METRO DETROIT (WXYZ) — If you want your tax refund fast, the IRS says that the formula is simple: file electronically, choose direct deposit, and double-check to avoid mistakes. Of course, not everyone is getting a refund.
I talked with some metro Detroiters to hear their tax-filing strategies and ask a tax preparer about the major changes you need to know before you file.
Watch Alicia's report below
The coffee is hot, and breakfast is served at Kerby's Coney Island in Southfield.
Now that tax season is here, I dropped by to ask diners about their strategy for filing.
“I start out on my own, and then I confirm with my professional tax preparer," said Veronica Haynes of Farmington Hills.
Joshua Owens in Southfield said he hires someone to do his taxes.
“Well, I just like to get it off my books. I don’t have to worry about it. Give it to them. They take care of it," Owens said.
I asked Devon Reed what advice he would give people for filing this year.
“Get your paperwork ready early, and don’t wait until the last minute and stress out over it," Reed replied.
Also, watch out for scammers posing as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in letters, texts or phone calls.
“What is the number one piece of advice you'd give people in order to try to avoid tax fraud?” I asked Roane Gaddy, a tax preparer for H&R Block.
“File early, file early, get ahead of it, because most of the time, people that do obtain your information fraudulently, they will typically file returns early," Gaddy replied
I also asked Roane about what has changed in the tax code for 2025 that every tax filer should know.
"The two biggest are the no tax on overtime and no tax on tips," Gaddy said. ”Hardworking Americans who work in a restaurant, who work overtime, are going to be able to deduct a significant portion of their income in taxes and from their taxable income, I should say.”
In addition to no taxes on overtime or tips, the child tax credit is increasing slightly from $2,000 to $2,200 per child. And there's a new deduction for seniors: $6,000 per individual or $12,000 for a married couple. This deduction phases out taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of $75,000, or $150,000 for joint filers.
And a reminder: there will be no paper checks for refunds.
“The IRS has stated that they want to move to just electronic deposits. They're trying to eliminate paper," Gaddy said.
There may be rare hardship exceptions, but most payments from the IRS will now be made electronically. If your adjusted gross income was $89,000 or less last year, you can have access to IRS Free File, free tax preparation software.
Here are some helpful links:
