With a growing number of fraudsters and scammers looking for victims, it is important for individuals to be able to distinguish legitimate IRS staff from imposters. All taxpayers should understand basic ways to protect themselves from fraudulent text messages, emails, phone contacts or in-person visits.

1. Text Messages — The IRS does not send text messages to individuals with shortened links. Scammers will frequently send text messages that include a bogus link. If you receive an unexpected text, you should NOT click on links or open attachments.
2. Send a Screenshot — If you do receive a suspicious text message, you should send a screenshot of it as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov. For individuals with an iPhone, you can take a screenshot by clicking both the Volume Up and the Power button of your phone at the same time. The screenshot will appear as a thumbnail in the lower left corner of the screen. Click on the screenshot to edit, select Done at the top left and save it to your photos. You may then select the photo of the screenshot, click the lower left button to allow you to choose your email service and send an email to phishing@irs.gov with the screenshot.
3. Email Scams — The IRS does not ask for personal or financial information with an initial contact by email. The standard IRS contact will be through several letters by regular mail. Any suspicious emails should also be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov. For additional instructions, visit the "Report phishing and online scams" page on IRS.gov.
4. Individuals Who Owe Tax — If you owe tax to the IRS, you can expect to receive several letters prior to a phone call. The IRS may follow up the letters with a phone call if you have an overdue tax bill, a delinquent tax return or have failed to make an unemployment tax deposit. The IRS emphasizes it will not demand immediate payment by specific payment methods like debit cards or gift cards or ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. They will also not threaten you with arrest by the local police or demand tax payments without giving you an opportunity to appeal the claim. These strategies all indicate you are talking with a scammer.
5. IRS Agent In-Person Visits — Generally, IRS officers only make visits after you have received several notices by mail. The IRS Revenue Agent may make a visit for the purpose of education, investigation and appropriate enforcement steps. IRS auditors may also mail an initial appointment letter and generally will call and confirm the date prior to a scheduled audit appointment. If you have an in-person visit with an IRS representative, you should always ask for his or her credentials and HSPD-12 card, a government identification card that will display the agent’s photograph.
6. Resolving Tax Issues — On IRS.gov, there are several helpful sections that may assist taxpayers in creating payment plans. You can pay taxes through an Online Account with IRS Direct Pay or by using your debit or credit card. There are individuals who may qualify for a payment plan or an Offer in Compromise. The IRS again emphasizes it will not demand immediate payment, will not ask for credit or debit card numbers, will not threaten to have you arrested by local police and will always offer an opportunity to appeal. You may also be eligible to have an IRS Appeals Officer review your case prior to any further action.

Editor's Note: The fraudsters and scammers continue to become more sophisticated. Many of them build a relationship with the victim through multiple emails or phone calls prior to committing fraud. Individuals should be careful and request further verification if they have multiple contacts with someone who claims to be from the IRS.

It is recommended that all individuals with high blood pressure (130/80 or higher) use a home blood pressure monitor. Monitoring your blood pressure at home can help you track your blood pressure in a comfortable setting. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, it will also ensure that the medication is working and may alert you to a health problem. Here are some important factors to consider when looking for blood pressure monitors.

Best Monitors

The most accurate and user-friendly home blood pressure monitors are automatic upper arm monitors, powered by electricity or batteries. These monitors tend to be more reliable than wrist or fingertip monitors. With an automatic arm monitor, you simply wrap the cuff around your bicep and push a button on the device which will cause the cuff to automatically inflate and then deflate, reporting your blood pressure on the display window in a matter of seconds.

Many automatic monitors come with advanced features such as irregular heartbeat detection to identify arrhythmias and other abnormalities, risk category indicators that tells you whether your blood pressure is in the high range and a data-averaging function for more accurate readings. Additionally, some models may include multiple user memory that allows two or more users to save their readings separately and downloadable memory that transmits data to your smartphone or computer.

You can purchase blood pressure monitors without a prescription at pharmacies, medical supply stores or online. Prices may vary depending on where you purchase the blood pressure monitor.

How to Measure

After you buy your monitor, consider taking it to your doctor’s office so they can check its accuracy and make sure you are using it properly. Here are some additional steps to follow to ensure you get accurate measurements at home.

Be still: Do not exercise, smoke or drink caffeinated drinks or alcohol for at least 30 minutes before measuring your blood pressure. It is also best to empty your bladder and ensure at least five minutes of rest for the most accurate results.

