If you want tax refund then do not do these 8 mistakes

it’s part of the story tax 2022CNET’s coverage of the best tax software and everything else you need to file your return quickly, accurately and on time.

Now it’s time to file your 2021 tax return. taxes are due in three days Monday, April 18,

As the tax deadline approaches, the stress of filing can skyrocket. However, do not panic and do not rush with your tax return. Accidental errors made in haste can cause your tax return to be rejected or your tax refund to be delayed, sometimes for months.

If you want to get your full tax refund on timeDouble-check our list of common tax return errors, below. Mistakes aren’t the end of the world – if your tax return is denied and you filed your taxes on time, the IRS will give you five days to correct and refill the information, although this may result in your refund. There will be delay.

Read on to learn how to avoid the most common mistakes when filing taxes.

For more, learn CNET’s Picks of the Best Free Tax SoftwareHow to track your tax refund electronically either in the mail And this biggest tax change And deduction for 2022.

Mistake No. 1: Filing Your Tax Return Late

The IRS estimates that about 20% of taxpayers wait until a week before the deadline to file their tax returns. If you owe the IRS money, this isn’t necessarily a bad strategy, but if you have a refund coming your way, it’s playing with fire.

Delaying your taxes is a bit of a nuisance if problems arise, and not filing your return on time will certainly complicate your tax return. If you owe the IRS money, you’ll have to pay late filing fees and start accruing other penalties.

it’s free File a six month tax extension By October 18th, but you’ll have to pay estimated taxes and you’re losing money if you’re expecting a refund.

Mistake No. 2: Entering misspelled names or the wrong Social Security number

This mistake may sound ridiculous, but it is more common than you might think. Be sure to enter your full name exactly as it is written on your Social Security card, as well as the exact Social Security number. If either of the two is not the same, your tax return will be rejected.

If your legal name has changed, you must first contact the Social Security Administration to update it, and then file your taxes under your proper name.

Mistake No. 3: Entering Wrong AGI

When you file your tax return electronically, the IRS uses your Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from the previous year to verify your identity. This means you need your exact AGI from your 2020 tax return to file your 2021 taxes online. If you do not match with the previous year’s AGI, your tax return will be rejected and you will have to file it again.

If you lost your tax return from the previous year, you can check your AGI from 2020 by requesting an immediate transcript on the IRS website, although you will need to create one. Free Online IRS Account First. If you filed a 2020 tax return that has not yet been processed by the IRS, you should enter $0 for your 2020 AGI when filing this year’s return. If you didn’t file a tax return for 2020 at all, but used the non-filer tool to claim incentive or child tax credit payments last year, you’ll need to enter $1 for your 2020 AGI.

Mistake No. 4: Using the Wrong Filing Status

US taxpayers can file their tax returns as single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of family and eligible widow(er) with dependent child. Your filing status determines your standard deduction, eligibility for tax credits, and your overall tax burden.

The IRS’ What is My Filing Status? The tool will help you determine your position and make the appropriate selection. If your filing status is incorrect, you must file an amended return with Form 1040-X. In the worst case, the IRS may suspect tax fraud and investigate.

Mistake No. 5: Calculation Errors with Credits or Deductions

child tax creditearned income tax credit, mortgage interest deduction, hair care cut — Worksheets and rules for many such tax items can be difficult to calculate on your own. A mistyped number or miscalculation can result in an incorrect tax return, which means you are either potentially losing money or will have to pay more with fees and penalties.

quality tax software Collecting and calculating all the numbers needed to file your taxes correctly will virtually eliminate these types of errors. All Top Tax products provide a guarantee of accuracy that will pay for any damages or penalties if their software makes calculation errors. You will still need to enter the correct information for the tax software to work successfully, so be sure to double-check all of your numbers before filing.

If you prefer to do your taxes the old-fashioned way, the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant can help with a wide range of credits and deductions calculations.

Mistake No. 6: Incorrect child tax credit and incentive payment information

if you get Monthly Advance Child Tax Credit Payment Or the third stimulus check last year, you must report the total amount of those payments on your 2021 tax return. If you fail to include that information or receive the wrong amount, the IRS says it will require “further review of the tax return, which could lead to widespread delays.”

Earlier in the year, the IRS sent letters to taxpayers – letter 6475 for your stimulus check (or economic impact payment) and letter 6419 For your Child Tax Credit payments — which includes the total amount. If you have not received those letters or have accidentally discarded them, you may enter that information in a . can also see with online irs account,

In testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee, IRS Commissioner Charles P. Ratig reported that the IRS received “more than 10 million returns” last year where taxpayers made mistakes in reporting stimulus payments. Returns that require manual review can create long delay,

Mistake No. 7: Entering the wrong bank account or routing number

file electronically with direct deposit And according to the IRS, you’ll get your refund in about 21 days. However, this will not work if you enter the wrong bank account or routing number when filing your tax return. Once the IRS has accepted your return, it’s not too late to change your banking information.

If the IRS cannot deposit your refund electronically in your bank account, it will send you a paper check to the mailing address listed on your tax return, which the IRS says will take six to eight weeks, although you can. Set up Alerts with the Postal Service To know when it will arrive.

If you accidentally enter valid account and routing numbers that don’t belong to you on your tax return, the IRS can deposit your tax refund amount into someone else’s bank account. In that case, you will need to contact the bank and personally visit an office to prove your identity and explain the situation with documentation. After you return the money to the bank, you will receive a paper check in the mail from the IRS.

Mistake No. 8: Unsigned Tax Return

Filing a paper tax return will slow down your tax refund significantly. Filing it without a signature will cause the IRS to reject your return and ask you to file it again, which will significantly slow down the process.

If you are married jointly, both partners need to sign the tax return. There are exceptions for military members operating overseas and others are required to use a third party with a power of attorney.

File electronically, sign your return digitally and you’ll never have to worry about this mistake again.