Many people are just like you who didn’t file the tax this year. On the last day, the 15th of April, crowds of Americans were trying to submit their required documents and there were still those that couldn’t make it on time. However, the good news is you can take the necessary steps even at this moment. You are allowed to file an extension, stay clear from charges and errors that are common in tax return filling.
Deferment Is Feasible Even for the Last Minute
When you are unable to meet the deadline for the tax return, the IRS is an understanding institution which is why you have the option of applying for an extension. You can extend your tax return deadline to be on October 16, 2025. There are a few methods of doing so, a few of them are by word of a mouth, the electronic IRS Free File tool, or by mail.
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Even though it’s worth noting that this extension is just for time to file, not to pay. You must pay the outstanding tax amount by April 15 if you owe taxes, otherwise, you will not be charged interest and late fees. If you owe taxes, and you are late in filing without a payment, you’d pay more money in the end. When you finally file, you’ll still have the right to claim what is due to you if it is a refund that was expected.
List of Needs as a Reliable First Move
Preparers of taxes are of the opinion that one of the worst mistakes a taxpayer can make is to start preparing the tax returns without first collecting the necessary data. One local tax expert, Tom O’Saben, who discharges the duties of tax content director at the National Association of Tax Professionals lent his voice to the fact that one’s preparatory work can be practiced unhindered if the documents are well gathered at the beginning.
Apart from this, the tax professionals have highlighted the major things that are required by nearly every filer in order to prepare the tax return:
- Your Social Security number
- W-2 forms from employers
- 1099-G forms if you received unemployment benefits
- 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC if you were self-employed
- Records of interest, dividends, and capital gains
- Documents for deductions like education fees, medical expenses, or charitable donations
- Records for tax credits such as child tax credit or retirement contributions
O’Saben also suggests keeping last year’s return of s taxes. In the case where your income or other parts of life changed, like getting married, changing a job, or new dependants, it becomes easier for you to compare.
Identity Theft? A Simple Routine Can Benefit You
One very intelligent action to take at this moment is to have an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) set up. It’s a code consisting of six figures that is given to the person by the IRS. This way, nobody will be able to file a tax return using any other name but yours. Once it is established, the IRS requires the PIN every year from you to enable the filing process.
If your data has been compromised, this measure is particularly important. We should mention that the PIN serves as an essential safety reinforcement, according to VITA program coordinator Theresa Grover, which is used by few people.
Common Errors You Should Steer Clear Of
Errors in the tax return can not only lengthen the process of receiving the refund but in some cases, they may even provoke the tax office to start an investigation. The following is a list of the most common illustrated mistakes:
- Incorrect names or Social Security numbers: Not only should they be included, but also, they should match completely with the SSA records. O’Saben insists that even a small mismatch can be a reason for a no-go from the agency to which you applied.
- Missing Income Sources: If you worked somewhere else before, don’t just report the earnings from the new job; also tell them about the other employers. Many people usually only report their last employer which is not right.
- Missing online tax forms: If you were using the preferences of having your documents sent to you electronically in banks and brokers, you might not be a physical recipient of the 1099s. But that is not an indication of their absence; do log in your accounts and download the same.
What If You Need Help?
If you earn an income of $73,000 or less and each year then you are an IRS message ‘IRS Free Filesystem’ that will guide you through your tax prep. The system will also perform the calculations for you seamlessly.
When you feel insecure about the tax or your case is intricate, you can, of course, get the assistance of the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool on the IRS website for your way around the deductions and credits.
Furthermore, plenty of in-person assistance is available. VITA and TCE are IRS-funded programs, which render free help in case you make $60,000 or less, or you belong to the old age or have a certain disability.
Don’t Rush, but Don’t Wait Too Long
You may want to race upon the filing to escape penalties. However, it has been proven time and again that the more you rush, the more errors you may make, and errors lengthen the time your refund gets to you or may call for IRS intervention. The best strategy according to tax professionals is to take neither too much time nor too little.
Even tardy submissions are better than nothing. If your filing date is postponed and you have to pay a late fee, again, you will not be fined, but your money will not be refunded.
Thus, you can relax for a while as though the deadline of paying taxes is no more, the opportunity to fix it is still here.
