California Black Media

Your 2021 Taxes: 7 Things the IRS Wants You to Know

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said the IRS, which is still processing a backlog of about 6 million tax returns from the last two years, is currently hiring. “We want to be reflective of the people we proudly serve,” the Commissioner said, touting the agency’s commitment to diversity. He said the IRS wants to employ people, including those who speak more than one language, who are able to communicate with taxpayers from all backgrounds. For more information, visit USAJobs.Gov.

Published

4 years ago

February 16, 2022

Oakland Post

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig and Ken Corbin, Wage and Investment Division Commissioner and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer at the IRS, stressed the importance of filing via the internet and making sure all information submitted is accurate.

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media

As the 2022 tax season kicks off, the IRS is reaching out to the public, encouraging people to file their taxes online and early. This was the main takeaway from a recent news briefing featuring IRS officers that Ethnic Media Services organized.

During the virtual meeting, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig and Ken Corbin, Wage and Investment Division Commissioner and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer at the IRS, stressed the importance of filing via the internet and making sure all information submitted is accurate. That way, they said, taxpayers can avoid delays and seamlessly receive their returns into their bank accounts by direct deposit.

“It is our intent that filing is as smooth and easy as possible. We want to make certain that consumers are getting all the credits and refunds they are eligible to receive,” said Rettig.

“Paper returns have an inherent delay in processing,” Rettig emphasized.

During the presentation, Rettig and Corbin shared several updates and pointers they said everyone filing taxes this year should know. Here are seven important ones:

The Tax Deadline Filing Deadline This Year Is April 18

Unlike the last two years of the pandemic when the IRS moved the tax filing deadline to July (2020) and May (2021), this year’s deadline to file your taxes is April 18. That is much closer to the April 15 date we all know and have become accustomed to over the years.

You Can File Your Taxes Online for Free

The IRS is providing the option for you to file your taxes online at no cost via the IRS Free File Program. The IRS also provides a service to taxpayers called Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program (VITA).

The program allows taxpayers to get in-person tax filing assistance from certified tax professionals in their community for free. This year, due to the pandemic, some of the VITA professionals are offering virtual tax preparation sessions.

For customer support, Rettig is also discouraging taxpayers from contacting the agency via telephone. He said they should use the website instead. The IRS gets about 1 million calls a day and it only employs about 15,000 people to service the phone lines. The service is mainly for people who don’t have access to broadband or the internet, the Commissioner said.

Mistakes Could Delay Your Return

Corbin said it is important for people to be accurate when filing their taxes. Inaccurate filings mean the IRS has to schedule an employee to contact the filer, which will cause a delay.

“We urge taxpayers to take care, particularly for those who received a third economic impact payment or an Advanced Child Tax Credits in 2021,” he said. “Taxpayers should ensure the amounts they receive are entered correctly on the tax return.”

“This slows down the return process,” Rettig added, explaining that the automated system pushes filings with incorrect figures. “Last year we had 10 million returns that didn’t match.”

To get ahead of the problem this year, the IRS issued letters to taxpayers indicating the total amount received in 2021 by filers that were eligible for Advanced Child Tax Credits. Taxpayers can also create an account at IRS.Gov to verify the amount they received.

Rettig said the IRS still owes people who received the Advanced Child Tax Credits between July and December 2021, but they have to make sure all the information they include in their tax returns is correct. “Know that was only half of the advance tax credit they should receive,” he said. “To receive the other half, they must file a tax return with us.”

More Married Couples and Singles Qualify for Earned Income Credit

This year, Corbin says more families qualify for Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), which is federal tax relief for filers with low to moderate annual incomes.

“Workers with qualifying dependents may be eligible for EITC if their earned income was less than $57,414,” he said. “The maximum EITC for those with no dependents is $1,502. That’s up from over $500 in 2020.”

The annual income requirement to qualify for EITC for taxpayers without dependents is $21,430 for single filers, and $27,380 for those filing joint returns.

“In the past, EITC for those with no dependents was only available to people ages 25 to 64,” he added.

You also don’t need to be under the age of 65 any longer to qualify for EITC without a qualifying dependent, and individuals and families who received investment income up to $10,000 may also qualify.

Homeless and Former Foster Youth Qualify for EITC

Homeless and former foster youth who are at least 18 years old also quality for EITC this year. The minimum age is 19 for most taxpayers and 18 for former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness.

Beware of Scams

Corbin says tax filers should beware of scams.

“The IRS will not call you by phone without a notice in advance. Don’t accept a text, a call, especially if they ask for bank info or to pay with a gift card. That is a scam,” he said. “Those are the things we are seeing this season.”

The IRS Is Hiring

Rettig said the IRS, which is still processing a backlog of about 6 million tax returns from the last two years, is currently hiring. “We want to be reflective of the people we proudly serve,” the Commissioner said, touting the agency’s commitment to diversity. He said the IRS wants to employ people, including those who speak more than one language, who are able to communicate with taxpayers from all backgrounds. For more information, visit USAJobs.Gov.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

California’s Black Women Leaders Talk Politics, Health, Economics and More

Don't Miss

San Francisco Secures Over $200 Million in State Funding for Affordable Housing

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Bo Tefu

Trump’s White House Pushes to Control California Wildfire Recovery

The executive order signed Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump directs federal agencies to explore regulations that could override California and municipal permitting rules for homes and other structures destroyed in the fires. Land-use and rebuilding permits have traditionally been handled by cities and counties, making the move an unprecedented federal intervention into disaster recovery.

