Don't Mess With Taxes

I saw that bad IRS television want-ad again. Yes, I was up watching late-night cable programming; how else am I going to get my X-Files fix?

Anyway, you remember the ad. I blogged about it back in the fall. It's the IRS' pitch for seasonal employees.

It's reappearance can only mean one thing. It's tax-filing season again.

Back in April, almost 10 million taxpayers requested an extension to file their 2006 returns. A good number of those folks will no doubt put off their final filing duties until the ultimate last moment, which is Oct. 15.

So Uncle Sam is seeking some help in dealing with the uber-procrastinators.

If you're one of the very last minute filers, remember you've got just three weeks from today to get your return done. The IRS and its new workers would appreciate any help you can give them by filing at least a bit before the drop-dead date.

Getting computer help: For you folks who plan to use a software program to finally fill out your returns, I want to point you in the direction of my tax-blogging colleague William Perez at About.com: Tax Planning. He has tested dozens of computer tax programs over the years and shares his latest analyses here.

You'll notice that one of the options William discusses is free e-filing. There have been some questions about the system, as noted in my earlier post on tax law accuracy issues. But for many, it's still a good -- and free! -- way to get returns to the IRS on time.

So check out the Free File Alliance page and see if it works for you.

Calling for refund requests: And don't forget that this is your last chance to collect your phone excise tax refund. Be sure to ask for it when you file that 2006 return by Oct. 15.