reasons The IRS Can Audit You Anytime