File Taxes Early to Avoid Potential Hackers

Tax time.

If you are expecting a refund, it's a great way to get some money to go on that Spring vacation, maybe pay off some of the holiday spending or just put into savings.  Whatever you are planning to do with your refund, make sure you are actually getting your refund and it isn't going to someone else.

The IRS has put new protections in place prohibiting Turbo Tax and other companies’ free filing software from showing up in Google searches. This way, the next time you search for any online tax filing apps, you should be able to easily find and use the free software.

If you didn't adjust your withholdings last year after many people were disappointed with their lack of a refund, that may happen again this year. So, make sure you adjust your W-4 this year for this year's taxes to hopefully get the refund you want, or at least not have to pay in when tax time rolls around again.

And remember, as soon as you have your tax paperwork ready to go, file your taxes.  It's best to get that done as soon as possible.  Not only that, if you do have to pay in, that way you do have until April 15th to get some cash together to pay.  The best outcome is to come out even.  That's the perfect scenario.