Have you finished filing your taxes yet? If not, there is still time to do so. As much of a pain as the process can be, avoiding errors will make it go as smoothly as possible, and prevent having to go back and change things later.
The following are the most common errors you should be aware of, according to Forbes:
- Missing/incorrect Social Security number
- Misspelled/incorrect names
- Incorrect filing status
- Math mistakes
- Incorrect credits/deductions
- Incorrect bank account number
- Forgetting to sign the form
So how does one avoid making these mistakes? All of the above seem simple, but since taxes aren’t the most exciting activity of the year, many rush through them and commit one of these errors. It helps to plan and collect all the necessary documents ahead of time – for yourself, your spouse, and any dependents you have. Once you begin, take your time! Even if you want to get it done as soon as possible, go slowly and read everything carefully to prevent having to deal with it later. If you take the time and do everything correctly right away, you are good for a whole year! Check over everything before sending it to the IRS to make sure you didn’t fill something out wrong or miss anything. Last but not least, be neat. Your return will be counted wrong if it is illegible.
If you find that you have made a mistake later, they can be fixed – it will just take a little extra time. Happy tax season!
Courtesy of Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2013/04/09/eight-common-tax-filing-errors-and-how-to-prevent-them/?ss=tax-planning
