OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Don't look now but the date to turn in your tax forms is days away.
The Iowa Department of Revenue says about 75 percent of Iowa taxpayers file electronically. If you file online, refunds should appear within two weeks. For those who use mail refunds could take within at least four weeks.
First-time homebuyers who benefit from the tax credit should know there is a way to benefit fully from it.
"It is a credit of 10%,” tax advisor Joan Simpson said. “We find that it's better to use it as an amended return and then it's mailed in, rather than trying to file it with their original federal return. That works better."
First-time homebuyers aren’t the only ones who can benefit from owning a home.
"One of the things that homeowners can do, if they aren't itemizing deductions, they can use their real estate tax as a deduction added to their standard deduction, which is a benefit."
If you’ve recently purchased a new vehicle as well there might be a tax credit as well.
“Another thing that is a benefit this year is if you purchased a new car after February 17. The sales tax that's paid on that can be part of a credit for you."
Taxes are due April 15.