Avoid Identity Theft During Tax Season

Feb 16, 2018

By Andrew Zumwalt

Identity thieves thrive during tax filing season.

Take steps to prevent those electronic criminals from lining their pockets with your refund and personal information, says University of Missouri Extension personal finance specialist Andrew Zumwalt.

First, file taxes promptly. Identity thieves try to file early so your refund goes to them before you file.

Second, use the services of trusted tax professionals. If you choose to prepare your own taxes and use a public computer, log out of any programs and clear the browser history before leaving the computer.

Third, remember that the Internal Revenue Service never makes initial contact with taxpayers by telephone. Impersonators demand credit card payment over the phone and threaten you with legal action if you don’t pay immediately.

Fourth, guard your identity. Don’t carry your Social Security card with you and don’t give your Social Security number to others. Safeguard your personal information in your home. Install trusted virus protection on your computers.

Finally, check your credit report every year to make sure your identity has not been breached. A free credit report from each major credit bureau is available annually at www.AnnualCreditReport.com(opens in new window).

If you think your identity has been stolen, go to www.identitytheft.gov(opens in new window) to contact the Federal Trade Commission and learn how to set up a fraud alert. Also, fill out a Form 14039(opens in new window) Identity Theft Affidavit at www.irs.gov(opens in new window).

Zumwalt cautions people to use the genuine IRS website at .gov. Don’t be confused by Internet domain names that end in .com, .net, .org or other designations.

Source: missouri.edu

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.