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It’s Tax Day (again)!

October 15, 2012

Welcome back to Tax Day 2012.

As procrastinators know, this is the drop-dead, absolutely final deadline to finish and file tax returns that you just couldn't get to in April … or May or June or …

No judging here. I've been in your position before.

So let's not waste any more valuable time.0_Oct 15 seven day countdown

First, take a quick look at the earlier Countdown to Oct. 15 tax tips. You also might want to breeze through this year's Weekly and Daily tax tips for a few more filing ideas and reminders.

This handy tax preparation checklist also makes a good filing cheat sheet.

Once you're ready to enter your info, I suggest e-fling, especially at this late date. Tax software will walk you through the form completion process.

The thing I like about it is that the software's calculators do the math for you and enter the figures on other forms and schedules as needed. Just enter your info carefully. Remember, garbage in, garbage out.

If your 2011 adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less you can e-file for free at the IRS Free File website.

Whether you use software on your own computer or go to the Free File site, don't wait until 11:59 p.m. to hit the "enter" key. Yes, that'll get
you in under the wire, but if there's a problem with your return or the
system is slow because billions of you are extreme last-minute filers,
you could be in trouble.

If you insist on filing the old fashioned way, that's fine, too. As I said, no judging. You might find these tips for snail mail tax filers helpful.

And don't forget your state taxes. Most follow the federal filing schedule, meaning that if you got an extension for your state forms, they're due today, too.

So get the coffee pot warmed up and get to work!

You also might find these items of interest:

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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