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How to Prepare Your Tax Return for Mailing
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Your tax return is complete and ready to be mailed. Now what? The IRS recommends that you take a few minutes to make certain that all information is complete and accurate before sealing the envelope. This simple precaution could help you avoid mistakes that may delay your refund or result in correspondence with the IRS.
Here are just a few items to complete prior to mailing your tax return:
- Sign your return. Your federal tax return is not considered a valid return unless it is signed. If you are filing a joint return, your spouse must also sign.
- Provide a daytime phone number. This may help speed the processing of your return if the IRS has questions about items on your return. If you are filing a joint return, you may provide daytime phone numbers for either you or your spouse.
- Assemble any schedules and forms behind your Form 1040 or 1040A in the order of the "Attachment Sequence No." shown in the upper right hand corner of the schedule or form. Arrange any supporting statements in the same order as the schedules or forms they support and attach them last.
- Attach a copy of Forms W-2, W-2G and 2439 to the front of Form 1040. Also attach Forms 1099-R if tax was withheld.
- Use the coded envelope included with your tax package to mail your return. If you did not receive an envelope, check the section called "Where Do You File?" in your tax instruction booklet.
- Make your check or money order payable to the "United States Treasury" if you owe tax. Write your name, address, Social Security number, daytime telephone number, and the year and appropriate form number on your payment. Then complete Form 1040-V following the instructions on that form and enclose it in the envelope with your payment. Do not attach the payment to your return.
You seek the expertise of CPAs at tax and audit time, of course. But CPAs also promote personal and professional financial security year round. Visit the CPA Referral Service on the MACPA website to search for a CPA in your geographical area or specific area of expertise.
This article was submitted by the Michigan Association of CPAs.