You may think that the worst thing that can happen to you at tax time is a hefty payment to the government April 15, but there is more at risk than that.
The Internal Revenue Service has put together a "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams that you should be careful to avoid. The list includes:
- "Phone Scams. Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain an ongoing threat to taxpayers.
- "Phishing. Taxpayers need to be on guard against fake e-mails or web sites looking to steal personal information. The IRS won't send you an e-mail about a bill or refund out of the blue. Don’t click on one claiming to be from the IRS that takes you by surprise.
- "Identity Theft." There's plenty of it around tax time. "The IRS continues to aggressively pursue the criminals that file fraudulent returns using someone else’s Social Security number."
Meanwhile,
Kiplinger created a list of tax tips to deploy all-year round.
- "Boost your retirement savings." If you can afford it, maximize contributions to your IRA and 401k.
- "Go for a health tax break." Your company may offer a flexible spending plan. Or if you have high-deductible health insurance, you may be eligible for a Health Savings Account.
- "Pay child-care bills with pre-tax dollars" if you have a child-care reimbursement account at work.
- "Tally job-hunting expenses. As long as you're looking for a new position in the same line of work (your first job doesn’t qualify), you can deduct job-hunting costs."