It’s easy to paint the IRS as the villain in every taxpayer’s story. There seem to be more IRS problems than IRS solutions. It can feel like they’re crouching in the shadows of your tax filing, ready to pounce on any sort of error.
And they don’t hold back when it comes to getting paid, even if it’s at your expense. Sometimes, by doing their job, the IRS does come across as the bad guy.
But, the truth is, they’re not all bad. And they actually do some things on behalf of Columbia, SC taxpayers like you. Because their job really is about collecting what’s needed to run the country and take care of its citizens (which you are one of).
So, let’s talk about some IRS solutions that might warm you up a little more to the Big Bad government agency. Here are some ways they actively try to help you with errors and problems:
IRS Solution 1: Helping you catch tax return errors before they become an issue. A whopping 21 percent of individual paper tax returns contain errors, and even a simple math mistake can lead to a delayed refund and unnecessary stress. That’s why the IRS developed sophisticated error detection systems for your electronically filed return. The system catches your mistakes early on, which prevents further delays, audits, and tax penalties.
IRS Solution 2: Helping low-income earners get big returns. Would you believe the IRS holds around 1.5 billion in unclaimed refunds? If you have ever assumed you didn’t need to file because your earnings are too low, then you’ve missed out on being able to claim any refunds you’re entitled to, regardless of your income level. The IRS offers free and very accessible filing software for low-income earners.
IRS Solution 3: Protecting you from identity theft. Last year, the IRS flagged more than 1 million tax returns for potential identity theft. Believe me, you don’t want the shock of filing your return only to discover someone else has already claimed your refund. That’s why the IRS has implemented improved verification processes and introduced the IP PIN system as additional layers of security to protect your tax information.
IRS Solution 4: Maximizing your Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a valuable tax credit for low- and moderate-income earners, but unfortunately, about 25 percent of EITC payments are issued incorrectly every year. This often stems from misunderstandings about eligibility criteria. The IRS offers a massive amount of resources to help taxpayers correctly claim the EITC. However, while the IRS is trustworthy in delivering explicitly clear information on this and other tax helps, it requires a certain level of expertise sometimes to translate what they’re saying. This is where it helps to talk to someone who speaks a bit of IRS-ese (we’re experts in that).
IRS Solution 5: Offering a way out of tough penalties. Life happens, and filing your taxes on time or paying the full amount isn’t always possible. The good news is, the IRS isn’t “unfeeling” toward your situation. They have things like flexible installment agreements, payment plans, and even the Fresh Start Program to help you get your outstanding tax debts taken care of.
IRS Solution 6: Protecting you from bad tax advice. A tax preparer should be your ally when you navigate the tax code, but, unfortunately, there are some bad actors out there who will lead you astray and even engage in fraudulent activity. To protect you from bad (or even sinister) tax guidance, the IRS utilizes the PTIN system to verify the credentials of tax preparers. If your tax preparer doesn’t have a PTIN or isn’t in that database, you know not to trust them. Checking their reviews also helps. (I’ve got my PTIN and plenty of good reviews from my clients.)
The IRS isn’t the scary, out-to-get-you organization that they’re often painted as. Most people stay on the right side of the IRS, and the IRS actually prefers it that way. They aren’t just waiting for you to misstep so they can swoop in and clean you out.
The thing that trips good people like you up is the complexity of the IRS’s systems and the tax code itself, as well as the complexity of their solutions. When you need someone to translate things for you, it can create a certain level of mistrust for the organization.
If you’re experiencing problems with the IRS, maybe you just need an experienced Richland County someone on your team to help you speak the IRS’s language and navigate its systems. That’s why we’re here. If you want to get things cleared up, let’s talk:
The IRS doesn’t have to be the bad guy in your story.
Helping you with every tax problem,
Akuathayre Snell