The IRS will open the tax filing season on January 19, 2016, so if you’re finished with holiday preparation, this time of year is perfect to organize tax documents.
The agency will accept both electronic and paper 2015 federal tax returns beginning the third Tuesday in January and the deadline for all federal returns or a request for extension is April 18.
The IRS encourages Alaskans to safeguard both physical and online personal tax information against identity theft as well as be aware of scams during the tax season.
Throughout 2015, scammers appearing to be with the IRS targets Alaskans via phone calls, telling people there is something wrong with tax returns and asking for personal information says Michelle Tabler with the Better Business Bureau.
Tabler: “What you want to do is just hang up on these people and call the IRS number directly. They would not be initiating a phone call like that, the IRS would be contacting you by mail.”
Hackers are also getting better at collecting electronic information. Officials recommend that Alaskans filing returns online should install anti-virus and firewall protections as well as encrypt tax files.
Some necessary documents to collect while preparing to file 2015’s tax return:
- 2014’s tax return
- Your wage statements or W-2 form from however many employers you had in 2015
- Any additional incomes from sources such as Social Security, unemployment, or income from partnerships (which can be found in a Schedule K-1).
- The $2,072 2015 Permanent Fund Dividend would also be listed under other incomes. These incomes are often detailed in a 1099 form. If taxes were withheld from your or your child’s PFD, report the withheld amount on IRS form 1040 on the line for “Federal Tax Withheld.
- Investment gains or losses
- Documents pertaining to a home purchase
- If you purchased Obamacare, the new Form 1095-A to report information from the government Marketplace
