This article describes what a mess tax time will be this year for anyone who files on paper since the IRS work force has lost more than a quarter of its workforce, is on its seventh leader in a little over a year and is implementing complex changes from last year’s tax law.
Get an IRS online account. I use mine to pay estimated tax. Also to get records of past years of tax.
Get an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). That helps deter identity theft and fraudsters claiming your tax refund. https://www.irs.gov/dmaf/form/f15227
I would not be in a hurry to file even with Turbo-Tax. It is likely to be updated numerous times during the tax season. I have started my taxes and both times I have opened Turbo Tax after the initial install, it has run a required update. No one wants to have to do an amended return because of a software update - and you are likely to never know since there would be no reason to re-open the software after you have already filed.
I’m already using the current version of Turbo-Tax and, as you said, it does an update almost every time I start it up. I could file right now but will probably wait until early March.
If you are expecting a refund get an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) which will protect you even if you wait to file until April 14.
Wendy