REMINDER: Employers and small businesses have a new deadline, January 31, 2017, for filing Forms W-2. The acceleration of this deadline is the result of a new federal law aimed at helping the IRS detect and prevent refund fraud. For similar reasons, the new law also requires the IRS to hold refunds involving two key refundable tax credits until at least February 15, 2017. The January 31 deadline of past years for employers furnishing copies of Forms W-2 to their employees remains the same.
Federal Tax Refunds May Be Delayed In 2017
Earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service announced it is beginning protocols for processing tax returns using the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). The IRS is sharing this information to help taxpayers, tax preparers, and other tax professionals prepare for the opening weeks of the 2017 filing season. The IRS is attempting to ensure taxpayers receive a correct and accurate refund.
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act) was enacted in December of 2015, which made several changes to the tax law affecting taxpayers with families. This change begins Jan. 1, 2017, and therefore may affect some returns filed early in 2017.