#tax-filing
Tax filing procedures, deadlines, and best practices
The IRS charges 5% per month for late filing (capped at 25%) plus 0.5% per month for late payment, with daily-compounding interest at 7% in Q1 2026. This guide details how each penalty is calculated and four programs — First-Time Abatement, reasonable cause, installment agreements, and Offer in Compromise — that can reduce or remove what you owe.
A line-by-line walkthrough of the 2026 deductions and credits that move the needle for individuals—the $16,100 standard deduction, the new $40,400 SALT cap, the $2,200 Child Tax Credit, the up-to-$8,231 EITC, and the new Schedule 1-A deductions for tips, overtime, and vehicle loan interest.
For 2026 the SALT cap rises to $40,000, reviving the sales tax deduction for homeowners and big-ticket buyers. Choose between sales tax and state income tax on Schedule A, use the IRS optional tables, and stack actual tax paid on vehicles, boats, or renovation materials on top of the table amount.
A practical 2026 walkthrough of how the IRS taxes sole proprietors — covering Schedule C, the 15.3% self-employment tax on 92.35% of net earnings, quarterly estimated payments, the QBI deduction, and the threshold where an S-Corp election starts paying off.
A walkthrough of what the IRS actually does with a return after you file. 24-48 hour acceptance checks, automated math-error and information-return matching, the three Where's My Refund statuses, the 21-day refund target, common rejection reasons, and what each CP notice code means.
The IRS opens the 2026 filing season on January 26, with W-2s and most 1099s due by January 31. Filing early protects against refund fraud, speeds direct-deposit refunds within 21 days, and beats the April rush — but waiting can be smarter when K-1s or corrected brokerage 1099s are still in transit.
Form 1120 is the annual U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return every domestic C corporation must file, even in zero-income years. A 2026 walkthrough of deadlines, schedules C through M-2, estimated tax rules, and the eight most common filing mistakes.
A tax extension buys six months to file, not to pay. This guide explains exactly how to file Form 4868 (individuals) and Form 7004 (businesses), how to estimate a good-faith payment, and the state-level traps that cost filers real money.
A Substitute for Return is a 1040 the IRS files for non-filers using only third-party income data—no deductions, credits, or cost basis. This guide walks through the CP59, CP2566, and 90-day CP3219N sequence and the exact steps to replace an SFR with an accurate original return.
The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for joint filers, plus a new $6,000 senior bonus deduction for taxpayers 65+. Here is how to decide whether to take it or itemize.
How rideshare drivers actually owe two federal taxes, why deadhead miles are worth thousands, and the quarterly-payment and 1099-K rules that trip up first-time filers.
A practical breakdown of what the IRS does when you skip a tax return—5% monthly failure-to-file penalty, Substitute for Return, liens, levies, passport revocation, and the step-by-step path back to compliance.
