Have you filed your taxes yet? Don't worry, if you haven't... you're not the only one.
Tuesday, April 17th is Tax Day.
If you need some help filing your taxes, there are several places in the Quad Cities open this weekend. AmeriFILE Tax Prep - with locations at 621 18th Street, Moline and 901 E. Kimberly, Davenport - is offering $30 off when you download their coupon here: http://www.amerifile.com/.
For those who need more time to either file or are strapped for cash, the IRS offers a program called "Fresh Start." To qualify for the six-month grace period, you have to prove you were unemployed for 30 consecutive days in 2011 or this year up until April 17th. You can also apply for the extension if you're self-employed and your business income was down 25% or more in the last year. To find out if you're eligible, go to http://www.irs.gov/.
If you do file for an extension, keep in mind you must pay the entire back bill - including interest or any other penalties - by October 15th.
"You can extend getting your paper work done, but you can never extend paying the taxes that you owe," says Sharon McClellan of Mr. Tax America.
Whether you've filed for an extension, are still in the process of filing, or have already filed, there are some important things you should know. Be aware of scammers. Most scammers are out "phishing" for your personal information - like your social security, bank account, or credit card numbers - so they can steal your identity and money. The IRS will never ask for this type of personal or financial information... ever. The IRS also will never try to contact you through e-mail. If you do get an e-mail, do not open it or any attachments and do not click on any links. Also, pay attention to web addresses. The official IRS website is http://www.irs.gov/, but some scammers will try to use dot.com, dot.net., or dot.org endings.
For those looking for some tax season relief, restaurants and other places will offer "freebies" and "cheapies" on Tuesday, April 17th. You can find a list of coupons by clicking on this link: http://wqad.com/2012/04/11/tax-day-freebies-and-cheapies/