U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)

Q: What should taxpayers keep in mind during tax season?

A: The IRS officially kicked off tax season and started accepting and processing federal individual tax returns for the 2024 tax year. The federal tax-collecting agency this year expects more than 140 million individual tax returns. Don’t procrastinate, the tax filing deadline is April 15.

At kitchen tables across the country, taxpayers will gather necessary documents to file their tax returns, including income information from paycheck stubs, W-2’s and 1099 forms. Whether you file on your own or have tax preparation assistance, be sure to gather all records and receipts, including for expenses required for credits and deductions, such as education and dependent care expenses, clean energy credits, retirement contributions and charitable donations. The IRS anticipates more than half of all tax returns will be filed with the help of a tax professional.

As a former chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, I encourage taxpayers to be mindful of scams and schemes. Choose a reputable tax professional to protect your personal and financial information. Keep in mind, even if you use a tax preparer, you are legally responsible for the information provided on the tax return. You can search an online directory of different types of federal tax preparers in your local area (https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf). Ask in advance about service fees. Avoid choosing tax preparers who base their fees on a percentage of your tax refund. Any refund should go directly to the taxpayer, not the tax preparer. Take care to double check the routing and bank account number on the completed return for accuracy. The IRS advises taxpayers to take precautions for fraud and liability. Specifically, if a paid preparer does not sign the tax return, either on paper or digitally, that’s a red flag for unscrupulous behavior. More importantly, never sign a blank or incomplete tax return. Anyone paid to prepare a federal tax return must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number. By law, paid preparers must sign and include their tax identification number on any tax return they prepare.

The IRS offers free electronic filing for taxpayers with federal adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less. IRS Free File allows eligible taxpayers to use guided tax preparation software free of charge to file a federal tax return. You can choose from IRS partner tax software companies here: https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/. The Free File Alliance is a nonprofit coalition serving 100 million American taxpayers. Taxpayers above that income threshold may use the free fillable forms- electronic federal tax forms – to fill out and file on your own.

Q: What other programs are available in local communities for tax preparation assistance?

A: The IRS coordinates services with local volunteers in communities across the country to help eligible taxpayers prepare their tax returns for free. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs support residents with participating partner organizations. These programs are designed to reach low-to-moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, elderly and limited English speakers. VITA tax preparation services are available for individuals and families earning $67,000 or less. Find participating organizations in your local area here, https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/. Be sure to bring the required documents to your appointment. If you would like to volunteer in your local community as a tax preparer, greeter, interpreter or computer specialist, learn more at irs.gov/volunteers.

Q: What assistance can your Senate office provide?

A: My Senate office may not help you file taxes. However, my office may help Iowans resolve issues and get answers from the IRS through the Taxpayer Advocate Service. For assistance, Iowans first need to complete a request form (https://www.grassley.senate.gov/services/help-with-federal-agencies) to allow my staff to get involved on your behalf with federal agencies. Print and sign the form and return via email at caseworker_grassley@grassley.senate.gov. Or mail to my Des Moines office at 721 Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309.

As a taxpayer watchdog, I keep a tight leash on the IRS to protect sensitive taxpayer information and fight for taxpayer rights. For decades, I’ve led a crusade to secure tax fairness, strengthen taxpayer rights, improve customer service and strengthen our system of voluntary tax compliance. As the co-author of the first-ever Taxpayer Bill of Rights in 1988 and one of four members who served on the National Commission on Restructuring the IRS during the Clinton administration, I’ve kept my nose to the grindstone to strengthen our system of voluntary compliance, as well as strengthen the IRS whistleblower program that’s helped recover more than $6 billion. The best way to narrow the tax gap is to help taxpayers do the right thing and improve taxpayer service. Tax cheats ought to be held accountable; honest taxpayers ought to pay every dime owed, not a penny more.