Are you an early tax filer or do you wait until the last minute, or even request an extension? I tend to be an early filer and last minute payer. We usually owe the IRS a little bit at the end of the year so I like to prepare and file the return early so there are no surprises and then hang on to my money until the last day or two before the deadline. But I know for many of you you’re expecting a refund. Obviously, getting your hands on that refund as early as possible is a good idea. You can take it out of Uncle Sam’s hands and put it to work yourself.
According to a recent survey by Intuit, the makers of TurboTax, they report that that 82 percent of taxpayers who filed before the end of February got money back. In fact, 40 percent of all tax returns last year were filed before the end of February. Not only do most early filers get a refund, their average refund is typically larger: $2,869 compared to $2,753 for returns filed through April 15, according to the IRS That’s a lot of early returns and a lot of people getting a refund.
So, who are these early filers? Well, the folks over at the TurboTax Blog have put together a nice infographic to illustrate the breakdown of these early filers. You can see where you fit in. And if you think that’s interesting, scroll down to the bottom of the page to enter my TurboTax Giveaway. I’ll be giving away two copies of TurboTax Premier Online, with both a federal and state filing.
TurboTax Giveaway
As I mentioned above, I’m giving away two copies of TurboTax Premier Online, which includes federal and state filing. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below related to taxes. Share with us whether you plan on filing early or late, if you expect a refund or owe money, or just tell everyone how much you hate paying taxes. Leave your comment before 9 pm Wednesday, February 17th and then I’ll randomly select two comments as winners. Make sure you use a valid email with your comment so that I can contact you if you win and have the activation code sent to you. Contest is only valid for U.S. residents. Thanks, and good luck!
Author: Jeremy Vohwinkle
My name is Jeremy Vohwinkle, and I’ve spent a number of years working in the finance industry providing financial advice to regular investors and those participating in employer-sponsored retirement plans.
