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The Front Porch Blog

Education on all things homeownership

How to Quit Procrastinating and File Your Taxes

March 29, 2018 Lifestyle, Featured

With the beginning of spring, also comes the end of tax season. While most have already completed filing their taxes, we know there are a few of you who are still not ready to think about income taxes. And maybe you’re hoping that it will all just go away…As Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Below we’ll explore a few reasons why you may have waited until the last minute to file, and how to battle your fears in order to come out on top this tax season!

Fear of Uncle Sam

We get it—taxes are complicated and scary. One switch of a couple of numbers and you fear the IRS will come banging down your door! Luckily, there are plenty of products out there meant to keep things as simple as possible, with easy to understand language and live agents to help you answer any tough questions. If you’re still nervous about doing it on your own, we recommend going to a professional tax preparer.

You Know You Owe

Unfortunately, there’s no getting around this one. It’s best to just rip the Band-Aid off and file as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the worse it could get. The IRS imposes penalties for late filing, especially if you owe money. If you are unable to pay the dues upfront, installment plans are available. Though it will likely have some fees and interest tacked on, you will be given up to 72 months to pay off the balance.

Kicking the Habit

According to studies, about 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. For those, it may not be the fear of Uncle Sam keeping them from filing, but just their way of life! That being said, the sooner you finish your taxes, the sooner you can get on with the rest of your life. And who knows, you may receive more of a refund than you thought—the average tax refund last year was over $3,000! Procrastination won’t help you get your taxes done and it won’t get you closer to your tax refund. For those who haven’t filed their 2017 income tax yet, we recommend doing so before the April 17th deadline!