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The White House is moving to take control of wildfire recovery efforts in the Los Angeles County area, issuing an executive order that would shift rebuilding permit authority from state and local governments to the federal government following the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told the media when signing the order.

The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed about 16,000 homes, businesses, and other structures across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas. According to local data, roughly 4,700 applications to rebuild have been submitted, with about 2,000 approved so far. Officials say the pace of rebuilding is consistent with recovery timelines from other major wildfires in California, where reconstruction often takes several years.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass quickly condemned the order, stating that it is unnecessary and legally questionable. Disaster recovery experts echoed those concerns, pointing to constitutional limits on federal authority over land-use decisions.

Trump’s order calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration to consider allowing builders to self-certify compliance with health and safety regulations to receive federal approval.

The dispute has become another flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between Trump and Newsom. The governor has requested $33 billion in federal disaster aid that has not yet been approved, while survivors continue to face challenges related to insurance payouts, high rebuilding costs, and legal disputes tied to the cause of the fires.

“Instead of finally sending to Congress the federal relief Los Angeles needs to rebuild from last year’s firestorms, Donald Trump continues to live in fantasy land,” Newsom wrote on X.

Bass said the White House could speed recovery by approving disaster aid and pushing insurers and lenders to support affected residents.

Trump’s order calls for draft regulations within 30 days and final rules within 90 days.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bo Tefu

Gov. Newsom, AG Bonta to Local Law Enforcement: You Have Authority to Investigate Federal Agents

The guidance, released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), emphasizes that local and state police have concurrent jurisdiction in cases involving federal officers and are not required to defer to federal investigations. The bulletin follows recent federal officer-involved shooting deaths in Minnesota and California.

Published

2 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a bulletin Jan. 27 reminding state and local law enforcement agencies that they have the authority to investigate potential violations of state law committed by federal agents, even when federal authorities do not cooperate.

The bulletin states that federal and state law enforcement have long worked together on investigations that can result in both federal and state charges, but recent actions by the federal government have raised concerns about obstruction and a lack of transparency. California officials say those developments require state and local agencies to be prepared to assert their legal authority.

“Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access,” said Newsom. “Transparency isn’t a talking point; it’s a legal and moral requirement.”

Bonta said federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state criminal prosecution and warned against claims suggesting otherwise.

“Let there be no question: State and local law enforcement in California have authority to investigate potential violations of state law, even when those violations are committed by federal agents,” said Bonta. “Federal courts have long recognized that federal agents do not have absolute immunity from state law prosecution.”

The bulletin advises agencies that states have primary authority to investigate and prosecute violations of state criminal law, including cases involving federal officers. It also notes that the California DOJ is available to assist local agencies and can seek court orders to preserve evidence or secure access to crime scenes if needed.

California officials pointed to a Minnesota case in which a Trump-appointed federal judge ordered the federal government not to destroy evidence amid allegations that federal authorities interfered with a state investigation into a fatal shooting involving a federal officer.

The move comes amid broader legal battles between California and the Trump administration over federal law enforcement practices. In recent months, Bonta has led or joined court filings challenging federal deployments and enforcement actions, while Newsom has opposed what state leaders describe as unlawful federal overreach.

The DOJ encouraged Californians to report alleged misconduct by federal agents through its online reporting portal, saying the state stands ready to investigate and, where warranted, pursue charges under the California Penal Code.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Cracking Down on Human Trafficking, California DOJ Announces 120 Arrests

According to the California DOJ, 87 arrests were made for loitering, 25 for solicitation, and eight for pimping and pandering. Officials said the operation focused on reducing demand for commercial sexual exploitation while prioritizing a survivor-centered approach.

Published

3 days ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Jan. 26 that 120 people were arrested during a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement operation aimed at disrupting human trafficking and connecting survivors with support services.

The arrests stem from Operation Stand On Demand, a six-day effort conducted from Jan. 19 through Jan. 24 across San Diego, Sacramento, Tulare, and Fresno counties. It involved more than a dozen state and local law enforcement agencies working together to target individuals involved in sex trafficking, including traffickers and buyers.

“This operation reflects an ongoing commitment by California law enforcement to target those who fuel trafficking and exploitation,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“It’s a coordinated, multi-county law enforcement effort focused on disrupting sex trafficking, holding perpetrators accountable, and connecting survivors with support,” said Bonta.

San Diego County accounted for the majority of enforcement activity during the operation. District Attorney Summer Stephan said law enforcement agencies worked around the clock to identify and arrest individuals attempting to purchase sex.

“Our officers, in less than one week during this operation, took action, not words, by working around the clock and arresting and citing 105 people who thought that they were going to go out and buy a human being like they’re a hamburger or a slice of pizza,” Stephan said.

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez chimed in.

“Communities like Santee and San Marcos, which were part of this operation, face unique vulnerabilities tied to transportation routes, student populations, and employment opportunities,” she said.

Bonta said the arrests are part of broader statewide efforts to combat human trafficking. Since 2021, the Attorney General’s Office said its human trafficking task forces have led to more than 900 arrests and connected more than 1,000 survivors to services and resources.

“Human trafficking is a complex, devastating crime, but when we work together, we can make a real difference, and this operation is proof positive of that fact,” Bonta said.

California DOJ officials said similar operations will continue as part of the state’s ongoing strategy to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable communities.