Ah, springtime. Baseball players headed south, birds are heading north, and Uncle Sam has come a knocking for his annual bite of your income.
Federal tax returns are not due this year until April 18 — a three-day extension on the normal due date.
That doesn't mean you have to procrastinate. For those of you filing early, remember that identity thieves are lurking — and nothing makes a scam artist salivate like tax season.
Why? Because tax returns contain all the information identity thieves need to make your life an unholy mess, including the golden ticket that can unlock all your deepest financial secrets: your Social Security number.
What does this mean for you, the responsible tax filer?
Be careful.
You should pay particular attention to where you drop your return in the mail.
Never leave the envelope out for the mailman to pick up. Always drop it in a secured mailbox, preferably one from which the mail will be retrieved soon. Ideally, you should send your return from the nearest post office.
If you're filing online, make sure you're using a secure computer with a solid firewall and updated anti-virus and anti-malware programs.
“Certainly don't do it from a Wi-Fi spot,” Rice said.
Because a Wi-Fi connection is not secure, other wireless computer users can install software that will allow them to view your information.
If you're using a tax preparation service, like H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt, watch how they handle your personal information. When discussing your taxes, make sure you are in a private, secure environment where no third party can hear.
If you are due a refund, make sure you have a mailbox that locks. If it doesn't, consider having your mail sent to a post office box, and retrieve your mail immediately. If you're traveling out of town, have a friend or relative pick up your mail so it doesn't sit around overnight.
Remember, the Internal Revenue Service never contacts individuals by e-mail. If you receive an e-mail purporting to be from the IRS, ignore it — it is a scam artist trying to get your identifying information.
The same goes for telephone calls. Never, ever give a caller personal financial information over the phone. If someone claims they're with the IRS and asks for a bank account number or your Social Security number, hang up. Call the IRS yourself and ask if it wants to talk to you.
If you fear your identity has been stolen, you should call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490.
Why is it important to report a potential theft? If your Social Security number is stolen, the thief can use it to get a job. The thief's employer would then report income to the IRS using your number, which could make it appear as though you have not reported all of your earnings.
Even if you have no problems filing your returns, you're not done protecting your identification. Keep all your paperwork, including W-2 forms, receipts, and other documents, in a secure location in your house.
Experts advise keeping the tax return and supporting documents for seven years. Why so long? The IRS has three years from your tax-filing date to audit, and six years to challenge a claim.
Once the documents have outlived their usefulness, shred them.
“If you're using a shredder, make sure you use one that has a cross-cut or a diamond cut, not just a simple strip-cut shredder,” Rice said. “Someone who is resourceful could potentially paste those strips together. It's worth it to spend a few extra dollars on a different shredder.”
Keep in mind:
The IRS no longer sends taxpayers blank tax forms, so if you need a form you must download it from the agency's website at http://www.irs.gov/, or call 800-829-1040.
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