IRS2Go - Tax filing convenience & updates

Manage your tax-related tasks with ease using the newly updated version of IRS2Go. From checking your refund status to making payments, finding tax assistance, subscribing to tax tips, and staying updated on IRS news, this official Internal Revenue Service app has got you covered.

Install IRS2Go today to access these features anytime, anywhere.

IRS2Go - your go-to app for all things IRS.

While installing IRS2Go, you might encounter a list of Android permissions that the app seeks. 

Features of the IRS2Go App

The IRS2Go app has many features that will allow you to interact with most actions you would take with the IRS. From checking on your refund status to getting free tax help, the app is designed to make all of your direct tax activities with the IRS easier. Here are the four main features that you can do with the IRS2Go app:

1. Make Tax Payments

If you owe the IRS money, you can use the IRS2Go app to pay your tax bill. The IRS Direct Pay system takes your payment directly from your savings or checking account and immediately lets you know when it has been submitted. Plus, it’s free to use.

If you’d prefer to make a debit or credit card payment, you can do that through the IRS2Go app as well. Your payment processor will charge you a fee, but in some cases, it may be tax deductible.

When you’re ready to make a payment, you can push the app’s “Payments” button. If you want to learn about other payment options (like paying in monthly installments or trying to pay less than the amount you owe), the app provides a link to that information.

2. Check Your Refund Status

Anxious to get your tax refund? You can find out the status of your federal tax refund by pushing the “Refund Status” button within the app. To find out whether your refund is on its way, you’ll need to enter your Social Security number, your tax filing status and your anticipated refund amount.

The IRS says that it sends out most tax refunds in less than 21 days. If you’ve e-filed your tax return, you can check your refund status within 24 hours. If you’ve filed a paper tax return, however, you may not find out where your refund is for about four weeks.

Keep in mind that there’s more than one way to check the status of your tax refund. The IRS offers a Where’s My Refund? tool online. If you haven’t received your refund 21 days after filing electronically or more than six weeks after filing a paper return, you may need to contact the IRS by phone.

3. Get Free Tax Help

If you’re disabled, you speak limited English or you make less than $60,000 in tax year 2023 (which you will file in 2024), you may qualify for free tax assistance through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Folks who have been authorized by the IRS to assist taxpayers can help you complete your tax return electronically and answer basic tax questions. The IRS also offers a special program for elderly Americans (age 60 and above) who can’t file taxes on their own.

VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites are located in schools, community centers, shopping malls and other places across the country. You can use the IRS2Go app to find one near you. If you don’t qualify for VITA or TCE, you may find a local self-preparation site that lets certain individuals file their taxes for free with the help of an IRS-certified volunteer.

4. Generate Security Codes

The last important feature of functionality in the app is the ability to generate security codes. The app allows you to generate security codes you may need when trying to log in to certain IRS online services via the IRS.gov website. This would be instead of using text messages to receive security codes, which may come in handy if you change phone numbers or if you have another issue.

Tips for Filing Your Taxes

- A financial advisor can help you optimize a financial plan to minimize your income taxes and reach other financial goals. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

- If you don’t know whether you’re better off with the standard deduction versus itemizing your deduction, you might want to read up on it and do some math. You could save a significant amount of money by educating yourself before the tax return deadline.

- Figure out whether you’ll be getting a refund or will owe the government money so you can plan your household budget accordingly. SmartAsset’s Tax Return Calculator can help you figure this out.

Top Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Is there an age limit on claiming my child as a dependent?

Answer:

To claim your child as your dependent, your child must meet either the qualifying child test or the qualifying relative test:

   - To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.

   - There's no age limit if your child is "permanently and totally disabled" or meets the qualifying relative test.

In addition to meeting the qualifying child or qualifying relative test, you can claim that person as a dependent only if these three tests are met:

   - Dependent taxpayer test

   - Citizen or resident test, and

   - Joint return test

2. Can I file an amended Form 1040-X electronically?

Answer:

You can file Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return electronically with tax filing software to amend your Form 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR, or 1040-SS/PR for the current or two prior tax periods. If amending a prior year return originally filed on paper, then the amended return must also be filed on paper. See Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, frequently asked questions for more information. You still have the option to file a paper version of the Form 1040-X and should follow the instructions for preparing and filing the paper form.

3. What if I entered the correct account and routing numbers, but the IRS made an error in depositing my refund?

Answer:

Contact an IRS customer service representative to correct any agency errors by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation). Unfortunately, this may result in you receiving a paper check.

4. I'm a minister and receive a salary plus a housing allowance. Is the housing allowance considered income and where do I report it?

Answer:

A minister's housing allowance (sometimes called a parsonage allowance or a rental allowance) is excludable from gross income for income tax purposes but not for self-employment tax purposes.

If you receive as part of your salary (for services as a minister) an amount officially designated (in advance of payment) as a housing allowance, and the amount isn’t more than reasonable pay for your services, you can exclude from gross income the lesser of the following amounts:

   - the amount officially designated (in advance of payment) as a housing allowance;

   - the amount actually used to provide or rent a home; or

   - the fair market rental value of the home (including furnishings, utilities, garage, etc.).

The payments officially designated as a housing allowance must be used in the year received.

Include any amount of the allowance that you can't exclude as wages on line 1h of Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return or Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors. Enter “Excess allowance” and the amount on the dotted line next to line 1h.

If your congregation furnishes housing in kind as pay for your services as a minister instead of a housing allowance, you may exclude the fair market rental value of the housing from income, but you must include the fair market rental value of the housing in net earnings from self-employment for self-employment tax purposes.

For more information on a minister’s housing allowance, refer to Publication 517, Social Security and Other Information for Members of the Clergy and Religious Workers.

For information on earnings for clergy and reporting of self-employment tax, refer to Tax Topic 417, Earnings for Clergy.

In order to clarify the reasons behind requesting specific permissions, we present a detailed explanation below:

"Location – Accesses the device’s location."

By utilizing this permission, the app enables users to locate nearby Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) centers that provide free tax aid to eligible taxpayers.

"Phone – Utilizes either phone functionality or call log details."

This permission allows users to place calls to the IRS or VITA/TCE offices directly through the app.

"Photos/Media/Files – Accesses device files like images, videos, and audio, including external storage."

For the Free Tax Help feature's mapping service, these permissions are necessary to save map data and images onto the device's storage. This process ensures that the app does not repeatedly download the same map data, enhancing efficiency.