New IRS Publication 5307
Major tax reform that affects both individuals and businesses was approved by Congress and signed by the President on Dec. 22, 2017. It’s commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, or tax reform. Throughout 2018, the IRS has been working closely with partners in the tax return preparation and tax software industries to implement the new law and ensure taxpayers can count on the IRS, tax professionals and tax software programs when it’s time to file their returns. Now there is a new publication that will help taxpayers learn how tax reform affects their taxes. IRS Publication 5307, Tax Reform Basics for Individuals and Families, is now available on IRS.gov/getready. While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act law includes tax changes for individuals and businesses, this publication breaks down what’s new for the 2018 federal tax return individual taxpayers will be filing in 2019.
This new publication provides important information about:
- increasing the standard deduction,
- suspending personal exemptions,
- increasing the child tax credit,
- adding a new credit for other dependents and
- limiting or discontinuing certain deductions.
Taxpayers can access Publication 5307 at IRS.gov/getready, along with other important information about steps taxpayers can take now to ensure smooth processing of their 2018 tax return and avoid surprises when they file next year.
Because of the many changes in the tax law, refunds may be different than prior years for some taxpayers. Some may even owe an unexpected tax bill when they file their 2018 tax return next year. To avoid these kind of surprises, taxpayers should perform a Paycheck Checkup to help determine if they need to adjust their withholding or make estimated or additional tax payments now.
Gather documents
The IRS urges all taxpayers to file a complete and accurate tax return by making sure they have all the needed documents before they file their return, including their 2017 tax return. This includes year-end Forms W-2 from employers, Forms 1099 from banks and other payers, and Forms 1095-A from the Marketplace for those claiming the Premium Tax Credit. Confirm that each employer, bank or other payer has a current mailing address for you. Typically, these forms start arriving by mail in January. Check them over carefully, and if any of the information shown is inaccurate, contact the payer right away for a correction.
To avoid refund delays, taxpayers should avoid using incomplete records and instead wait to file until they have gathered all year-end income documentation. This will minimize the chances they will need to file an amended return later which is extra work for taxpayers and can take up to 16 weeks to process once the IRS receives it.
Taxpayers should keep a copy of any filed tax return and all supporting documents for a minimum of three years. Having your prior year return will make it easier to fill out your 2018 tax return next year. In addition, taxpayers using a software product for the first time may need the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) amount from their 2017 return to properly e-file their 2018 return. Learn more about verifying identity and electronically signing a return at Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return.
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