Taxes: a resource and survival guide for April 15
Federal Taxes
Tax forms: Tax forms and information are available at the Internal Revenue Service website, www.irs.gov. You can also call (800) 829-3678, or (800) TAX-FORM. Allow 10 days for delivery. For faster service, call the IRS fax-back line at (703) 368-9694 and follow the prompts to access 100 of the most commonly used forms. You can get as many as three items per call faxed to you immediately. Forms also are available at many post offices.
Phone help: Recorded information from the IRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (800) 829-4477. For live telephone assistance, call (800) 829-1040 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. April 10 will be the last Saturday with live assistance.
Walk-in help: IRS offices in the Southland are generally open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Check with individual offices for exceptions or extended hours.
Locations include:
Camarillo: 751 Daily Dr., Suite 100
El Centro: 2345 S. 2nd St., Suite B
El Monte: 9350 East Flair Dr., 3rd floor
Laguna Niguel: 24000 Avila Rd., Room 3202
Long Beach: 501 W. Ocean Blvd., 3rd floor
Los Angeles: 300 N. Los Angeles St., 4th floor
Palm Springs: 980 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite C
San Bernardino: 290 N. D St., 1st floor
San Diego: 880 Front St., Suite 1295
San Marcos: 1 Civic Center Dr., Suite 400
Santa Ana: 801 Civic Center Drive West, Suite 200
Santa Barbara: 1332 Anacapa St., Suite 101
Santa Maria: 2801 S. Santa Maria Way, Suite 200
Van Nuys: 6230 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st floor
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California Taxes
Forms: Available from the California Franchise Tax Board website, www.ftb.ca.gov. Or call (800) 338-0505.
Phone help: Live telephone assistance available by calling (800) 852-5711 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays through April 10. From March 8 through April 15, weekday assistance will be available until 10 p.m. Recorded information is available around the clock at (800) 338-0505. The TDD line is (800) 822-6268.
Walk-in help: FTB field offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Locations include:
Los Angeles: 300 S. Spring St., Suite 5704
San Diego: 7575 Metropolitan Dr., Suite 201
Santa Ana: 600 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Suite 300
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The little things
* Double-check Social Security numbers. Make sure the names on your tax return match the names on your Social Security cards. Include Social Security numbers for all dependents claimed.
* Check your math.
* Sign and date your return -- and don’t claim an exemption if you or your spouse is claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return. Check the filing instructions included with your tax forms to make sure you’re mailing your return to the correct address.
Three tips for faster refunds
* File over the Internet. It shaves weeks off the time it takes to get your refund. The system also checks your return for errors that would otherwise delay your check.
* Allow the IRS to deposit your refund directly into your checking account. You’ll get your money a week or so earlier. Information on direct deposit is included in tax return instructions and tax preparation software.
* File early. More than half the tax returns filed arrive during the final two weeks of the income tax filing season leading to the April 15 deadline. Filing early will avoid the last-minute rush which can lead to delays in processing your refund.
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Miscellany
* Don’t borrow. Those “instant refund” offers at tax preparation chains are just loans with high interest rates.
* To check on the status of your refund, visit the “Where’s My Refund?” page at www.irs.gov. Taxpayers without Web access can get refund information by calling the automated refund service at (800) 829-4477 or by using the IRS refund hotline at (800) 829-1954.
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Key Dates
* April 15: Due date for 2003 federal and state income tax returns or for filing for a federal extension. To get a federal extension over the phone, call (888) 796-1074.
* Aug. 16: Deadline for submitting 2003 federal tax return if you filed for an extension in April.
* Oct. 15: Final deadline for submitting 2003 federal tax return if you filed for a second extension. California automatically grants a six-month extension until Oct. 15 -- you don’t have to file for one.
But caution: If you owe either the state or federal government, you must estimate and pay your tax by April 15 even if you take longer to file your return. And always file, even if you can’t always pay: Penalties for failing to file are much greater than penalties for failing to pay.
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Tax software, websites
Two popular tax preparation software packages are Intuit’s TurboTax and H&R; Block’s TaxCut. Both available in CD-ROM versions or online at www.turbotax .com and www.taxcut.com.
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Freebies
There are a number of programs to help low-income people, non-English speakers and the elderly prepare their taxes at no cost. For information on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, call (800) 829-1040 or go to the IRS website, www.irs.gov. For assistance with state forms, call the Franchise Tax Board at (800) 338-0505. Have your ZIP Code ready to find the site nearest you. Low-income people and others may also be eligible for free online tax preparation and filing services -- to see if you qualify or to link to a free filing site, go to www.irs.gov for federal returns and www.ftb.ca.gov for state returns.
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Paying the bill
Taxpayers who owe money to the state or federal governments can pay by check, major credit card or by electronic debit from a bank account. But you cannot pay the IRS directly by giving the agency your credit card number; instead, payment must be arranged through your credit card company or one of several companies that specialize in tax payments by credit card, including Official Payments Corp. and Link2Gov. Official Payments can be reached at (800) 2PAY-TAX or www.officialpayments.com. Link2Gov can be reached at www.pay1040.com or (888) PAY-1040.
Sources: IRS, Franchise Tax Board, Times research
Los Angeles Times