Doing taxes is often a stressful task, only made more so when a simple filing error increases the processing time or delays your refund. It is always advisable to double-check your tax return prior to submission, paying extra attention to the small details. Reviewing signatures, account numbers, and so on is always worth an extra minute, as is making sure you have used your full legal name consistently.
It is also important to ensure that you pick the correct filing status on your return, especially if you are married. Unless you are married and living separately, you should not be filing as single. Similarly, make sure that any dependents you claim are eligible, and that you have documentation to support those claims. Failure to accurately document your tax-relevant relationships can lead to auditing actions by the IRS.
Finally, it may seem obvious, but it is imperative that you report your full income in your tax returns. Forgetting about a source of supplementary income is easy and common, but it can impact the processing of your return and make you subject to an audit.
In a word, the key to making tax season go as smoothly as possible is accuracy. Taking the time to ensure that all of your information is correct before you submit your return will save you the time that would go to correcting it if it weren’t.