This is what Californians can do to prep and file their taxes safely

Iman Palm
·2 min read
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California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer alert Monday with tips on how Californians can prepare and file taxes safely to avoid becoming victims of tax-related scams as the filing deadline approaches.

“For working families, tax season serves as a long-awaited opportunity to get ahead on bills, make needed home repairs, or finally start planning a vacation,” Attorney General Bonta said in a statement.

“This tax season, we want to make sure Californians don’t fall victim to tax-related fraud or scams.”

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Here’s what officials recommend taxpayers do to safely prep and file their taxes.

  • Don’t answer calls, emails, text messages, or social media messages from people claiming to be from the IRS or California’s Franchise Tax Board.

“Legitimate IRS and FTB agents will not threaten jail time or seek payment over the phone or through a wire transfer. Consumers should not make any payments and should contact the agency directly by looking up government contact information online,” a news release said.

  • Make sure an Identity Protection PIN, or IP Pin, is active for your IRS e-filing account. The IRS provides a new pin each year.

  • Utilize two-authentication to protect tax filing accounts.

  • Find a reputable tax preparer. In the Golden State, an attorney, certified public accountant (CPA), IRS-enrolled agent, or registered tax preparer can prepare tax returns for a fee. Taxpayers can also confirm whether a tax preparer is registered with the IRS by visiting this website.

Taxpayers in need of more time to file their returns can request an extension on the IRS website.

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Anyone who believes they are the victim of a tax-related scam or other misconduct can file a complaint on California’s Department of Justice website or through the IRS.

The deadline to file tax returns is on April 15.

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