Almost 1 million Americans will have to wait until Feb. 3 to file their tax returns if they claim three popular deductions renewed by Congress in late December, the Internal Revenue Service said.
The tax agency, in a news release, said it will be able after that date to begin processing tax returns that claim deductions for college tuition, state and local taxes, and supplies purchased by teachers for a classroom.
IRS Commissioner Mark Everson advised people claiming the deductions to file electronically to reduce the chance of making an error.
The three provisions are called “extenders” because they were renewed temporarily on Dec. 9, too late for the IRS to change its forms or computers for the start of the tax filing season. The deductions had expired on Dec. 31, 2005, but were renewed for 2006 and 2007.
Last year, about 930,000 tax returns claiming at least one of those deductions were filed with the IRS before Feb. 1, the IRS said. People expecting refunds usually file soon after receiving proper documents from their employers, the agency said.
This year, tax returns claiming any of the three deductions won’t be processed before Feb. 3.
Everson said taxpayers would get refunds more quickly if they file electronic returns.
