The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the nation’s tax season will begin Monday, Jan. 23, 2017 and reminded taxpayers claiming certain tax credits to expect a longer wait for refunds.

The IRS will begin accepting electronic tax returns that day, with more than 153 million individual tax returns expected to be filed in 2017. The IRS again expects more than four out of five tax returns will be prepared electronically using tax return preparation software.

Many software companies and tax professionals will be accepting tax returns before Jan. 23 and then will submit the returns when IRS systems open. The IRS will begin processing paper tax returns at the same time. There is no advantage to filing tax returns on paper in early January instead of waiting for the IRS to begin accepting e-filed returns.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that a new law requires the IRS to hold refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until Feb. 15. In addition, the IRS wants taxpayers to be aware it will take several days for these refunds to be released and processed through financial institutions. Factoring in weekends and the President’s Day holiday, the IRS cautions that many affected taxpayers may not have actual access to their refunds until the week of Feb. 27.

“For this tax season, it’s more important than ever for taxpayers to plan ahead,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. “People should make sure they have their year-end tax statements in hand, and we encourage people to file as they normally would, including those claiming the credits affected by the refund delay. Even with these significant changes, IRS employees and the entire tax community will be working hard to make this a smooth filing season for taxpayers.”

The IRS also reminds taxpayers that they should keep copies of their prior-year tax returns for at least three years. Taxpayers who are changing tax software products this filing season will need their adjusted gross income from their 2015 tax return in order to file electronically. The Electronic Filing Pin is no longer an option. Taxpayers can visit IRS.Gov/GetReady for more tips on preparing to file their 2016 tax return.

The filing deadline to submit 2016 tax returns is Tuesday, April 18, 2017, rather than the traditional April 15 date. In 2017, April 15 falls on a Saturday, and this would usually move the filing deadline to the following Monday – April 17. However, Emancipation Day – a legal holiday in the District of Columbia – will be observed on that Monday, which pushes the nation’s filing deadline to Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Under the tax law, legal holidays in the District of Columbia affect the filing deadline across the nation.

Car enthusiasts of the 1970’s now have one additional reason to cheer for the New Year. Effective January 1, owners of cars from the 1970’s are now able to use their California blue and gold vintage license plates on era-appropriate vehicles.

“We Americans take great pride in our cars,” said Senator Jim Nielsen, who pushed for the passage of the law. “We associate fond memories of our families and our younger years with our cars. This law will hopefully add a bit of happiness to those who own and treasure cars from the 70’s.”

Specifically, this bill allows vehicle owners to dust off existing vintage plates in their garages (or be gifted plates from family or friends, or buy one from an estate sale), and register it with the Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV will not be required to produce blue and gold license plates.

The license plate must be legible and serviceable as determined by DMV. It also must be on a vehicle of the coinciding era.

Supported by the Association of California Car Clubs, Capital City Cruisers Car Club, El Dorado Early Ford V8 Car Club and Specialty Equipment Market Association, voluntary participation in this program requires a $45 application fee and an additional $10 fee for annual renewals.

Two thousand mattresses on average have been recycled monthly since the free mattress drop-off program was launched in Sacramento County last December by the Department of Waste Management and Recycling. That’s literally 24,000 fewer discarded mattresses stacking up in our landfill and has the added benefit of reducing illegal dumping. These recycled mattresses and box springs instead have been recycled for the production of new items, such as appliances, building and industrial materials, and textiles.

The County’s Mattress Recycling Program, in coordination with Bye Bye Mattress through the Mattress Recycling Council, allows individuals to drop off unwanted mattresses and box spring foundations for free at the County’s North Area Recovery Station and Kiefer Landfill. These mattresses are sorted and loaded into trailers to be picked up by a dedicated mattress recycler.

If you are replacing a mattress and getting a new one, California applies a small disposal fee to every mattress purchase to cover the cost of recycling those old units. If your new mattress units are being delivered, be sure to have the retailer pick up the old ones at the same time at no additional cost.

“The free mattress drop-off program has been a great success for Sacramento County. With the average weight of mattresses at roughly 50 lbs., that’s well over 1 million pounds of diverted material from the landfill to this point. Plus, they don’t settle like other materials, which makes mattress recycling the best scenario for both the environment and for landfill management,” said Doug Kobold, County Department of Waste Management & Recycling Program Manager and Co-Chair of the California Mattress Recycling Organization Advisory Committee.

If you don’t have a vehicle that can transport a bulky item like a mattress, that’s okay. Sacramento County Waste Management and Recycling residential customers can have five cubic yards of bulky items picked up at no additional cost once a year, and each additional pickup is $25. To schedule a pickup, go online to make a Bulky Waste Collection Appointment, or dial 916-875-5555.

A 2013 Rio Linda High School Graduate and Sacramento, California native recently returned to the United States from an overseas deployment with the largest amphibious warship in the Navy.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Alec Schrader, is a cryptologic technician (collection) serving aboard USS Boxer (LHD-4), based in San Diego, California.

As a cryptologic technician, Schrader is responsible for gathering intelligence from the areas around the ship to ensure the safety of the ship and crew.

“My job is the best because it allows me to gain a wide variety of skills,” said Schrader. “This will definitely set me up for success throughout my career.”

“The USS Boxer is an amphibious assault ship that resembles a small aircraft carrier. When deployed overseas, it is designated as the flagship of Combined Task Force 151, the international anti-piracy task force pursuing pirates off the coast of Somalia.”

Boxer is famous for playing a critical role in the rescue mission of Capt. Richard Phillips on April 12, 2009. U.S. Navy SEALS and other special operations forces from USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) rescued Phillips who was later transferred to Boxer for medical evaluation and care. This successful rescue mission was portrayed in the 2103 movie, “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, and featuring crewmembers from the USS Boxer.

The ship is armed with two semi-active radar-guided NATO Sea Sparrow missile systems (NSSMS) for anti-air warfare protection, two rolling airframe missile (RAM) systems and two Phalanx close-in weapon-system (CIWS) mounts to counter threats from low-flying aircraft and close-in small craft. It’s 844 feet long 106 feet wide, displaces more than 40,000 tons, and reaches speeds in excess of 23 miles per hour.

As a member of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship, Schrader said he is proud to be part of most capable amphibious force in the world.

“The friendships that I have made serving on this ship is incomparable to anything I have experienced,” said Schrader. “Being deployed with these people really builds a bond and memories that will last a lifetime.”

Sailors’ jobs are highly varied at sea, according to Navy officials. More than 1,000 crewmembers keep the ship running smoothly, which includes everything from maintaining engines, handling weapons, and flying aircraft.

Serving in the Navy, Schrader is learning about being a more responsible leader, and sailor through handling numerous responsibilities. The recent deployment offered the opportunity to experience cultures from around the world.

“I’ve become more responsible from serving in the Navy and being deployed,” said Schrader. “I’ve realized that I can handle a lot more than I thought I could and I've been able to push myself past my limits I never thought was possible, while showing resilience along the way.”