As tax season enters its final days, the IRS Commissioner is offering some important reminders for last-minute filers.

“Two out of every three taxpayers who come and file by April 15th are owed a refund,” said Daniel Werfel, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in an interview with Spectrum News. Those who do owe money can file for an extension on the deadline plan on the agency’s website, IRS.gov. “The big reminder for those filing for extension is that while it’s extension for filing, it’s not an extension for a balance due if you owe money,” explained Werfel.

However, he says the law does give the IRS the flexibility to set up installment plans for taxpayers who need them.

What You Need To Know

  • Tax Day is April 15, and taxpayers in most states need to file by April 15 to avoid penalties

  • Thousands have already filed using the IRS's free online tool, Direct File

  • IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel is warning Americans about potential scammers, saying the IRS will reach out to you by letter, not by text or phone call

This tax season saw the introduction of a new tool from the IRS: Direct File. Available in 12 states, Direct File lets Americans who are only claiming simple deductions file for free online.

“Tens of thousands of taxpayers have used it already, and the feedback has been terrific,” said Werfel. In fact, he called this year one of the agency’s best filing seasons ever in terms of customer support. That’s thanks in part to additional staffing made possible by the influx of cash the agency got from 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“We’ve added new people to our phone centers, we’ve added new technology to our website, we’ve opened more walk-in centers,” he said.

That extra funding will also let the agency do more audits. Werfel says the focus of that will be on “high-income, complex” filers. “There’s no new wave of audits coming for mom & pop businesses, for middle- and low-income individuals,” he assured.

Still, Republicans in Congress remain wary and have made several efforts to claw back the agency's funding.

For Americans waiting to hear back about their returns, Werfel warns to watch out for scammers. “Unfortunately, filing seasons is the time when bad actors come out of the woodwork," he said.

Many of the scammers will claim to be an IRS agent and say the filer will face legal consequences unless immediate steps are taken to pay off a debt to the agency. But Werfel says that’s now how it works.

"The IRS does not contact taxpayers out of the blue and make demands for immediate payment. The IRS does not contact taxpayers out of the blue with threats of immediate legal action like bringing in local law enforcement.” If the IRS is trying to contact you, it will be by letter to your home address.

You can learn more about the most common scams on the agency's website.