Tax season already? Some tips for avoiding stress and scams – Daily Press

Tom O’Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals, recommends gathering all of your documents in one place before you start your tax return and also having your documents from last year if your financial situation has drastically changed.Once you create a number, the IRS will require it to file your tax return.Additionally, if you have a business that uses PayPal or Venmo as a service, it must be reported in your tax return.If you can’t see what your tax preparer is working on, get a copy of the tax return and ask questions about each of the entries.

Both Wease and O’Saben recommend keeping copies of your tax return documents for up to seven years.Here’s how to avoid some of the most common ones: Double check your name on your Social Security card.