Get Your Taxes in Order: Filing Deadline Is April 15

WASHINGTON — It’s time to start thinking about filing your taxes. While likely not your favorite task, you can avoid a future tax-fueled headache by preparing in advance.Federal income tax returns are due on Tuesday, April 15.New York state income taxes are also due on April 15.

To file for an extension on your tax return, taxpayers can fill out Form 4868 by April 15. Filling out this form will give filers six more months to complete their tax return, to Tuesday, Oct. 15. Tax returns can still be filed after April 15 without filing for an extension, but you may be subject to a penalty if you owe taxes.

To file for an extension on your state income tax, fill out the appropriate form – Form IT-201 for New York residents’ personal tax returns. Completing the form will give filers another six months to complete their return. Note that if you file for an extension on your state income tax and owe, you must make your extension payment by the due date.

To file federal income taxes, fill out a Form 1040 online or mail a paper form.If you file electronically and your return is accurate and complete, it should take less than three weeks to receive your refund – a move that is expedited when you choose direct deposit, according to the IRS. If you mail in a paper return, the refund should be issued within six to eight weeks of the date the IRS receives the filing, again assuming the return is accurate and complete.

Any taxpayer or family who earned $84,000 or less in 2024 may use a free filing option for a tax return using the

In New York, taxpayers who earned $84,000 or less can file online for free. The IRS has online tools to help with filing, and people can call 800-829-1040 for assistance. New York also offers a to help prepare and electronically file federal and state tax returns.

Service members may be able to prepare and file their tax returns for free through if they meet certain criteria. If you generally make $67,000 a year or less, have a disability, have limited English skills or speak English as a second language or are 60 years of age or older, you may be eligible for in-person, full-service tax preparation for free through the IRS, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and the programs, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

You should have already received a W-2 form. It is mandatory that employers give their employees a W-2 form by Jan. 31. A W-2 form reports your total wages for the year and any taxes withheld from your paycheck. The expects to issue most refunds via direct deposit within 21 days, according to the agency, but some returns require additional review that take longer to process.

Some issues that cause your refund to be delayed according to the IRS include: To check the status of your refund, use the ” tools for federal tax refunds or go to the Information is updated once a day, overnight. To do so, you’ll need your:

Also be mindful that the wait for your tax return is based on when the IRS has received your return and entered it into the system, which may be several days after you submitted the return electronically or several weeks after mailing a paper return and IRS workers manually entered your information.