Tax Season Begins Today

Tuesday marks the first official day of tax season. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is expecting to receive more than 150-million tax returns this year, so you might want to start early.

More than 70-percent of taxpayers could get a refund, so it's time to gather your documents and plan your filing method.

As tax season begins, it's important to know that there are many ways to file your return. Also, be sure you trust your method, to prevent identity theft and tax fraud.

The IRS made several changes to protect taxpayers this year, some of those security improvements could make for a long wait after you file.

Officials still expect to process nine out of 10 federal refunds within 21 days. States have their own processing time frames.

If you make less than $62,000 a year, consider filing your taxes through the IRS Free-file program. The program offers free tax preparation software to help walk you through the process.

If you make more than $62,000 per year, the IRS offers free fillable forms online.

If you don't feel comfortable filing taxes on your own, find a trusted advisor or tax consultant to help you.

Taxpayers will also need to provide proof of health coverage. If you purchased health insurance through the online marketplace, you will receive forms from the marketplace to help with your tax return.