While lots of people consider the first of the year to be the only time to make resolutions, now is an excellent time to change your wicked ways when it comes to taxes. You can set new habits now and carry them out all year long to save money and be happier, without fear of tax time, and with increased protection from online identity theft.

The Equifax Finance Blog shares important information about how to make positive habits in the new article, “

Six Tax Resolutions for the New Year.” Take some of these to heart this year, like:

• Make sure you take advantage of every tax benefit available this year and don’t leave any money left on the table. There are lots of tax credits and tax deductions you may have overlooked in the past, so this year is the year to consult an expert – and chances are, you’ll save a lot more than you think even with the cost of assistance. Resolve to schedule two one-hour meetings with a tax professional during the year. You can find Enrolled Agents at www.naea.org, CPAs at www.cpadirectory.com, and all tax professionals at www.ptindirectory.com.
• As with everything else financial, keep track of your credit status. With all theidentity theft types

  that are showing up in people’s tax files, the first warning you might have is in your credit report. In addition, keeping your FICO scores high will help your monthly payments by cutting down on interest.

These are just two of the ways that Equifax recommends you save – find out more on the Equifax Finance Blog!