Tax Software Deals

Content Guide

• When Is Tax Season
• How Does Tax Season Work
• How to Prepare for Tax Season
• Tax Software Deals
• What to Buy With Your Tax Refund
• What Is Tax Deductible?
• FAQ

Tax Season means one thing above all: getting your federal return filed before the deadline. It's also a period when tax software providers may run promotions and when some retailers and restaurants launch tax-themed offers.

This year's main filing window has already closed, but if you requested an extension, there's still a deadline ahead: October 15, 2026. Before filing, it's worth comparing software options and checking current pricing.

When Is Tax Season 2026?

The 2026 filing season for 2025 federal individual income tax returns opened on January 26, 2026. For most taxpayers, the filing and payment deadline was April 15, 2026, so the main filing window is now closed.

One key date still remains: October 15, 2026, the filing deadline for taxpayers who timely requested an automatic extension, including by filing Form 4868. An extension gives you more time to file your return, not more time to pay. Any tax owed was generally still due by April 15.

When does Tax Season start again?

The next filing season will cover 2026 income and is expected to begin in early 2027. The IRS has not yet announced the official opening date or the 2027 filing deadline, so any January-to-April timeline should be treated as an estimate until the agency confirms it.

How Does Tax Season Work?

Tax Season has three separate timelines that are easy to mix up: when you can file, when you have to pay, and when a refund may arrive.

Filing begins when the IRS starts accepting returns. From that point, you can submit your return any time before the applicable deadline. Filing electronically can also make processing easier and, when a refund is due, is generally faster than filing on paper.

Payment works on a different schedule. Any tax you owe is generally due by the April filing deadline even if you request an extension. If you don't pay the amount due on time, interest and possible late-payment penalties can apply even when your filing deadline has been extended.

Refunds have their own timeline. The IRS says it issues most refunds in fewer than 21 days, although some returns require additional review and take longer. Filing electronically and using direct deposit is the fastest way to receive a refund.

How do you file a tax extension?

For an individual federal return, you can request an automatic extension by the original filing deadline using Form 4868 or another IRS-approved extension method.

The extension moves the filing deadline to October 15, 2026, but it does not extend the time to pay. Paying as much as possible by April 15 can help limit interest and possible penalties.

What happens if you miss Tax Day?

It depends on whether you filed an extension, whether you owe tax, and how late the return or payment is.

If you owe tax and miss the filing deadline without a valid extension, a failure-to-file penalty can apply. For many individual returns, that penalty is generally 5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month the return is late, up to 25%. Separate failure-to-pay penalties and interest may also apply.

If you timely requested an extension, you generally have until October 15, 2026, to file without a failure-to-file penalty. However, tax that was not paid by April 15 may still be subject to interest and a late-payment penalty.

If you are due a refund, the IRS generally does not charge a late-filing penalty, but refund claims are subject to time limits. In many cases, you have three years from the date the original return was filed or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later, although special rules can apply.

How to Prepare for Tax Season

If you're wondering what are some ways you can make Tax Season a little easier, most of it comes down to organizing your records before you sit down to file, not while you're doing it.

Start by gathering your income documents, such as W-2s from employers, 1099 forms for freelance or gig work, and statements covering interest, dividends, or investment income.

If you plan to itemize instead of taking the standard deduction, collect records that may support deductible expenses, including mortgage interest, qualifying medical expenses, charitable donations, and eligible state and local taxes.

It can also help to review your withholding and estimated payments from the year so you have a clearer idea of whether you are likely to owe tax or receive a refund.

Filing electronically and choosing direct deposit remains the fastest route to a refund, and starting before the deadline gives you more time to correct missing information or other errors.

Where to Save on Tax Season Software Deals

If you're filing before the October 15 extension deadline, it's still worth comparing software pricing rather than assuming the year's discounts are gone.

• TurboTax tends to keep some year-round promotions active even outside the January-April rush, so a TurboTax promo code is still worth checking for extension filers.
• H&R Block occasionally runs off-season offers for anyone finishing an extended return, making an H&R Block tax software coupon code worth a quick search before you file.
• TaxSlayer keeps pricing lower than the bigger names year-round, and a TaxSlayer promo code can still bring down the cost of a straightforward extended return.
• TaxAct is worth comparing against TaxSlayer for similar return types, and a TaxAct promo code sometimes resurfaces closer to the October deadline.
• Liberty Tax offers in-person filing support for anyone catching up on an extension, and a Liberty Tax promo code can offset either the in-person or online fee.
• ezTaxReturn files simple federal returns for free as a permanent feature, not a limited promotion, and an ezTaxReturn coupon code can still cut the state filing fee or a more complex federal return.
• E-file positions itself as a lower-cost IRS-authorized option year-round, and an E-file promo code regularly brings 15% to 50% off federal filing software, including for returns filed under an extension.

When the next filing season opens, the deepest software discounts typically return in the first few weeks, so it's worth checking back if you're not racing the October deadline.

What to Buy With Your Tax Refund

For the millions who already filed and received a refund earlier this year, tax refund season doubled as a shopping moment.

Electronics and home goods saw the biggest lift, from TVs to small appliances to outdoor furniture as spring arrived. Clothing, accessories, and the occasional "treat yourself" purchase rounded out the smaller end of refund spending, alongside travel bookings for trips planned later in the year.

If you're still waiting on a refund tied to an extended return, the same categories are worth watching once it lands.

What Is Tax Deductible?

Is health insurance tax deductible?

It depends on your situation. Eligible self-employed taxpayers may be able to deduct qualifying health insurance premiums as an adjustment to income, subject to specific rules and limits. Taxpayers who itemize may also be able to deduct qualifying medical and dental expenses to the extent those expenses exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income.

Is mortgage interest tax deductible?

It can be if you itemize and the loan meets the applicable rules. For qualifying mortgage debt taken out after December 15, 2017, the general debt limit is $750,000, or $375,000 if married filing separately. Higher limits can apply to certain older mortgages.

Is property tax deductible? 

Eligible state and local real property taxes can be included in the state and local tax, or SALT, itemized deduction. For 2025 returns filed in 2026, the overall SALT limit is generally $40,000, or $20,000 if married filing separately, with an income-based reduction for some higher-income taxpayers.

Is college tuition tax deductible?

Tuition is not generally claimed as a standalone federal itemized deduction, but qualified higher-education expenses may be eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit if the requirements are met.

Is day care tax deductible?

Day care expenses are not generally claimed as a direct deduction, but qualifying expenses may be eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Credit when the care allows you, and your spouse if filing jointly, to work or actively look for work.

FAQ

• When does Tax Season end?

Tax Season 2026 is already over: the main filing window ran from January 26 to April 15, 2026, and has now concluded for most taxpayers.

• Is Tax Day a federal holiday?

No. Tax Day is a federal tax filing deadline, not a federal holiday.

• How long should you keep tax returns?

The IRS says many tax records should generally be kept for three years, but some situations require a longer period. For example, the period can be six years in certain cases involving substantial unreported income. Records related to property generally should be kept until the limitations period expires for the year in which you dispose of the property.

• How do you amend a tax return?

If you need to correct a previously filed individual federal return, you may need to file Form 1040-X. To claim a credit or refund, the general time limit is three years from the date you filed the original return or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later, although exceptions can apply.