Sit correctly: Sit with your back straight and supported (preferably on a dining chair, rather than a sofa). Your feet should be flat on the floor and your legs should not be crossed. Your arm should be supported on a flat surface (such as a table) with the upper arm at heart level. Ensure the middle of the cuff is placed directly above the bend of the elbow. Refer to your monitor’s instructions for an illustration.

Do not measure over clothing: Put the cuff directly on your skin. Placing it over clothes can raise your systolic (upper) number by up to 40 mmHg.

Measure at the same time: It is important to take your blood pressure at the same time each day, such as in the morning before taking medications or in the evening before dinner.

Take multiple readings: Each time you measure, take at least two readings one to three minutes apart and record the results.

For more information on high blood pressure and how to accurately measure it at home, visit Heart.org/HBP.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

Over half of Americans use a professional tax preparer. The IRS provides a Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with credentials and select qualifications on IRS.gov. Here are some key tips that will help you select a qualified and reputable tax preparer.

1. Tax Preparer Qualifications — All paid tax preparers must have a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). You should expect them to include the PTIN on your tax return. Many also have professional organizational membership or specific education. They should disclose their qualifications to you.
2. Tax Preparer History — Some preparers may have a history with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This record would show any disciplinary action. There may be a record of action by a state board of accountancy for a certified public accountant (CPA) or by a state bar association for attorneys. The IRS Office of Enrollment keeps records on the enrolled agents who prepare taxes.
3. Fees for Service — Reputable tax preparers will generally charge a fee based on their hourly rate or a fixed amount. You should be careful to avoid any tax preparer who charges a fee that is a percentage of your tax refund. The refund also should be deposited directly into your checking account and not into the checking account of the tax preparer.
4. Electronic Filing — If a paid preparer files more than 10 returns, he or she is required to file electronically. The only exception is if you are required to file a paper return. The IRS has processed over 1 billion individual tax returns that have been filed electronically. Most taxpayers are far better off with an electronic tax return. This will reduce the time before you receive a tax refund.
5. Contact Information — Your tax preparer should provide all of their information, including an office address, email address and phone number. If there is any problem with your return, you may need to consult with your tax preparer about your response to the IRS.
6. Records and Receipts — You should expect your tax preparer to ask for all your records and receipts. He or she will need to verify your income, expenses, deductions and other data. Do not file a return with a tax preparer who completes the return before receiving your records and receipts.

The IRS also cautions taxpayers to be careful of "red flags." If any of these red flags are present, you should consider finding a different tax preparer.

1. Blank Return — You should avoid any tax preparer who asks you to sign a blank return. Your return should be fully complete before you sign it.
2. No Taxpayer Review — If your preparer asks you to sign the return without an opportunity to review it, that is a major problem. Taxpayers are legally responsible for the accuracy of income tax returns; you need to read through the return and see that your personal information has been included. If you have questions, the tax preparer should be willing to provide basic explanations about the return.
3. No PTIN on Return – All paid preparers are required by law to include the PTIN on the return. While the preparer signs the return, you are responsible for its accuracy. They should also provide you with a copy of your tax return.

If you are involved with a tax preparer who has one or more of these red flags, you can report the tax preparer to the IRS. Use IRS Form 14157, Complaint: Tax Return Preparer on IRS.gov.

Driving performance should be the determining factor of when to stop driving. With that being said, as your parent’s driving skills deteriorate over time, they might not recognize they may have a problem. For this reason, it is essential to work closely with your parent’s doctor to monitor their driving and help them stop when it is no longer safe for them to drive. Here are some tips that can help.

Watch for Warning Signs

The best way to keep tabs on your parent’s driving abilities is to take frequent rides with them and watch out for warning signs. Warning signs of unsafe driving include the following:

• Do they have trouble remembering routes to familiar places?
• Do they drive at inappropriate speeds, tailgate, drift between lanes or fail to observe traffic signs?
• Do they react slowly or make poor driving decisions?
• Have they had any recent fender benders or tickets?
• Have you noticed any dents or scrapes on their vehicle?

If you need assistance with assessing your parent’s driving abilities, consider hiring a driver rehabilitation specialist. These licensed professionals are qualified and trained to evaluate a driver’s physical, perceptual and cognitive abilities to see if they can drive safely. You can find a specialist in your area by visiting Myaota.aota.org/driver_search or Aded.net.

