Don’t file your taxes just yet, wait for official forms to come in

It's the one time you get a jump start on things.

But, if you try to file your taxes before January 31st, that would be a mistake.

A lot of people are antsy for their tax refunds and will try to take last year's numbers and make adjustments, but that's the wrong thing to do.

Houston dual-licensed as tax attorney and CPA S. Mark Klecka said people will take their last paycheck stub and try to estimate, but if your numbers don't match the IRS numbers, you'll get a letter and notice from them. The infamous CP2000.

"A lot of people want their refunds and they think, 'well, I'll just take the numbers there and get things rolling here because I'm looking for my refund', and so you have to wait," said Klecka.

He said you need to wait for your W2 and other forms like finances, accounts, 1099s and 1098, to come in.

"What you can do right now, today, see what forms you got in 2018, as a starter, sort of like a checklist of all the forms that you got last year, and then you can tick those off as you receive those in the mail," said Klecka.

He said be prepared to call institutions February 1st, if you haven’t received the forms you need to file.