April is here, along with Tax Day on April 15.
April is here, bringing us showers, spring-like weather, and the annual Tax Day.
The filing season has gone relatively smoothly, given that the new presidential administration and its Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has been poking around (and more) at the the Internal Revenue Service.
That's meant layoffs, including to some technical operations, and raised concerns of some lawmakers and and taxpayers about the long-standing IRS promise of taxpayer privacy.
The reduction of audit staff also has some folks thinking they might be able to slip one (or more) iffy tax claims past Uncle Sam's tax collector. That's not a good idea. Even though the IRS is shrinking, it still is far from toothless.
So, the April tax tips are here to help you file a correct tax return with all the tax breaks you can legitimately claim, as well as meet other tax tasks this month.
Since this is the tax month, and the filing deadline clock (and the one in the ol' blog's right column) is ticking down to April 15, let's not waste any more time. Here are April's tips.
- April 1 is RMD deadline for some older retirees — Did you delay your very first required minimum distribution (RMD) last year? Well, time is up. Today, April 1 is the mandated withdrawal deadline, and the Internal Revenue Service isn’t fooling around. If you miss your postponed April 1 RMD due date, it could cost you. (April 1, 2025)
- 5 tax moves to make this April — Welcome April! We love you for bringing us warmer days, gentle spring showers, baseball, and Tax Day. OK, maybe we’re not so thankful for Tax Day, but we must deal with April 15. Here are five tax moves that could make that date less formidable. (April 1, 2025)
- Tax loss harvesting in the wake of tariff stock losses — Has the tariff-related stock market dive got you thinking of liquidating everything? Before you turn paper losses into real ones, evaluate your overall financial situation. And if you do sell, like lots of investors did after Trump’s Liberation Day announcement, make sure examine whether you can take advantage of tax loss harvesting when you file your taxes next year. (April 3, 2025)
- IRS payment plans is you can’t pay your tax bill in full — Owe the IRS, but don’t have the money? A payment plan could be the answer. The Internal Revenue Service offers a variety of ways to pay your tax bill over time, and you can apply online. (April 4, 2025)
- Don’t let IRS chaos tempt you to cheat on your taxes — Things are crazy at the Internal Revenue Service this filing season, what with Department of Government Efficiency intrusions into the database and personnel layoffs. The chaos might tempt some to test the IRS’ examination abilities. Don’t. As this weekend's Saturday Shout Out pieces show, the agency still has ways to catch tax cheats. (April 5, 2025)
- File Form 4868 to get more time to file your tax return — The Internal Revenue Service’s answer to filers of Form 4868 extension request is an automatic "yes." But note, the tax collector’s OK will get you six more months, until Oct. 15, to file your return, not more time to pay if you owe. So if you can’t finish your Form 1040 by April 15, get the extension and pay as much of your tax due as you can. (April 6, 2025)
- April 15 is not Tax Day for everyone — The annual April 15 federal tax return filing deadline doesn’t apply to all U.S. taxpayers. Tax Day is later for taxpayers abroad, including military personnel posted outside the United States or Puerto Rico. Residents of major natural disaster areas also get more time to file. Here’s a look at those who have more time to file, and in some cases pay what they owe, in 2025. (April 7, 2025)
- Down market offers opportunity to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth — Most investors are frustrated (or worse) at the recent tariff-related stock market dive. But if your holdings that have lost value include a traditional IRA, you might be able to make the downturn work for you. Look into converting your traditional IRA into a Roth IRA. The tax-deferred retirement account’s drop in value will mean a lower conversion tax bill. (April 8, 2025)
- Tax Day also is Estimated Tax Day — Tax Day 2025 is almost here, and it will be double tax duty for a lot of taxpayers. In addition to next Tuesday, April 15, being the deadline to file 2024 returns and pay any due tax, many people also will make their first estimated tax payment for the 2025 tax year. (April 9, 2025)
- 15 filing tips for the last weekend before Tax Day — This last weekend before Tax Day 2025 doesn't have to be a lost filing weekend. Here are 15 tax filing (and paying) tips to help, regardless of whether you're just starting your Form 1040, are putting on the polishing touches, or getting the IRS' official OK for more time to file your 2024 tax return. (April 11, 2025)
