IRS Tax Tip 2015-55, April 7, 2015 If you need help with your taxes, the IRS website is the place for you. There is no waiting for service and it has tax tools that are easy to use. You can even prepare and e-file your tax return for free with IRS Free File. If you have questions, you can get the answers you need, when you need them. Here are the best reasons to make IRS.gov your one stop shop for tax help from the IRS. Use IRS Free File. You can prepare and e-file your federal taxes for free with IRS Free File. Free File does the hard work for you. If you made $60,000 or less, you can use free name-brand tax software. If you earned more, you can use Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. Either way, you have a free e-file option, and the only way you can access it is on IRS.gov. Options to File Electronically. You should file electronically whether you qualify for free volunteer help, do your own taxes or hire a tax preparer. IRS e-file is the easiest, safest and most popular way to file a complete and accurate tax return. The fastest way to get your refund is to combine e-file with direct deposit. You get your refund in less than 21 days in most cases. If you owe taxes, e-file has easy pay options so you can file early and pay by the April 15 deadline. Help at Any Time. IRS.gov is always available. Use the “Filing” link from our home page for all your federal tax needs. Just about everything you need is right at the tip of your fingers. The Interactive Tax Assistant tool and the IRS Tax Map can answer with many of your tax law questions. You can view, download or print tax products right away. Many IRS tools and products are also available in Spanish. Find a Tax Preparer. The IRS has a new tool that you can use to help you find a tax return preparer. The Directory of Tax Return Preparers tool will search and sort for a list of tax preparers in your area with the credentials and qualifications that you prefer. Check Your Refund. You can track your refund using the ‘Where’s My Refund?’ tool. It’s quick, easy and secure. You can check the status of your return within 24 hours after the IRS has received your e-filed return. If you file a paper return, you can check your refund status four weeks after you mail it. Once IRS approves your refund, the tool will give you a date to expect it. The IRS updates refund status for the tool no more than once a day. Pay Tax Online. Electronic payments are a convenient and safe way to pay taxes. The IRS Direct Pay tool is the fastest and easiest way to pay the tax you owe. Visit IRS.gov/directpay to use this free and secure way to pay directly from your checking or savings account. If you can’t pay all your taxes in full, use the Online Payment Agreement to apply for an installment agreement. Use the EITC Assistant. The Earned Income Tax Credit may apply to you if you worked and earned less than $52,427 in 2014. The credit can be worth up to $6,143. Use the EITC Assistant to find out if you’re eligible. You may be among the millions of workers who get the EITC this year. And you can use Free File to claim the EITC. Figure Your Withholding. The IRS Withholding Calculator tool can help you avoid having too much or too little income tax withheld from your pay. You can use it anytime throughout the year to stay on target. Get Health Care Tax Information. You can get all the details about the Affordable Care Act tax provisions on IRS.gov/aca. Visit this site to find out how the health care law affects your taxes, including: Reporting health insurance coverage. Claiming an exemption from the coverage requirement. Making an individual shared responsibility payment. Claiming the premium tax credit. Reconciling advance payments of the premium tax credit. The official IRS website is IRS.gov. Don’t be fooled by other sites that claim to be the IRS, but end in .com, .net, or .org. Some scams use phony websites to get your personal and financial information. Thieves also use the information to commit identity theft or steal your money. Visit only IRS.gov for tax help from the IRS. If you found this Tax Tip helpful, please share it through your social media platforms. A great way to get tax information is to use IRS Social Media. You can also subscribe to IRS Tax Tips or any of our e-news subscriptions. 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