The Internal Revenue Service is warning that the cybercriminals are already at work as the current tax season approaches. These fraudsters are using a new round of emails posing as potential clients or even the IRS to trick tax practitioners and their clients into disclosing sensitive personal tax information.
Be wary of communicating solely through email with potential or existing prepares or your new tax practitioner. These thieves have stolen identity data from thousands of taxpayers including names, addresses, social security numbers and email addresses.
In the case of identity theft, you will need to file an affidavit with your paper filed return and the IRS will assign to you a new PIN (personal identification number for future filing of your returns.
Both taxpayers and tax practitioners have become victims of this form of identity theft.
Be aware, know who you are dealing with and make sure you are using a reputable tax firm with a history in the profession.
2018 Tax Season Information
Daily NotesThe IRS is not accepting any personal returns until January 29, with the first deadline on April 17, 2018.
If you have your return prepared before that time, the return will sit at the tax firm, queued in their tax software, until the transmission of the returns on January 29.
Returns that have refunds from earned income credit and additional child tax credit will not have any refunds issued until after mid-February, with these refunds not being deposited until after February 27.
Direct deposit is still the safest and fastest way to receive your refund, with most refunds issued in less than 21 days.