Taxpayers in 9 Mich. counties get extension

Those affected by storms in Aug. have until June 17 to file

April 15, Tax Day, came and went.

But if you struggled to meet the deadline to file that 1040 return, you probably don’t want to hear how many people already have filed and, probably even have spent their tax refund cash. But here goes, anyway:

The Internal Revenue Service has issued nearly 66.8 million income tax refunds through

April 5. That’s down 3.3% compared with the same period last year, according to the latest IRS statistics for the filing season.

The average tax refund is $3,011 so far this year, up 4.6% from the same time a year ago. The IRS has issued a bit more than $201 billion in refunds through April 5, up 1.1% from a year ago.

The IRS received 101.8 million individual income tax returns through April 5, roughly the same amount or up 0.5% from a year ago. And the IRS has processed 100.1 million returns so far, down 0.3%.

In January, the IRS said it had expected that more than 128.7 million individual income tax returns would be filed by the April 15 tax deadline. The IRS began processing tax returns on Jan. 29 this tax season.

Here’s are some other tax season tidbits and tips:

You’ll get an answer faster if you call the IRS

The IRS answered 1 million additional calls, up about 17% from last year, through April 6. And in what could be a shocking development to many, the IRS has cut wait times on its phone lines to three minutes, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s release Monday. Just two years ago, taxpayers found themselves stuck waiting on hold an average of 28 minutes, according to Treasury.

Phone service improved as call volume increased about 13%. What’s helped cut down the wait time? The IRS has a call back option now that’s available to 97% of eligible taxpayers at the beginning of the call, according to Treasury, if the projected wait time is longer than 15 minutes.

The IRS phone number is 800-829-1040.

Where’s My Refund tool has more info for you

The IRS has introduced an improved “Where’s My Refund?” tool at IRS.gov. The tool now gives more details, such as whether the IRS needs the taxpayer to respond to a letter requesting more information, before a tax refund can be issued.

Taxpayers, for example, might see a mes

sage at the tool such as: “To protect you from identity theft, your tax return is currently being reviewed. To help us process your return more quickly, verify your identity and tax return information. If you recently received a letter from us, follow the instructions on the letter.”

In such cases, the IRS will ask you to have your tax return available before starting the verification process. The message also notes that if you already reviewed your identity and tax return information, you may check the status of your refund in two to three weeks.

Or some taxpayers might see a message such as: “We have reviewed your return and any information we may have requested from you and are now processing your return. Any changes to the status of your refund, including any new refund date, will be reflected here when any new update is available.”

There’s an easy way to file an extension

Taxpayers can request more time to file, but they faced interest and penalties if they didn’t pay a sizable amount of what they owed by April 15.

You can file an extension with free software offered through a “Free File” partner at IRS.gov. Filing an extension gives you extra time to e-file the return. If you owe taxes, you must still estimate what you owe and needed to pay it by April 15. You do not need to mail in a Form 4868 if you file a request electronically.

Generally, the IRS cannot extend the due date of your return for more than six months — or what happens to be Oct. 15 this year. “However,” the IRS notes, “there may be an exception if you’re living out of the country.”

Free software offered by a variety of partners is available to many taxpayers who still need to file a return at IRS.gov through the “Free File” program. To qualify, your adjusted gross income must be $79,000 or less.

Michigan taxpayers get June 17 filing deadline because of storms

Michigan taxpayers hit by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding last August still can wait until June 17 to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. The taxpayers who qualify get this extension automatically and do not need to request more time. But you don’t have to wait to file, especially if you’re eager for a refund and all your paperwork is in order.

The tax relief applies to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland and Wayne counties. See the disaster relief page on IRS.gov, which includes deadline extensions in other states, such as Alaska and Connecticut.