- Additional April 15 tax deadlines — Filing your tax return is the major task for most taxpayers on April 15. But some of us also have other tax matters to take care of on Tax Day. Some are requirements to minimize further dealings with the Internal Revenue Service. However, some other April 15 actions could help reduce your tax bill. (April 13, 2025)
- 6 last-minute tax-filing tips — Time is running out. You have just days/hours to file your tax return. But you still can finish your Form 1040 by April 15 (11:59 p.m. your time). Or get an extension. If you are a last-minute filer, these six tips can help you through Tax Day. (April 14, 2025)
- Nov. 3 is Tax Day for all AR, TN filers due to disasters — Many taxpayers in Arkansas and Tennessee aren’t thinking about taxes on this April 15. On April 2, a series of severe storms, including straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding, raked their states, leaving serious wreckage in their wake. Just before Tax Day, they got some relief. The Internal Revenue Service announced that all taxpayers in these two states are the latest group of disaster-affected filers who now have until Nov. 3 to file their returns and pay any due tax. (April 15, 2025)
- 7 post-Tax Day tasks to consider — Tax Day 2025 is finally over for most of the country’s individual tax return filers. Now what? Here are seven relatively easy post-April 15 tasks you should consider. (April 17, 2025)
- Create a tax strategy that utilizes different tax baskets — As you start work on your post-April 15 tax strategy, explore all the options. Your best plan likely will be one that maximizes the advantages of tax-deferred, tax-free, and taxable (really!) moves. All can play a role, and be adjusted as your personal, financial, and tax circumstances change. (April 18, 2025)
- Changes, some happening rapidly, at IRS — After Tax Day passes, the Internal Revenue Service typically conducts its work without much public attention. Not so this year. As taxpayers last week were working to meet the April 15 filing deadline, the IRS leadership position was spinning, almost as much as Treasury and White House officials who had to explain the three rapid-fire changes to who is acting IRS commissioner. (April 20, 2025)
- 2025 tax brackets and the tax rate you really pay — You probably weren’t thrilled with what you owed the Internal Revenue Service when you filed, and paid, your taxes last week. But thanks to our progressive tax system, the amount wasn’t as much as you might have thought from looking at your tax bracket. Here’s a look at the 2025 tax rates and income ranges to which they apply, as well as some math on how to determine your effective vs. your marginal tax rate. (April 21, 2025)
- What tax records to keep and for how long — Now that filing is done (except for taxpayers on extension) and you've had more than a week to recover, it's time to take care of your tax records. You need to hang onto some filing paperwork. Here’s a look at what tax documents to keep and for how long, just in case the IRS has follow-up questions. (April 24, 2025)
- May 1 is disaster-delayed Tax Day for filers in 8 states — Taxpayers across much of the United States still are dealing with the effects of major disasters. Many of them also are facing a May 1 delayed Tax Day. The new deadline applies to individual and business taxpayers in eight states. (April 27, 2025)
- Higher taxes don’t always drive away wealthy residents — Republican federal tax policy has for years provided the wealthy with tax breaks, arguing that they are economic drivers. States have followed that policy, concerned that higher taxes on rich residents would prompt them to move. But a recent study found that even after targeted tax hikes in Massachusetts and Washington State took effect, the number of well-off residents in those states increased. (April 29, 2025)
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I can't tell you how thrilled I am that made it all the way to the end of this page. You must really want more tax tips!
You can find more tax filing, saving, and other tax-related information on the January through March pages, linked below. And yes, you can click on the May through December tax tip links, too. Those tax tips pages are live, in the sense that they will open instead of going to my 404 page.
But if you click on future months, you'll just find an enthusiastic fellow letting you know that we're not there yet, either on the calendar or as far as the corresponding tax tips.
Rest assured that once the calendar page flips to the upcoming months, those pages will start filling up with tax information like this and the preceding ones.
Again, I appreciate both your wanting more tax tips, and your patience on waiting for them to be posted.
| January | July |
| February | August |
| March | September |
| April | October |
| May | November |
| June | December |
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