Don’t Wait Until April 14 To File Your Taxes

April 15 will arrive sooner than we think so it’s time to get our taxes in order. Although filing your taxes is not exactly an enjoyable activity, preparation is the key to minimizing the stress.  Here are some tips to speed up the tax filing process:

• ORGANIZE- Organize your files and papers in a way that works for you long before April rolls around. If you are low tech, use simple file cabinets or folders to separate your receipts, W-2′s and pay stubs.  If you fall into the “tech savvy” category, there are many online tax preparation services out there to help you with this. One of the best is Turbo Tax, which guides you through your return step-by-step. It also fills in IRS forms for you!

• START EARLY- Simply put, don’t procrastinate on filing your taxes. If you wait until April 14, you will end up rushing through the process and you will most likely make mistakes, which could affect your return. Starting early will eliminate errors and make time for any changes that you need to make.

• GET HELP- There are heaps of free resources out there that will assist you with your tax preparations.  The IRS has a 24 hour help line at (800) 829-1040 and also has prerecorded answers the most common tax questions in over 150 topics at (800) 829-4477.

• RESEARCH- If you are still uncertain about how to file your taxes, the internet is rich with free resources for you to use. I recommend going to the IRS websiteYour Federal Income Tax which references the most common tax payment questions. first. There are tons of forms, articles, and tips to download, including a useful publication called

• HIRE-If all else fails, hire a professional certified public accountant. Their expertise and knowledge can save you money and most likely offset the fee that they charge. If in the Chicagoland area, I would highly recommend Jeff Weidner of The Accountants Group. They are located in Buffalo Grove but have satellite offices and do mail in tax service as well. For more information, call Jeff at (847) 634-3990 ext.108 or send him an email at jeff@accountantsgroup.com.