The IRS tax deadline is today: tips for filing on time and getting your refund fast
Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and TurboTax expert, offers last-minute tips for taxpayers filing their 2025 tax returns before the midnight deadline on Tax Day.
I tax filing deadline Because 2025 tax returns are due, taxpayers have until midnight on April 15 to file their returns or request an extension.
Last-minute tax filers who are racing to file their return before the IRS deadline will want to be organized in making sure they have everything they need to file their return accurately when they start, according to tax experts.
“Gather all your documents in one place,” said Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and TurboTax expert, in an interview with FOX Business. “Documents that report your income like your W-2s, your 1099s, and don’t forget about any forms or receipts for anything that can be deducted.”
He noted that the collection of those documents may be more extensive than in previous years due to changes in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which created new provisions to extend tax exemptions. income from tipsovertime and Social Security.
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Taxpayers can get refunds quickly by filing their returns by email. (Timothy Fadek/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Other provisions apply child tax credit and creates a deduction for auto loan interest on certain new US-made vehicles, while businesses are able to depreciate annual equipment purchases instead of amortizing them over several years.
Taxpayers who are waiting for a refund from the IRS can get their refund much faster in filing their return.
“Go online and e-file for direct deposit — that’s the fastest way to get your refund,” recommends Greene-Lewis. “When you mail your return, you don’t know when the IRS is going to get it. When you send an email, you get a message that they received it.”
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Taxpayers who file a paper return and mail it on Wednesday should request a “round date stamp” to ensure it is timed. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)
Greene-Lewis said that taxpayers planning to send their returns should remember that US Postal Service changed the way it places postage stamps.
Starting in late December, the USPS changed its rules to mark packages when they are processed locally, rather than dropped off at the post office, which can delay postage by 24 hours or more in some cases.
That means taxpayers who want to mail their returns must mail them in advance, use certified mail or ask for a “round date stamp” to be applied in person when they drop them off at the counter.
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E-filing will allow taxpayers to have their returns processed quickly, meaning anywhere tax refund borrowers will access their accounts by direct deposit soon.
“Most people are getting refunds, and we’re seeing refunds going up this year,” Greene-Lewis said. “I would really try to make a deadline with all the deductions and credits available. Especially if you think you might owe, you might be able to get a refund.”
The IRS tax filing deadline is April 15th, just before midnight. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)
Taxpayers can request an extension to file their 2025 tax return through the IRS website and third-party tax preparation services, although they should be aware that if they owe money to the IRS they will have to pay that amount or set up a payment schedule.
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“One thing to remember is that it’s a file extension, not a payment extension. So you need to try to pay what you owe by the deadline, even if you file an extension,” added Greene-Lewis.
