Tax season is here, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve been putting off thinking about it until absolutely necessary. The good news? It doesn’t have to be a complete nightmare. The bad news? You still have to do it.
Let’s get the basics out of the way. Your 2025 taxes are due Wednesday, April 15, 2026. That’s the day the IRS expects your return, and yes, they’re serious about it. Tax season officially kicked off January 26 when the IRS started accepting returns, which means you’ve had time to procrastinate, but now it’s time to actually get this done.
Filing early isn’t just about being a responsible adult. It’s also about protecting yourself from identity theft, where some scammer files a fraudulent return in your name and walks away with your refund. It happens more often than you’d think, and the earlier you file, the less chance someone else beats you to it.
What You Actually Need Before You Start
Gather your stuff first. That means W-2s from your employer, last year’s tax return if you’re switching services, health insurance information, and any receipts or documents related to big purchases like property or vehicles. If you’re claiming deductions for work expenses, have those receipts ready too.
Your employer is required to get you a W-2 by the end of January, so if you haven’t received yours yet, it’s time to start asking questions. Most business owners and HR departments are on top of this, but mistakes happen.
The process of collecting documents is tedious, but it’s better than scrambling halfway through your return when you realize you’re missing something critical. Trust me on this one.
The Free Option That’s Actually Worth Using
If you made $89,000 or less in 2025, the IRS Free Filing Tool is worth checking out. It’s a service offered directly through the IRS website, and it connects you with partner companies that offer free tax software. The catch? It only handles the most common tax forms, so if your situation is complicated, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
The partner companies this year include FreeTaxUSA, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, and a few others. These are legitimate services that have partnered with the nonprofit Free File Alliance. They’re not trying to upsell you at every turn, which is refreshing.
Once you file your federal return, you can check your status online and get email updates when the IRS processes your return. But remember, this is only for federal taxes. You’ll still need to file state taxes separately, and each state has its own quirks and requirements.
The IRS website has a list of state resources, though it hasn’t been updated since 2023. Still, it’s a decent starting point if you’re trying to figure out what your state expects from you.
When You Need Something More Robust
If you make more than $89,000 or have a more complicated tax situation, you’ll need to use a paid service. H&R Block is one of the more reliable options out there, though it’s far from perfect. The DIY version is free for simple returns, and the interface is user-friendly enough that you won’t feel like you need a degree in accounting to navigate it.
One thing H&R Block does well is importing your W-2 automatically using just your employer’s identification number. This saved me a ridiculous amount of time compared to manually entering every single field. You can also upload a photo or PDF of your W-2, and the system will autofill the information for you.
The AI Tax Assist feature is a nice touch if you have random questions during the filing process. It’s not going to replace a human tax professional, but for basic questions, it’s faster than digging through IRS documentation. There’s also an option to get help from a live tax professional if you’re willing to pay for it.
H&R Block has different tiers depending on how much hand-holding you need. The basic DIY option is fine for straightforward returns, but if you have rental properties, freelance income, or investments, you might want to spring for the Assisted option where a tax pro reviews everything before filing.
Small Business and LLC Headaches
Filing taxes for a small business or LLC is where things get messy fast. The IRS treats LLCs differently depending on whether you’re a single-member LLC, a partnership, or a corporation. If you’re a single-member LLC, your business income gets reported on your personal return using Schedule C.
Partnerships need to file Form 1065, and each partner has to report their share of income, deductions, and credits. If your LLC is taxed as a corporation, you’ll need to file Form 1120. It’s confusing, and honestly, this is where paying for professional help makes sense unless you really know what you’re doing.
Most of the major tax services have technology built in to handle small business returns, but the free versions usually don’t cover these forms. You’ll need to upgrade to a paid tier, which can get expensive quickly.
What Happens If You’re Late
If you can’t file by April 15, file for an extension. This pushes your deadline to October 15, but here’s the kicker: an extension to file is not an extension to pay. If you owe taxes, you still need to pay by April 15, or you’ll get hit with penalties and interest.
The late-filing penalty is brutal. It’s 5 percent of unpaid taxes per month, capped at 25 percent. That’s 4.5 percent for filing late and 0.5 percent for paying late. The interest on unpaid taxes compounds daily, which means the longer you wait, the more you owe.
If you absolutely can’t pay the full amount, the IRS offers payment plans. You can set up monthly installments, which is better than ignoring the problem and hoping it goes away. Spoiler: it won’t go away.
Tracking Your Refund
The IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days if you e-file and there are no issues with your return. Paper returns take six to eight weeks, which is one of many reasons why paper filing is a terrible idea in 2026.
You can check your refund status on the IRS website or through the IRS2Go mobile app. You’ll need your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount. State refunds vary wildly depending on where you live, but electronic filing is almost always faster than mailing in a paper return.
Some states process refunds in as little as five business days if you file electronically. Others take weeks. It’s one of those things where you just have to check your state’s specific guidelines because there’s no universal standard.
The Tax Bracket Question Everyone Asks
Tax brackets for 2025 start at 10 percent for single filers making less than $11,925 and top out at 37 percent for those making over $626,351. Whether you’re single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household affects which bracket you fall into.
The progressive tax system means you don’t pay your top rate on all your income. You pay 10 percent on the first chunk, then higher rates on income above each threshold. A lot of people misunderstand this and think moving into a higher bracket means all their income gets taxed at that rate. It doesn’t.
Understanding your effective tax rate versus your marginal rate is one of those things that makes tax discussions less painful. Your marginal rate is the highest bracket you hit, but your effective rate is what you actually pay overall after averaging everything out.
Filing taxes will never be fun, but understanding the process makes it less of a disaster, and knowing your options means you’re less likely to overpay or miss out on deductions that could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
