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Want to protect yourself from tax return theft? You can’t.

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailA surge of bogus tax return filings has highlighted a grim truth: We can’t protect ourselves from this rising threat.

An underfunded, understaffed IRS manages to thwart many attempts, but still sent more than $5 billion in refunds to identity thieves in the 2013 tax year. Most state tax agencies aren’t nearly as sophisticated in detecting fraud, which is why the bad guys seem to be targeting them this year.

The core problem is that the key to your tax refund–as well as to your credit and your health records–is your Social Security number, which was never intended as an all-purpose identifier.

Even if you’re vigilant in protecting your  number, you’re still at risk, because a lot of companies aren’t so vigilant.

Court Ventures, now a subsidiary off Experian, sold an unknown number of records including Social Security numbers to identity thieves from a database of 200 million files. Anthem’s breach exposed 80 million people’s records. And they’re hardly the only ones. The US Postal Service, University of California Berkeley, the Oregon Employment Department, dozens of hospitals and medical centers–the list of places Social Security numbers have been stolen goes on and on and on. (Check out the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse chronology of breaches, showing more than 1 trillion records have been compromised.)

You may be able to beat the thieves to your tax refund by filing early–but that boat has already sailed for many victims.

Read more in my Reuters column, “Why identity thieves are targeting your tax return.”

January tune-up: Your paperwork

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iStock_000015900242LargeIs anyone else drowning in paperwork? I try to “prevent, prune and process,” but paper has a way of multiplying on its own.

Here’s my game plan for reducing paper clutter:

Prevent. I’ve signed up for the Direct Marketing Association’s opt out list to reduce junk mail and I use Catalog Choice to cut down on catalogs. Unfortunately, some retailers ignore these requests, so I keep a recycling bin handy. Unwanted mail goes straight to the bin so it can’t make its way any farther into our house.

Another way to prevent paper from proliferating is to sign up for electronic delivery. You can download statements or, in many cases, just let the financial institution store those for you. (Check to find out how long they do so; seven years should be as long as you’d need most statements.*) Every time I handle a piece of paper this week, I’ll be checking to see if there’s a way to receive it electronically instead.

One caveat: Going electronic doesn’t mean ignoring your accounts. I regularly check the balances and transactions of all our accounts. An account aggregator such as Mint can be a big help with this process. If receiving a paper statement is the only way you’ll remember to check your accounts, then use the scan-and-shred method as follows:

Prune. Most of our remaining paperwork can be scanned into my computer and then shredded. The IRS accepts electronic documents so there’s typically no reason to hang on to the paper version. The exceptions are paperwork that would be a pain to replace: birth, marriage and death certificates, military discharge papers and so on. Two tools that really help: my ScanSnap scanner and a heavy-duty shredded that can handle up to 15 sheets at a time.

Process. This tends to be my Achilles heel. I can think of so many better things to do than deal with that pile of paperwork on my desk. I’ve tried weekly process sessions but am coming around to the idea that it’s better not to let it pile up even that long.

*You’re likely to get different answers from different providers, which is why you need to ask. Banks and brokerages typically keep statements for 7 years (Schwab keeps them for 10) but may limit free online access to just a few years. Credit card companies are all over the map on this one. For instance, Capital One has access for four years (although you can order older statements) while Amex keeps them available for seven.

While cars no longer require traditional tune-ups, your finances still do. This month I’ll be reviewing some areas of your money that deserve some extra scrutiny and offering suggestions for the best moves now. Stay tuned for more posts–and to make sure you don’t miss any, you can sign up for my newsletter using the link on my home page.

January tune-up: Your taxes

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returnThe IRS started accepting tax returns today. Perhaps some of you already knew that, and were poised with your finger over the “submit” button on your already-completed return when the IRS opened its gate. For the rest of us, though, this is a timely reminder that “Oh, yeah, I’ve gotta get that done”–preferably well before April 15. (If you need motivation, read about how important it is to file early in my Bankrate column, “What you can do now to protect your tax return.”)

