Avoid Tax Time Stress with the new IRS2Go App
Edited by Darren Finn,
Principal, Tax Services.
Lost in the gloomy warnings from the IRS about budget cuts adversely affecting the agency’s response times this filing season was the welcome news that its newly updated IRS2Go app may help alleviate some of the stress felt by taxpayers this year.
With a brand new look and feel, the most recent incarnation of the IRS2Go app offers a host of added features designed to help tax preparers find critical answers to basic questions. Available through your App provider in both English and Spanish, the IRS is hopeful that the redesigned application will help reduce telephone wait times for callers with more advanced questions.
If you plan to take matters into your own hands this year, here are a few of the new features you can expect from the 2015 IRS2Go app:
Refund Status
Looking to check on the status of your federal income tax refund? Simply enter your Social Security number into the security-encrypted application, select your filing status and insert the amount of your anticipated refund from your 2013 tax return. That’s it! A status tracker will let you see where your return is in the overall process.
If you file your tax return electronically, you can check your refund status within 24-hours of the date the IRS receives your return. If you file a paper return, you’ll need to wait about four weeks to check your status because paper returns take longer to process.
Tax Records
Requesting your tax return or account transcript using your smartphone has never been easier. While the application won’t allow you receive the information immediately, IRS2Go streamlines the record request process so you can have them mailed to you within several business days.
Free Tax Prep Providers
One of the more exciting features of the new IRS2Go app is the ability to find free tax help for qualified taxpayers through the agency’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. This new tool can help you find a VITA site right near your home by allowing you to simply enter your zip code and select a distance range. Each result listed will include a “directions” button that will open a map to the location with the address included, making it easy and convenient to navigate.
The IRS believes its updated app reflects the agency’s commitment to helping taxpayers get the information they need whenever and wherever they need it. Through social media channels like Twitter, You Tube and others, the IRS regularly shares information about tax law changes, initiatives, products and services. Be sure to follow or subscribe to these accounts to get the latest information this tax season.
