Though the deadline for filing taxes this year changed dramatically, one thing about the process hasn’t changed at all: Tax season is a prime opportunity for scammers and identity thieves to steal your information. A great deal of sensitive data is necessary to file your taxes, from your financial data to your personal identifying information, like your Social Security number. So, how can you protect your identity while filing your taxes? Keep reading for some tips.

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, taxes were probably the very last thing on your mind. Many Americans were trying to adapt to working from home, or were losing their jobs altogether. Small-business owners were fighting to keep their business operational even as they had to close their doors, and citizens across the country were struggling more than ever to make ends meet. In addition to providing stimulus checks to ease financial burdens, the federal government also elected to extend their tax deadline to July 15th this year. That date is right around the corner, so here’s what you need to know about this new tax deadline.

The stimulus checks sent out as part of the CARES Act were the biggest headliner that came out of the $2 trillion piece of legislation. Giving $1,200 to each adult, plus $500 for each dependent child, was a relief to many citizens who are suffering financially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, due to certain wording in the way these checks were distributed, there has been a great deal of confusion over whether these checks really were a free check from the government, or if you’re expected to pay them back down the line. We hope we can answer all your questions in this regard here.