Stacie's Tax Stuff

Direct deposit is the fast, easy and safe way to receive your tax refund. Whether you file electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to your refund faster than a paper check.

Here are four reasons more than 80 million taxpayers chose direct deposit in 2012:

1. Security.  Every year the U.S. Postal Service returns thousands of paper checks to the IRS as undeliverable. Direct deposit eliminates the possibility of a lost, stolen or undeliverable refund check.
2. Convenience.  With direct deposit, the money goes directly into your bank account. You will not have to make a special trip to the bank to deposit the money yourself.
3. Ease.  It’s easy to choose direct deposit. When you are preparing your tax return, simply follow the instructions on the tax return or in the tax software. Make sure you enter the correct bank account and bank routing transit numbers.
4. Options.  You can deposit your refund into more than one account. With the split refund option, taxpayers can divide their refunds among as many as three checking or savings accounts and up to three different U.S. financial institutions. Use IRS Form 8888, Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases), to divide your refund. If you are designating part of your refund to pay your tax preparer, you should not use Form 8888. You should only deposit your refund directly into accounts that are in your own name, your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint account.

Some banks require both spouses’ names on the account to deposit a tax refund from a joint return. Check with your bank for their direct deposit requirements.

Check the instructions in your tax form for more information about direct deposit and the split refund option. Helpful tips on both are also available in IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. Publication 17 and IRS Form 8888 are available on IRS.gov or by calling the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

Additional IRS Resources:

• Form 8888, Allocation of Refund (including Savings Bonds Purchases)
• Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax
• What to Expect for Refunds in 2013

Tax information can be tough to understand in any language. It may be more difficult to understand if it is not in your first language. The IRS offers a wide range of free and easy-to-use products and services for Spanish-speaking taxpayers. Here are some tips if you need federal tax assistance from the IRS in Spanish.

• Get answers 24 hours a day seven days a week. IRS.gov/espanol has a wealth of information accessible every day for individuals and businesses. You will find links to tax-related information and warnings about common tax scams that can victimize taxpayers. You can also check the status of your tax refund through the improved online tool “¿Dónde está mi reembolso?” Using the Asistente EITC, you can find out if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit for many people who earned less than $50,270.
• Use Free File to prepare and e-file your taxes for free. IRS Free File offers free tax preparation and e-file options for all taxpayers. The Free File program is a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance. The Alliance is a group of private-sector software companies. If your 2012 income was $57,000 or less, you qualify to use free tax software. If your income was higher, or you are comfortable preparing your own tax return, there’s Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic versions of IRS paper forms. Visit IRS.gov/freefile and select ‘En Español’ to review your options.
• Try IRS e-file to file your return. IRS e-file is the safe, easy and most common way to file a tax return. The IRS has processed more than 1 billion returns safely and securely. If you owe taxes, you have payment options to file early and pay by the April 15 tax deadline. Visit IRS.gov/espanol and select Opciones Electrónicas to review your options.
• Get up-to-date at the Multimedia Center. Watch YouTube video tax tips and listen to podcasts on various IRS topics in Spanish and English. Enter the keywords “Centro Multimediático” into the search box of the IRS.gov website.
• TeleTax gives you tax and refund information. TeleTax is a toll-free, automated telephone service. It provides helpful pre-recorded tax topic messages and refund information. You can find a list of more than 125 TeleTax topics available in Spanish and English in the instructions for Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. When you call to check your refund status, have a copy of your tax return handy. This will help you respond to the system prompts. TeleTax is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-829-4477.
• Get tax forms and publications. You can view and download several tax forms and publications in Spanish directly from IRS.gov/espanol at any hour of the day or night.
• Visit the IRS Spanish Newsroom. Find the agency’s most recent announcements, tips and information on new tax laws that could affect you. Avoid missing any benefits and keep up to date by typing the keywords “Noticias en Espanol” into the search box of the IRS.gov website.
• Call the IRS for free tax help in Spanish. The IRS’ toll-free telephone number offers service from Spanish-speaking IRS representatives. Call the IRS customer service line at 800-829-1040 and then press the number 8.
• Stay connected through Twitter en Español. Get all the newest information and helpful tax tips in Spanish by following the IRS on Twitter @IRSenEspanol.

Get Multilingual Assistance at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. Visitors can get help at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers in more than 150 languages, including Spanish, either in person or through an Over-the-Phone Interpreter. Before you visit, it’s always a good idea to check TAC locations, hours and available services by visiting IRS.gov and clicking on ‘Help & Resources’ and then on ‘Contact Your Local IRS Office.’