Transition Tips

If you believe it is still safe for your parent to drive, recommend some simple adjustments to ensure their safety. These can include driving only during daylight hours, sticking to familiar routes, as well as avoiding busy roads and bad weather. You may also encourage your parent to sign a “driving contract” that designates someone to inform them when it is no longer safe to drive. Go to Alz.org/driving and click on “Download.” Once the PDF file is downloaded to your computer, you can print it out to have your parent sign it.

You may also want to consider getting a GPS tracking device to help monitor your parent’s driving. These devices allow you to track their location and let you set up zones and speed limits. You will receive alerts to your smartphone if they exit a designated area, drive too fast or brake harshly.

Time to Quit

When your parent can no longer drive safely, it will be important to have a conversation with them. It is best to start having these conversations before they need to quit driving so your parent can prepare themselves. You also should have a plan for alternative transportation (including a list of family, friends and local transportation options) that will help them get around once they stop driving.

Refuses to Quit

If your parent refuses to stop driving, you have several options. First, suggest a visit to their doctor for a medical evaluation, and prescribe that they stop driving. Older people will sometimes listen to their doctor more readily than to their family members.

You should also consider contacting your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for help. Some states automatically revoke a license when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, while many others require retaking a driving test. 

If these attempts fail, consider selling your parent’s car or moving it to another location where your parent will not have access to the vehicle. In addition, it is important to ensure your parent cannot access any other vehicles so be mindful of where car keys are left when family members, friends or medical staff visit your parent.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

1. Gather Important Tax Paperwork — Taxpayers should have a list of common items needed for filing tax returns. These include Social Security numbers (SSNs) for the individuals on the tax return, your bank account and routing numbers, tax forms such as a W-2s, 1099s, 1098s and digital asset sale records. You should keep IRS Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement as well as any letters sent to you by the IRS.

2. Report All Income — Taxpayers are reminded that all income from any category is taxable. This could include income from goods that you created and sold online, investment income, part-time income, self-employment or business income and funds received for services through mobile apps.

3. Avoid Paper Returns — The best and safest way to file is with an electronic return or tax software. The software checks your math and guides you through each section of the return. After you have completed your data entry, a powerful benefit of tax preparation software is that it conducts hundreds of checks on your entries to ensure you have a correct return. If you file a paper tax return, your refund may be significantly delayed and the potential for filing errors increases dramatically.

4. IRS Free Resources — There are multiple resources to assist taxpayers. The IRS Free File program offers commercial software at no cost to individuals with income in 2024 of $84,000 or less. There are 25 states that participate this year in the Direct File program on IRS.gov. The web-based service is free for individuals with simple tax returns and guides you through the filing process with a series of questions and enables you to use your state’s tools to complete your state tax return. If your income is over $84,000, you can use the IRS Free File Fillable Forms. Most taxpayers with incomes of $67,000 or less, with a disability or limited English capabilities, or those age 60 and over, can benefit from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. Military members may use the MilTax program.

5. Tax Filing Options — There are multiple methods for tax filing. Last year, over 54% of taxpayers used the services of a tax return preparer. The IRS maintains the Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications on IRS.gov. Many individuals will use commercial software, the IRS Free File system or the IRS Direct File system. Only a small percentage of individuals are expected to prepare their own taxes without outside assistance.

6. Online Resources — Taxpayers can use multiple resources on IRS.gov. The most popular resources are the Interactive Tax Assistant and the “Let us Help you” webpage.

As we get older and our financial lives become more complicated, it can be challenging to know how long to keep financial records and paperwork and when it is safe to dispose of them. Some documents will need to be kept for your lifetime while others can be discarded after just one month. Here is a checklist that can help you determine what to save and what you can throw away.

Keep One Month

• ATM receipts and bank deposit slips can be thrown out as soon as you match them up with your monthly bank statement.
• Sales receipts can be tossed after you get your bank or credit card statement. However, keep these longer if you plan to return the item or need proof of purchase for a warranty.
• Credit card statements can be discarded once you review your statement unless there are tax-related expenses on them.
• Utility bills should be saved until the following month’s bill arrives showing that your prior payment was received. If you track utility usage over time, keep your bills for one to two years. If you claim a home office deduction, keep these bills for three years.

To avoid identity theft, be sure to shred anything you throw away that contains your personal or financial information.

