Tax Tip: Frequent Mistakes on Tax Returns
Published at
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Being organized may help avoid common mistakes when filing tax returns.
“I think the biggest mistake people make is a failure to plan,” says Tom Wheelwright, the CEO and founder of CPA firm Provision.
Wheelwright recommends organizing important documents, and considering hiring someone to do your tax paperwork.
Internal Revenue Service spokesman Eric Smith recommends filing your taxes online. “Really, the mistakes of filing are often much more related to paper returns,” says Smith.
Smith adds that taxpayers frequently forget to attach their W2s and other documents when filing by mail.
TurboTax vice president Bob Meighan says one of the easiest ways to avoid mistakes is to simply check the numbers.
“People need to double-check their Social Security number, number one,” Meighan says. “Number two: check the Social Security number of your dependents, cause we often forget what our children’s Social Security numbers are … Because if they’re not correct, your return will get rejected.”
Another pro tip: be sure to proofread your tax return for any typos.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.