Here are a few ways to make tax time less painful now and next year:

Start a file. List your employer(s), your mortgage lender(s), your financial institutions and anyone else likely to send you a tax document this year. Check off the appropriate issuer when the document arrives and keep it in this file. Note: some issuers have moved to an all-electronic system, so you’ll need to log in to your account to download the W-2, 1098, 1099 or whatever. If you have a tax preparer who sends you an annual organizer, fill that out and keep it with your documents in this file.

Eat the frog. Is there one tax-related chore that always seems to take a long time, causing you to put off filing your return every year? Make this the year you tackle it early. We donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill every year, and every year I swear I’m going to assign values to the donations as I go…and every year I don’t, meaning I have to do it all at once. At least this year, I’m knocking it off the to-do list early. (Salvation Army’s donation value guide is pretty helpful.)

Make the appointment. If you use a tax preparer, call now to make your appointment. There’s nothing like a deadline for encouraging you to get your, er, tax stuff together. If you DIY, set a date with yourself on the calendar. Don’t expect to get much help from the IRS this year–the Taxpayer Advocate Service is predicting half of callers won’t be able to connect and average wait times will stretch past 30 minutes. If money is tight, avail yourself of one of the free help services.

Digitize it. I’m hoping you already understand the importance of filing electronically–it’s safer and a faster way to get your refund than using the U.S. mail. You’d also be smart to make scans of your completed tax return and supporting documentation. Knowing you have this electronic backup can help make it easier for you to let go of the paper copies. Once your tax return is done for this year, you can purge your files appropriately.

While cars no longer require traditional tune-ups, your finances still do. This month I’ll be reviewing some areas of your money that deserve some extra scrutiny and offering suggestions for the best moves now. Stay tuned for more posts–and to make sure you don’t miss any, you can sign up for my newsletter using the link on my home page.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Why you should pay your credit card bill before it’s due. Also in the news: How to break a bad money habit, what the IRS is doing to prevent identity theft, and how one late mortgage payment can wreak havoc with your credit score.

4 Reasons to Pay Your Credit Card Bill Before It’s Due
Improving your credit score is one of them.

How to Change a Bad Money Habit
Reward yourself for better behavior.

IRS Aims Harder to Protect You Against Identity Theft
New steps to protect tax payers.

Will Obamacare Ruin Your Tax Refund?
Probably not.

How Much a Late Mortgage Payment Can Damage Your Credit Score
A single late payment could pack a wallop.

Don’t call the IRS this tax season

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailNeed to call the IRS with a question? Good luck with that. The IRS ombudsman tells us about half of taxpayers who call the agency this tax season won’t get through, and the average hold times could be 30 minutes or more.

In a report to Congress, the Taxpayer Advocate Service blamed the widening gap between the IRS’ workload and its shrinking resources (read: budget cuts) for “unacceptably low levels” of customer service.

You have some free alternatives if you need help filing your returns:

In addition, TurboTax and TaxAct offer free preparation of the simplest federal returns, but you pay to file state and more complicated returns.

The software programs do a good job of guiding most people through the preparation and filing process. If your tax situation is at all complex–you own a business, are an active investor or experienced a major life change, for example–consider hiring a tax pro. Enrolled agents are a good, lower-cost choice for most people, while CPAs offer more high-end help.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

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Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Why this year’s tax refund may take longer to arrive, if at all. Also in the news: The financial upsides to being an empty nester, the impact of the Affordable Care Act on your taxes, and tips on how to compare student loans.

Why Your Tax Refund May Be Slower (or Never Arrive) This Year
Budget cuts at the IRS could delay your refund.

The Money Bonanza For Empty Nesters
The financial upside to missing the kids.

How Will the Affordable Care Act Affect Your Taxes?
Tax credits and penalties could make things trickier.

Use These Simple Excel Formulas to Compare Student Loans
With acceptance season right around the corner, this tool can make shopping for student loans much easier.

These 10 Changes to Financial Rules Could Impact You in 2015
New year, new rules.