Keep One Year

• Paycheck stubs until you receive your Form W-2 in January to check its accuracy.
• Bank statements (savings and checking account) to confirm your Form 1099s.
• Brokerage, 401(k), IRA and other investment statements until you get your annual summary (keep longer for tax purposes if they show a gain or loss).
• Receipts for health care bills in case you qualify for a medical deduction.

Keep Three to Seven Years

• Keep supporting documents for your taxes, including W-2s, 1099s, and receipts or canceled checks that substantiate deductions. The IRS has a period of three years to conduct an audit after you file a tax return. However, that period may be extended to six years if the IRS suspects you substantially underreported income. Keep documentation for seven years if you claim a loss from worthless securities or a bad debt deduction. If a tax return was not filed or a fraudulent return was submitted, the IRS has an indefinite period to pursue collection.

Keep Indefinitely

• Tax returns with proof of filing and payment. You do not have to keep them forever, but many people do since they provide a record of their financial history.
• IRS forms that you filed when making nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA or a Roth conversion.
• Retirement and brokerage account annual statements.
• Defined-benefit pension plan documents.
• Savings bonds until redeemed.
• Loan documents until the loan is paid off.
• Vehicle titles and registration information if you still own the car, boat, truck or other vehicle.
• Insurance policies.
• Warranties or receipts for big-ticket purchases to support any warranty and insurance claims.

In addition to the above list, personal and family records like birth certificates, marriage license, divorce papers, Social Security cards, military discharge papers and estate planning documents including powers of attorney, wills, trusts and advanced directives. Store these important documents in a fireproof safe or in a safe deposit box.

Digitize Your Documents

To reduce your paper clutter, consider digitizing your documents by scanning them and converting them into PDF files so you can store them on your computer and back them up on a cloud storage service. You can also reduce your future paper load by switching to electronic statements and records whenever possible.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published an updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) fact sheet on energy-efficient home improvement credits. The two credits available are the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and the Residential Clean Energy Property Credit.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit encourages homeowners to make qualified energy efficient improvements. Qualified improvements include exterior doors, exterior windows and skylights, and insulation or air sealing materials. Exterior doors can qualify for a credit of $250 per door up to a total of $500 when more than one is installed. New windows and skylights qualify for 30% of costs up to $600. Insulation or air sealing materials are qualified for a credit of 30% of costs up to $1,200.

The total credit is generally limited to $1,200 for a tax year, with some items qualifying for an additional $2,000 credit. The $1,200 could also include a home energy audit with a value of up to $150.

The additional $2,000 credit is for electric or natural gas heat pump water heaters, heat pumps or biomass stoves or boilers. If a taxpayer qualifies for both the $1,200 credit and the $2,000 credit, the total Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit could reach $3,200.

There are specific requirements for most of the credit items. Doors and skylights must meet Energy Star most efficient certification requirements. For the $2,000 credit, electric or natural gas heat pump water heaters, heat pumps or other such items must meet the highest efficiency level established by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE).

The taxpayer must install the energy efficient property in a home that is the taxpayer’s principal residence in the United States. The installation may also be claimed for improvements made if the owner is a tenant-stockholder in a cooperative housing corporation or a condominium where the taxpayer holds a proportionate share as specified by the management association. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit is not refundable and may not be carried forward.

A new requirement in 2025 is that the items must be produced by a qualified manufacturer and there must be a product identification number (PIN). The PIN is provided by the manufacturer and must be included on the tax return. The PIN is a 17-character number assigned by the qualified manufacturer.

Taxpayers should keep records "sufficient to establish the amount of the credit on their tax returns."

The Residential Clean Energy Property Credit is a 30% credit for the installation of qualifying energy efficient property, with no lifetime credit limit. This may include solar panels, solar water heaters, qualified fuel cells, small wind energy units, geothermal heat pumps or battery storage.

U.S. homeowners that install these various energy production and storage items will qualify for a 30% credit. The geothermal heat pump must qualify under the Energy Star program. A qualified battery storage property must have a capacity of 3 kilowatt-hours or greater.

The Residential Clean Energy Property Credit may reduce the taxpayer’s tax liability and may be carried forward to future years. It is a non-refundable personal tax credit. The taxpayer may use IRS Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits to claim the credit for 2025.

Editor's Note: It is expected that there will be a comprehensive tax bill in 2025. Some of these energy credits may be modified or changed after January 1, 2026. Many homeowners will decide to take advantage of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit or the Residential Clean Energy Property Credit in 2025.