WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - We are now in the home stretch of tax season, with the filing deadline less than a week away, local tax experts are giving final advice and guidance to those of you who still need to get the job done.

There are programs out there for those who need some last-minute assistance. A very important time with the deadline being April 15th. Whether you have been trying to get documents together for days, or if you have not started already, experts at Liberty Tax here in West Springfield said file your taxes ASAP.

When tax season got underway earlier this year, experts, like Ray Maagero, told us in February to file them sooner rather than later, especially while we were dealing with a federal government shutdown.

Maagero also said this season should go smoothly because the IRS filing system is automated. Most importantly, the sooner you file, the quicker you receive your tax refund. As we just mentioned, there are probably some of you watching who may need some last-minute assistance.

The good news is there is help out there. Massachusetts offers free assistance programs.

One is Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, which has free tax preparation services available for low to moderate-income taxpayers. there is also the AARP Foundation’s Tax Aid Program, which provides free tax prep services for qualifying seniors.

There is the IRS Free File Program, allowing taxpayers to prepare and file electronically their tax returns free of charge through fillable forms and commercial tax software. Maagero said these programs can give you a boost, even when it comes to tax questions, “whether it’s overtime and how Massachusetts might treat it or (how) the IRS might treat it, whether it’s no tax on tips, etc., those things can have a significant effect on your outcome.”

At the end of the day, the IRS and tax experts are saying you need to act right now. There are warnings out there about using certain technology to get you in the right direction, as well as penalties for not filing on time.

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