By Diandra Thompson 

Updated for 2019 

It’s that time of year again! Tax season is upon us, and United Way of Northeast Florida’s RealSense team is ready to make sure your tax season goes smoothly.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), more than 140 million tax refunds are expected to be filed in 2018. The official start date to file is Monday, Jan. 29, and it’s best to file as early as possible.

Here are five important reasons to file your taxes early:

1. The earlier you file, the quicker you get your return.

   On average, a person who files early waits no longer than 21 days to receive their refund. With the number of people expected to file returns this year, as you can imagine, the longer you to wait to file your taxes, the more days you’ll to wait for your return.

2. Avoid the possibility of becoming a victim of identity theft.

   Identity theft scammers are highly active during tax season. The earlier you file, the less likely someone else could file a return under your identity.

3. Receive financial information early.

   The application for federal student aid requires the household income to determine how much financial aid you receive. If you have students in college or are a college student yourself, the earlier you file for student aid, the better your chances of having a more accurate and hefty financial aid package.

4. Filing early gives you time to repay the IRS.

   If you have a balance with the IRS, filing early allows more time to repay before deadlines.

5. Avoid deadline madness.

   This year, the IRS extended the national deadline to file for your tax return to April 17; this is just two days away from the original deadline April 15.

You can avoid the headache and hassle of those who file their taxes last minute by filing your taxes for FREE with United Way RealSense. Starting Jan. 29, seek the help of a trained volunteer at one of more than 70 RealSense tax preparation sites across Northeast Florida. You can also file your taxes online at myfreetaxes.com. For more information on how United Way can assist you this tax season, visit unitedwaynefl.org/realsense/free-tax-filing.