13 Tax Deadlines Nobody Tells You About

As a taxpayer, you probably know that you need to file your yearly income tax return by mid-April to avoid wasting money paying penalties to the government.

But how many other crucial tax deadlines are you aware of, and what are the consequences if you fail to meet those deadlines?

Here are 13 key deadlines that you should add to your calendar so you can protect your bottom line.

If you’re self-employed, you need to pay estimated income taxes on a quarterly basis.

Jan. 15 is the deadline for paying estimated taxes on money you earned during 2024’s fourth quarter, which spans October, November, and December.

While the 2024 tax season ends on the last day of the year, the IRS doesn’t start accepting and processing tax returns until the end of January.

The official start date can vary from year to year and 2025’s official start date has yet to be released, but last year’s tax season started on Jan. 29, 2024.

Employers are required to send out their employees’ W-2 tax forms for the 2024 tax season no later than Jan. 31.

If you typically receive your W-2 form via mail, your employer has to post the form by Jan. 31, but you might not receive it for a few days after that.

If you did any contract work for another party in 2024, the company that paid you should send out Form 1099 — which reports how much you earned — by Jan. 31.

You should also receive some version of Form 1099 reporting any earnings on dividends, interest, rent, royalties, or other sources of income that didn’t come from a traditional employer.

The forms that must be sent out by Jan. 31 include:

• 1099-NEC
• 1099-MISC
• 1099-K

Some individuals who don’t anticipate having any tax liability can claim a tax withholding exemption by filing Form W-4 with their employer.

If you filed form W-4 last year and want to claim an exemption again for the 2025 tax season, you need to submit the form to your employer no later than Feb. 18.

Once you turn 73, you’re generally required to withdraw a certain amount of money from some types of retirement savings accounts, such as traditional 401(k) and IRA accounts.

If you turned 73 in 2024, you need to make your first required minimum distribution (RMD) no later than April 1 of this year.

If you don’t make your RMD by this deadline, the federal government may charge you a 25% excise tax on the total amount you were supposed to withdraw.

Fortunately, if you correct the mistake and withdraw the right amount of money within two years, that penalty drops to 10% — but it’s better to avoid the penalty altogether by withdrawing funds by the deadline.

Generally speaking, you need to file your taxes for the 2024 tax year no later than April 15. Otherwise, you could be subject to both penalties and interest.

If you don’t think you can file by the April 15 tax deadline, you can request an extension from the IRS that lasts for six months. You do this by filling out Form 4868.

However, while you can get an extension on filing the paperwork, you still need to pay your estimated income taxes no later than April 15.

Self-employed individuals need to file their estimated taxes for the first quarter of 2025 (January, February, and March) by April 15.

It’s important to note that even though these tax payment deadlines are broken into quarters, you aren’t necessarily paying taxes on income earned solely during that period of time. Instead, you’re estimating how much income you anticipate earning over the course of the year, then paying a quarter of that estimated amount four times per year.

So, if you tend to earn more during one time of the year over another, you should adjust your estimated tax payments to reflect your annual income.

If you’re self-employed, make sure to file your second round of estimated income taxes no later than June 16.

Those who are self-employed need to make their third estimated tax payment no later than Sept. 15.

If you applied for and were granted an extension on filing your annual income taxes, the paperwork needs to be filed no later than Oct. 15.

Self-employed individuals must make their final estimated income tax payment for the 2025 tax year no later than Jan. 15, 2026.

Typically, if you don’t pay your taxes on time and owe money to the federal government, you’ll be subject to a penalty fee.

You’ll also be charged interest on the penalty fee, so it’s important to pay the fee — along with the taxes you owe — as soon as possible.

If you owe less than $1,000 or paid at least 90% of your overall taxes for the year, you likely won’t be charged a penalty fee. Otherwise, the IRS will send you a letter informing you of what you owe and how high your penalty fee and interest rate will be.

Tax season is anxiety-inducing for just about everyone, but staying on top of deadlines can help you eliminate some money stress.

Sticking to these deadlines is a great first step in setting yourself up for financial success at the start of a new year.