It’s tax season! The IRS has urged taxpayers to get ready for the upcoming tax filing season. The IRS will begin accepting filings on January 24, 2022. Income tax preparations may look a little different for 2021 due to Economic Impact Payments, Child Tax Credits, and other changes. This year's deadline is April 18, 2022, for most filers.

Guardians and conservators with fiduciary responsibility over their wards must determine whether their wards need to file for 2021. There are a number of resources available to assist with tax return preparations:

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs can offer basic tax return preparations without cost to qualifying individuals.
  • People making less than $58,000 per year
  • People with disabilities; and
  • Limited English-speaking taxpayers
• IRS Free File will begin January 14, 2022, where returns can be prepared and held until the January 24, 2022 filing begin date. Free File allows taxpayers who made $73,000 or less file for free using software provided by commercial tax filing companies.
• Filers should be on the lookout for IRS letters regarding Child Tax Credit payments as well as Economic Impact Payment. The letters contain important information to guide individuals in preparing their 2021 returns.
• The IRS has issued Publication 907 (2021), Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities, which contains important information regarding annual contribution limits for ENABLE, exclusions for employer-provided dependent care, and retirement savings contribution limits, among others.