The IRS Protecting Your Identity and Tax Refund

In an announcement, the IRS laid out new procedures in order to protect your identity and your refund. Those requesting the Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit will not get their refunds until February 15. The IRS cautions that these refunds will probably not arrive in the taxpayers’ accounts until the week of February 27th.

Taxpayers can file earlier than February 15.

Additionally, when individuals fill out their return themselves, they will be required to know Tax Year 2015’s Adjusted Gross Income or AGI. AGI is found on line 37 of the 1040, line 21 of the 1040A, and line 4 of the 1040EZ.

The IRS has also upgraded its identification verification process.

The Center would like to remind people that it pays to file your tax return early, even if you are not required to do so. If you’ve paid in, you get that money back and if there is ever an issue, the tax year is documented.