4 Steps to Getting Your Fastest Possible Refund

That sweet tax refund is so close, you can almost taste it. While that money may be your ticket to a vacation, help pay off student loans, or just go in a rainy-day fund, it's nice to have in your pocket.

Whatever your tax refund means to you, we want to help you get it as soon as possible. Here are four ways to do just that.

E-file your tax return

It's no accident that more and more people are e-filing their taxes each year. Not only is it the safest way to do your taxes, since everything is encrypted and delivered straight to the IRS, but it's the fastest way to get your refund.

When you file online with 1040.com, we get all the information needed to e-file your tax return without making you spend hours on your phone, tablet or computer. Of course, that means you’ll get your refund sooner too.

File your taxes before the IRS opens

We've talked about filing before the IRS starts processing returns before, and it's one of the easiest ways to hurry your refund along.

The IRS won’t start processing tax returns until January 29 this year, but you can still go ahead and file with 1040.com and put your return in queue. Your info will be ready to go, making your refund that much closer to your bank account.

Fill in your tax return as your paperwork comes in

Sometimes your tax info doesn't come in the mail or online all in the same day, so your immediate reaction may be to wait until you have all your tax documents before sitting down to file. But with 1040.com, you can enter your information from each W-2, 1099-MISC, 1098-T, or any other forms as they come in.

As soon as you fill out the last bit of info, you’ll be ready to finish and e-file.

Get paid with direct deposit

After sending your return to the IRS, waiting for it to get processed, and doing your victory dance once it's approved, why wait for a check to come in the mail?

You can choose to have the IRS issue your refund directly into a bank account. Just select the direct deposit option when you file with 1040.com and make sure you have your account number and routing number on hand.

A quick note on the EITC and the ACTC

Everything we've covered can help you get your refund sooner, but some tax credits may delay your refund due to legislation called the Path Act of 2015.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are refundable credits, and they’re particularly targeted for tax refund fraud. The Path Act requires the IRS to hold refunds until mid-February for anyone who claims either of these credits—the additional time is spent doing thorough checks to make sure the right taxpayers are claiming the right amount of credit.

Now that you know the drill, it's time to get started filing your taxes with 1040.com! We can't wait to serve you this year. Let us know if you have any questions about getting your tax refund the fastest possible way in the comments below!