Key federal Tax Deadlines for 2026

This is also the deadline to: 

Request a six-month filing extension by filing Form 4868 (payment of tax owed is still due by this date).
* Make 2025 contributions to an IRA or HSA.
* First-quarter 2026 estimated tax payment due 

This first payment applies to income earned from January 1 through March 31, 2026. 

This payment applies to income earned from April 1 through May 31, 2026.

This payment is for income earned from June 1 through August 31, 2026. . 

You'll still need to estimate your 2025 tax liability and pay it by the April 15 deadline.  

You'll need to take the required minimum distribution if you are age 73 or older by the end of 2026. 

Deadlines falling on weekends or legal holidays are pushed to the next business day.  

If your business had employees in 2025, you'll need to file your W-2 forms to the IRS—and submit them to your employees 

S corporations (Form 1120-S) and partnerships (Form 1065).

C corporations (Form 1120) and sole proprietorships (Schedule C with Form 1040).

This is the last day for S-corporations and partnerships to file their business return with an extension. 

Corporations that received a tax extension must file their 2025 tax return by this date. 

Filing your taxes is not something you want to leave for the last minute. Here are some simple tips to make tax season less stressful.

Be sure to gather all relevant tax documents, which may include:

• W-2s from employers
• 1099s from clients if you're self-employed
• 1099-INT from your bank for earned interest on your savings accounts
• Documents related to contributions you made to tax-deferred retirement accounts
• Brokerage statement from your investment firm
• Documents showing interest paid on mortgage loans and student loans
• Property tax statements
• Receipts for business expenses

Tax deductions reduce your taxable income, which can indirectly reduce how much you owe in taxes.

Tax credits offer a dollar-for-dollar reduction on your tax bill. The more deductions and credits you qualify  for, the more you can save. They could even lead to a larger tax refund.  

QuickBooks is accounting software used primarily by small and medium-sized businesses to manage finances by tracking income and expenses, sending invoices, processing payroll, managing bills, and generating financial reports. 

Quicken is a personal finance software that helps users organize their finances in one place, and some versions also allow for managing small business and rental property finances.  

Putting important tax dates on your calendar, and planning ahead, can keep you in the good graces of the IRS. It can also prevent financial penalties.