It's tax time!

Even a government shutdown won't delay tax time; 2011 tax returns are due by April 18.

Fri, Apr 08 2011 at 8:00 AM

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Taxes, Save Money

As of today, you have 10 days left to file your 2010 tax return. Yes, 10 days. The IRS has bumped the filing date from April 15 to April 18 this year. If you’re hoping for a government shutdown to extend this date, don’t hold your breath. Even if the government shuts down, tax returns are still due on April 18.

If you’re one of the Americans who put off filing their taxes until the last minute, here’s some information to help you get your financial house in order.

Are you tight on cash? Check out the IRS Free File options. Households with an AGI of $58,000 or less can free file electronically but anyone can use the IRS Free File Fillable Forms.
If you have questions, you can obtain free assistance from the IRS. The IRS offers this free assistance through a variety of venues including a toll-free phone line, taxpayer assistance centers and through a volunteer tax preparer. One important note – if the federal government does shutdown, you’ll find this free help hard to come by.
The IRS website has a page dedicated to unemployed taxpayers. With millions of Americans facing unemployment in 2010, this page is a great resource for those with tax questions relating to their unemployment.
Tax time is scammer time. Nervous taxpayers make easy prey for experienced con artists. Check out the IRS list of the 2011 Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and make sure you don’t get taken.
If you just don’t think you can get everything together by the April 18 deadline, don’t forget to file IRS Form 4868 (PDF) requesting an extension to file your individual return.

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