Tax returns are due today, and the Internal Revenue Service wants taxpayers to go online rather than pick up the phone.
The IRS is expecting more than 5 million tax returns to be filed today ahead of the tax deadline and expects to receive another 14 million requests from taxpayers asking for a six-month extension to file their returns.
So instead of subjecting taxpayers to long waiting periods over the phone, the IRS is directing them to its website, IRS.gov, for any questions or concerns.
There, taxpayers can find information on how to request an extension, set up payment plans and even find out when they can expect a tax refund, among other features.
The Where’s My Refund? feature has already been used more than 248 million times this year, a seven percent increase when compared to last year.
“The IRS continues to encourage the use of e-file and direct deposit as the fastest and safest way to file an accurate tax return and receive a refund,” officials said in a news release sent Monday. “Nearly 90 percent of tax returns will be filed electronically, with a similar proportion of refunds issued through direct deposit.”
