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A14 BUSINESS
Tuesday 16 april 2024
It’s Tax Day. And your refund may be big this year

By FATIMA HUSSEIN can ease stress, frustration
Associated Press and make the tax filing pro-
WASHINGTON (AP) — On cess easier and to increase
this Tax Day, refunds are scrutiny on complex filers
looking a bit bigger for tax- where there’s risk of tax
payers. evasion.”
According to the latest IRS “When we do that,” Werfel
statistics, the average in- said, “not only do we make
come tax refund so far this the tax system work bet-
season is $3,011, up $123 ter because it’s easier and
from last year. Two out of more streamlined to meet
three taxpayers expect to your tax obligations. But
receive a refund. also we collect more mon-
The IRS is promoting the ey for the U.S. Treasury and
customer service improve- lower our deficit. The IRS is a
ments the agency rolled good investment.”
out since receiving tens of Major new initiatives in re-
billions in new funding dol- cent months have includ-
lars through Democrats’ ed an aggressive pursuit of
Inflation Reduction Act. high-wealth earners who
Getting refunds out faster don’t pay their full tax ob-
to some people in just over ligations, such as people
a week is part of the pro- who improperly deduct
motion. So far, the IRS has personal flights on corpo-
delivered more than $200 The exterior of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building is seen in Washington, on March 22, 2013. rate jets and those who just
AssociatedPress
billion in refunds through don’t file at all.
early April, and the latest meant to quickly normalize vice they deserve.” 2022. That has saved tax- This also is the first tax sea-
agency numbers show that a more efficient and effec- “It’s clear that we’re seeing payers 1.4 million hours of son that the IRS has rolled
101 million people have tive IRS before congressio- historic improvements in hold time and the agen- out a program called Di-
filed returns this tax season. nal Republicans threaten taxpayer service levels, and cy has answered 3 million rect File, the government’s
From cutting phone wait another round of spending the agency is rebounding more calls compared with free electronic tax return
times to digitizing more cuts to the agency. So time from some very tough and the same time frame. Also, filing system available to
documents and improving is of the essence for both lean years during the past the updated “Where’s My taxpayers in 12 states who
the “Where’s My Refund” taxpayers and the agency. decade,” said IRS Commis- Refund” tool giving more have simple W-2 forms and
tool to show more account “This filing season, the IRS sioner Daniel Werfel. specific information about claim a standard deduc-
details in plain language, has built off past successes For most people, April 15 is taxpayers’ refunds in plain tion. If Direct File is success-
agency leaders are trying and reached new mile- the last day to submit tax language was rolled out to ful and scaled up for the
to bring attention to what’s stones,” Treasury Secretary returns or to file an exten- 31 million views online. general public’s use, the
been done to repair the Janet Yellen said on a Fri- sion. The IRS says call wait Werfel told The Associated program could drastically
image of the IRS as an out- day call with reporters. “It’s times have been cut down Press earlier this year that change how Americans file
dated and maligned tax showing that when it has to three minutes this tax the agency’s agenda is to their taxes and how much
collector. the resources it needs, it will season, compared with deliver “better service for money they spend com-
The promotion also in part is provide taxpayers the ser- the average 28 minutes in all Americans so that we pleting them. q

The pilots union at American Airlines says it’s seeing more safety

and maintenance issues

DALLAS (AP) — The pilots issues at the airline, includ- from major maintenance union “has been tracking “We all understand that
union at American Airlines ing fewer routine aircraft work. The union also says it a significant spike in safety- aviation accidents are the
says there has been “a inspections and shorter test has seen incidents in which and maintenance-related result of a chain of events
significant spike” in safety flights on planes returning tools were left in wheel wells problems in our operation.” often a series of errors and
and items were left in the The union said American catching just one of those
sterile area around planes has increased the time be- errors could prevent a trag-
parked at airport gates. tween routine inspections edy,” the union said in the
A spokesman said Monday on planes. email.
that union officials have It also said American has Dennis Tajer, a pilot and
raised their concerns with ended overnight main- spokesman for the union,
senior managers at the tenance checks unless a said the union wants to be
airline and were encour- plane is written up for spe- involved earlier in the pro-
aged by the company’s cial attention or due for cess of assessing safety risks.
response. scheduled maintenance He said the union spoke re-
American, which is based and now does “abbreviat- cently with senior manage-
in Fort Worth, Texas, did not ed” test flights on planes re- ment, “and management’s
immediately comment on turning to service after ma- initial response to our re-
the matter. jor maintenance checks or quest was encouraging.
The safety committee of long-term storage. We fully intend to do every-
the Allied Pilots Association The union asked its mem- thing we can to assure that
The American Airlines logo is stands atop the American Airlines said in an email to mem- bers to report any safety or American maintains strong
Center, Dec. 19, 2017, in Dallas.
Associated Press bers Saturday that the maintenance problems. margins of safety.”q