Three steps to end tax-filing procrastination

Ah, time travel. Procrastinating do-it-yourselfers who have yet to file their tax returns might daydream about time travel as the April 18 deadline draws nearer. Some want to go back to mid-March and file their return with a month to go before the deadline. Others might dream about jumping ahead to the future – maybe to April 19 – with the wish that their taxes magically were filed for them by April 18. While magic isn’t an option and neither are time machines, these are three easy steps for DIY tax procrastinators to follow to file by the tax deadline: get tax documents organized, get online and get started.

Step one: get tax documents organized

The paper chase of finding the tax documents – financial documents and related information – needed to file a tax return should be done before sitting down to start the preparation process. Making a customized tax preparation checklist can help.

The best place to get started is with previous-year tax returns. Taxpayers can import their old returns from virtually any preparer using H&R Block’s “drag and drop” feature. Previous-year returns are also very important for finding adjusted gross income for tax year 2015, which the IRS requires to file the 2016 tax year return.

To get ready for next year, taxpayers can use MyBlock, which has the ultimate in data security, to store their receipts, forms, tax returns and other documents.

Step two: get online

No matter how complex a taxpayer may find their tax situation, H&R Block’s DIY tax interview process, based on 60-plus years of preparing returns, will guide them through preparing and filing an accurate tax return. Whether taxpayers choose to file with software (downloadable from the website) or an online product, they receive H&R Block’s maximum refund, 100-percent accuracy and 100-percent satisfaction guarantees.

Step three: get started

Just dive in! Worried about getting stuck? Unlimited live tax advice via chat is included with all software products and the online deluxe and premium editions. Chat is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. For those who would like to have their return reviewed by a tax professional before it is submitted to the IRS, there’s Tax Pro Review. When choosing this option, be sure to allow for an extra three to four days that could be added to the filing process – don’t wait until the very last minute.

Even though some procrastinators feel like they’ve arrived at the intersection of Panic Parkway and The-Clock-is-Ticking Avenue, they are just three steps away from filing an accurate return before the deadline.