3 Tips for Filing Taxes Last-Minute

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It's perfectly understandable to procrastinate on filing your taxes. After all, if you've worked at more than one company in the last year, filing could involve multiple W-2 or 1099 forms --and potentially the disagreeable task of dogging former employers for necessary information.

Not to mention that filing taxes can be expensive, with the National Society of Accountants estimating that the average tax professional charged $261 for an itemized Form 1040 and state tax return in 2013. That cost would chip away at the return you're looking to receive in the first place --or add to the sum you'll have to pay.

With the April 15 deadline just a few days away, time is running out for those who have yet to file their taxes. Luckily, there are many online and offline services that can help you submit your return on time. The time and money spent filing are worth the burden when weighed against the prospect of IRS penalties, audits, or worse.

Here are three tips for filing your taxes on time

1. Seek free assistance from organizations like VITA, TCE, and Tax-AideThere are a number of national organizations that provide free tax-filing assistance, including the AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide and the IRS' VITA and TCE programs.

The Tax-Aide program, now in its 47th year, is the largest free tax-assistance service in the United States. Staffed by more than 32,000 trained volunteer tax specialists at more than 7,000 locations nationwide, Tax-Aide helps more than 2 million taxpayers each year. The program is funded by government grants, donations, and the AARP, and it's available Feb. 1 through the last filing day, April 15, to provide assistance to Americans with low to moderate income -- especially seniors.

Additionally, the IRS offers two programs designed to help lower-income families and seniors, respectively.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to those making $52,000 or less annually. Staffed by IRS-certified volunteers, VITA sites are located at community centers, libraries, schools, and shopping malls across the U.S. Volunteers are equipped to provide help with income tax preparation and electronic filing, as well as to inform taxpayers about various credits they might qualify for.

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax services to Americans aged 60 or older, with particular attention given to seniors with pensions and other retirement-related tax issues.

2. File online or with an appIf you've put off filing, your best bet to ensure on-time delivery is to file online or through a mobile app. The IRS is actually encouraging all taxpayers to file electronically this year, as electronically filed returns are much faster to process than paper returns, which means the IRS saves time and you get your refund sooner.

TurboTax, Free File, and TaxACT are three examples of downloadable software that can take the place of an accountant at little to no cost. Depending on your situation, these programs come with various versions that might meet your specific needs.

Furthermore, many brokers offer clients these services at low or no cost. Vanguard, for instance, offers the deluxe and premier versions of TurboTax for free to Flagship Services and Asset Management Services clients. Fidelity and Scottrade offer similar discounts.

Additionally, in recent years, many mobile apps have been developed thateither help you file your taxes or help you manage information leading up to filing season. SnapTax by TurboTax allows you to file on the go from your cellphone or tablet, IRS2Go provides easy status monitoring of your return, and iDonatedIt helps keep track of non-cash charitable donations made throughout the year so all necessary information is collected in one convenient place.

3. Know the rules and keep all required documents on handThe best way to prepare for tax season, and to quicken the process of filing, is to know the rules. For example, if your individual gross income did not exceed $10,150, you're not required to file your taxes at all, although you're welcome to if you expect a return. That threshold is bumped to $11,700 for individual seniors 65 and older and to $20,300 for married couples filing jointly.

For homeowners, proper filing may require a lot of information, such as your property tax bill, any points paid to refinance, payment of the first-time home buyer tax credit, and capital gains. Being familiar with the IRS' rules up front can save you time when you file in April.

Gather up all bank statements, relevant bills, manufacturer certification statements, and income forms before filing your return to make the process as painless as possible.

This article originally appeared on GoBankingRates.com.

The article 3 Tips for Filing Taxes Last-Minute originally appeared on Fool.com.

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