Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is Colorado's Morning News. Marty Lenz Ginigondek has the
day off Rob das and helping out filling in. Have
you checked the calendar? Today is April fifteenth, that means
tax day and we want you to be prepared and.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Joining us now on the KLA Comments Spirit Health Hotline
to make sure you're dotting your eyes and crossing your
t's as ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan and Jim, people
when they're down to the wire sometimes make bad decisions.
What are we telling people to keep calm today?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Yeah, keep com and you're right, crossthtstdis signed the darn
thing before you send it off, either electronically or in
by snail mail, Rob, because those little errors are the
things that can come back to bite you. And for
heaven's sake, don't think that just because the IRS has
laid off a bunch of people and it has that
you're not going to get caught if you decide maybe
not to file at all, or maybe slip something into
(00:46):
that return in hopes of getting a refund back, because
if you do and you are audited, you're caught and
you're looking at fees, you know, added fees, interest, fines,
potential criminal charges if this goes on long enough.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
And one of the other things I know the gym
people forget is you've got to have it if you're
still doing snail mail, because a lot of times you
can file e electronically with this, but you've got to
make sure it's postmarked by tonight as well to get
it in and not suffer any late fees.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Right, yeah, exactly, make sure it is in by midnight.
And you're right, most people do so electronically, and so
hitting send at eleven fifty nine isn't such a big deal,
not the way it is in years past. Increasingly, while
twenty five states around the country now people can use
free direct file through the IRS, now its days may
(01:31):
be numbered because some folks that dog say that it's
been a failure and that they don't want to roll
it out to the rest of the states, And in
fact it may be curtailed starting next year. But for
now direct file is available to some folks, unfortunately not
to folks in Colorado.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And I was just curious. I know there's potential that
you can file for an extension, but not any can
anyone do that or does there some requirements for that.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, it's almost unlimited now. It used to be that
you had to be in jail or overseas or in
the military or something like that, but those restrictions have
essentially been lifted. That are a few states the extension
is automatic this year if they want it. The Carolinas, Florida, Alabama,
places where they've had all sorts of natural disasters or
(02:17):
did in twenty twenty four. But filing an extension is
almost an automatic. But if you've got your ducts in
a row, if you've got everything ready to go, even
if you do owe some money, might as well do
it now instead of in October.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Jim, do you have any data to show if people
are starting to do more of the filing on their
own because of the technology, the software available versus using
a professional.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, there are, yes, more people are using those pieces
of software. I use one that's pretty reliable and if
you do so, the great part about that is that
it carries over data from last year, so you don't
have to fill out your address, your name, your Social
Security number. It brings forward last year's income information. That's
(03:00):
really handy to use one of those pieces of software.
But your tax preparer if you have a complicated return
is probably a good idea. I mean, if it's a
simple one, you've got maybe one or two W two's,
maybe a ten ninety nine, you can go ahead and
do it yourself without any problem at all. Still, people
do procrastinate. Wyoming has the highest percentage of procrastinators in
(03:24):
the whole country. Colorado is down at number eighteen. So
there's still people putting it off. That's despite the fact
that the average refinding Colorado it's about thirty one hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And we can assume that these tax software is they're
going to have a lot of help available potentially exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah, the robot help, the Q and a of the
chat function within those software that can get you the
help you need. Need to be careful though, too. There
are scammers out there more every year potentially, and the
FBI is warning about scams involving preparers who aren't preparers
(04:02):
at all and end up taking your money and not
filing a return or filing a return such that they
get the refund.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan, thank you.
It is Colorado's Morning News. Marty Lenz Ginigondek has the
day off Rob das and helping out filling in. Have
you checked the calendar? Today is April fifteenth, that means
tax day and we want you to be prepared and.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Joining us now on the KLA Comments Spirit Health Hotline
to make sure you're dotting your eyes and crossing your
t's as ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan and Jim, people
when they're down to the wire sometimes make bad decisions.
What are we telling people to keep calm today?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Yeah, keep com and you're right, crossthtstdis signed the darn
thing before you send it off, either electronically or in
by snail mail, Rob, because those little errors are the
things that can come back to bite you. And for
heaven's sake, don't think that just because the IRS has
laid off a bunch of people and it has that
you're not going to get caught if you decide maybe
not to file at all, or maybe slip something into
(00:46):
that return in hopes of getting a refund back, because
if you do and you are audited, you're caught and
you're looking at fees, you know, added fees, interest, fines,
potential criminal charges if this goes on long enough.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
And one of the other things I know the gym
people forget is you've got to have it if you're
still doing snail mail, because a lot of times you
can file e electronically with this, but you've got to
make sure it's postmarked by tonight as well to get
it in and not suffer any late fees.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Right, yeah, exactly, make sure it is in by midnight.
And you're right, most people do so electronically, and so
hitting send at eleven fifty nine isn't such a big deal,
not the way it is in years past. Increasingly, while
twenty five states around the country now people can use
free direct file through the IRS, now its days may
(01:31):
be numbered because some folks that dog say that it's
been a failure and that they don't want to roll
it out to the rest of the states, And in
fact it may be curtailed starting next year. But for
now direct file is available to some folks, unfortunately not
to folks in Colorado.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And I was just curious. I know there's potential that
you can file for an extension, but not any can
anyone do that or does there some requirements for that.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Well, it's almost unlimited now. It used to be that
you had to be in jail or overseas or in
the military or something like that, but those restrictions have
essentially been lifted. That are a few states the extension
is automatic this year if they want it. The Carolinas, Florida, Alabama,
places where they've had all sorts of natural disasters or
(02:17):
did in twenty twenty four. But filing an extension is
almost an automatic. But if you've got your ducts in
a row, if you've got everything ready to go, even
if you do owe some money, might as well do
it now instead of in October.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Jim, do you have any data to show if people
are starting to do more of the filing on their
own because of the technology, the software available versus using
a professional.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, there are, yes, more people are using those pieces
of software. I use one that's pretty reliable and if
you do so, the great part about that is that
it carries over data from last year, so you don't
have to fill out your address, your name, your Social
Security number. It brings forward last year's income information. That's
(03:00):
really handy to use one of those pieces of software.
But your tax preparer if you have a complicated return
is probably a good idea. I mean, if it's a
simple one, you've got maybe one or two W two's,
maybe a ten ninety nine, you can go ahead and
do it yourself without any problem at all. Still, people
do procrastinate. Wyoming has the highest percentage of procrastinators in
(03:24):
the whole country. Colorado is down at number eighteen. So
there's still people putting it off. That's despite the fact
that the average refinding Colorado it's about thirty one hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And we can assume that these tax software is they're
going to have a lot of help available potentially exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Yeah, the robot help, the Q and a of the
chat function within those software that can get you the
help you need. Need to be careful though, too. There
are scammers out there more every year potentially, and the
FBI is warning about scams involving preparers who aren't preparers
(04:02):
at all and end up taking your money and not
filing a return or filing a return such that they
get the refund.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
ABC News correspondent Jim Ryan, thank you.
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