If you get an email claiming to be from the IRS with an attached tax return transcript file, delete it.

A new twist on an old taxpayer scam

Scammers have come up with a new way to steal personal and financial information from non-resident aliens and international taxpayers.

Calling the IRS? Let the agency know who you are

If you need to call the IRS this tax season, be aware that you'll be asked to verify your identity. This is part of the IRS's continuing effort to keep taxpayer data secure. You can help your phone call go smoothly by having the following information handy when you dial:

The Internet has put virtually unlimited information at our fingertips. And yet, much of the information about our government and tax system available online often reflects the bias of one group or another. If only there was a way to see important data uncolored by spin, gossip or a partisan bent.

Just the facts

Enter USAFacts.org, a website launched in April that makes a wide variety of data about life – and taxes – in the United States easily available. It centralizes and organizes publicly available statistics about population, finance, and the economy from dozens of government bodies, such as the Agriculture, Treasury and Justice departments. It’s a nonprofit site whose goal is to present the data without a political agenda or commercial motive.

Most taxpayers receive at least one 1099 each year. Virtually every small business, including sole-proprietors, must issue at least one 1099 each year. Here is a summary of the most common of these informational tax forms that you will need to file your tax return this year.