2016 Tax Filing Kicks off:

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said that it successfully started accepting and processing 2016 federal individual income tax returns on schedule effective January 23rd, 2017. More than 153 million returns are expected to be filed this year. People have until Tuesday, April 18, 2017 to file their 2016 returns and pay any taxes due.

Taxpayers who still file paper returns may find now is the best time to switch to e-file. Last year over 85 percent of taxpayers filed their taxes electronically. E-file is the fastest and safest way to file.

Many Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) filers will get their refunds later this year than in past years. That’s because a new law requires the IRS to hold refunds claiming the EITC and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until mid-February. The IRS cautions taxpayers that these refunds likely will not start arriving in bank accounts or on debit cards until the week of Feb. 27. Taxpayers claiming the EITC or ACTC should file as soon as they have all of the necessary documentation together to prepare an accurate return. In other words, file as they normally would.