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IRS Releases Smartphone App

Want an easy way to check on the status of your refund this tax season? There’s an app for that. The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of IRS2Go, the first smartphone application that lets taxpayers quickly get the status of their refund and other helpful tax information on both the iPhone and Android operating systems.

"This new smart phone app reflects our commitment to modernizing the agency and engaging taxpayers where they want when they want it," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "As technology evolves and younger taxpayers get their information in new ways, we will keep innovating to make it easy for all taxpayers to access helpful information."

Apple users can download the free IRS2Go application by visiting the Apple App Store. Android users can visit the Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app.

"This phone app is a first step for us," Shulman said. "We will look for additional ways to expand and refine our use of smartphones and other new technologies to help meet the needs of taxpayers."

The mobile app, one of the few available in the federal government, offers a number of safe and secure ways to help taxpayers. Features of the first release of the IRS2Go app include:

Get Your Refund Status
Taxpayers can check the status of their federal refund through the new phone app with a few basic pieces of information.

First, taxpayers enter a Social Security number, which is masked and encrypted for security purposes. Next, taxpayers pick the filing status they used on their tax return. Finally, taxpayers enter the amount of the refund they expect from their 2010 tax return.

For people who e-file, the refund function of the phone app will work within about 72 hours after taxpayers receive an e-mail acknowledgement saying the IRS received their tax return. For people filing paper tax returns, longer processing times mean they will need to wait three to four weeks before they can check their refund status. About 70% of the 142 million individual tax returns were filed electronically last year, according to the IRS.

Get Tax Updates
App users can also enter their e-mail address to subscribe to IRS Tax Tips. Tax Tips are easy-to-understand tips and reminders to help taxpayers with tax planning and preparation.

Tax Tips are issued daily during the tax filing season and periodically during the rest of the year. The plain English updates cover topics such as free tax help, child tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits and other topics.

Follow the IRS
Taxpayers can sign up to follow the IRS Twitter news feed, @IRSnews. IRSnews provides the latest federal tax news and information for taxpayers. The IRSnews tweets provide easy-to-use information, including tax law changes and important IRS programs.


Source:
Internal Revenue Service
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Thursday, 21 November 2024

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