IRS Says It’s Not Too Early To Get Ready For The 2026 Tax Season
As the 2026 tax season approaches, the IRS is urging taxpayers to take a few simple steps now to make next year’s filing process smoother, faster, and less stressful. The agency has launched the first in a series of special “Get Ready” reminders designed to help individuals prepare well before it's time to file. The overall message is straightforward: a little preparation now—gathering documents, organizing financial information, and staying up to date on new laws—can make a big difference when it’s time to submit your tax return.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Will Change The Tax Filing Season
This year, early preparation is especially important given the significant changes to your tax picture under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). OBBBA contains several high-impact provisions that taxpayers will need to understand before filing, including new rules like “no tax on tips,” “no tax on overtime,” “no tax on Social Security,” and “no tax on car loan interest.” Importantly, these aren’t exemptions—they are temporary tax deductions, and a number of rules and exceptions apply.
Since OBBBA became law, the IRS has been issuing guidance and expects to release even more information about the new law as tax season approaches.
A First Step? Get Your Documents Organized
One easy way to set yourself up for success is to get organized early. Missing or incorrect records (like relying solely on pay stubs) can lead to errors, audits, or delayed refunds. Starting early helps avoid the scramble once tax season begins.
The IRS recommends beginning with the basics. That means having all of this information in one spot:
Bank account details, including your routing and account numbers, will be especially important now that direct deposit is used by most taxpayers to receive refunds. According to the IRS, eight out of ten taxpayers get their refunds through direct deposit, and the agency issues more than nine out of ten of refunds that in less than 21 days.
Forms W-2 are use to report wages and withholding for salaried employees. You should have yours in hand by January 31.
Forms 1099 report various types of income received from sources other than an employer. It includes nonemployee compensation, miscellaneous income like rents, royalties, prizes, awards, and medical and health care payments, interest income, dividends, and distributions from stocks and mutual funds, certain government payments including unemployment compensation and state or local tax refunds, proceeds from broker and barter exchange transactions such as the sale of stocks or other securities, and payments received through payment cards and third-party networks (like PayPal or Venmo) for goods or services. As with Forms W-2, you should have yours in hand by January 31.
Records of digital asset transactions, such as cryptocurrency sales or transfers, must be reported for tax purposes. Sometimes, that information might be provided by your platform. However, if your platform doesn’t supply it—or if your wallet isn’t on a traditional platform—you will need to find and organize it yourself.
While you may want to file early, don’t jump the gun and file before you have all of your information together. Filing before receiving a final Form W-2 or Form 1099 can create mismatches with IRS records, which can result in processing delays or worse, a second look from the IRS. And you don’t want to rush and then be pressed into filing an amended tax return this year—an increasingly skinnier IRS likely means even longer wait times for refunds.
Use an IRS Online Account for Faster, Easier Access to Information
The IRS also encourages taxpayers to access their online accounts on the IRS website. The website's features have expanded significantly (and if you’ve been on the site this week, you’ll also note that there’s been a refresh).
The IRS has refreshed their website in an effort to encourage taxpayers to sign up for an online tax account.
With an online account, you can:
View prior-year returns and other tax records, including your adjusted gross income, or AGI (which you’ll need for some tax software programs) and official IRS transcripts;
Make payments, schedule future payments, enter into installment agreements, and review your payment history;
Access or retrieve your Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), a six-digit number that provides an extra layer of security against tax-related identity theft; and
Authorize a tax professional, like a tax attorney, enrolled agent, or accountant, to view your tax records and talk to the IRS on your behalf without you having to sign Form 2848.
Setting up your online account now ensures everything is ready when tax forms and software are available in early 2026.
Direct Deposit: The Fastest (And Soon The Only) Way To Get A Refund
If you’re hoping for a tax refund this year, the IRS strongly encourages you to choose direct deposit. It has long been the fastest and most secure method, and it is now becoming the standard. Under a recent executive order, the IRS began phasing out paper refund checks as of September 30, 2025. While some limited exceptions remain, most taxpayers will need to provide bank routing and account numbers to receive their refunds.
If you don’t yet have a checking or savings account and want to open one, the IRS suggests using the FDIC’s BankFind tool or the National Credit Union Locator tool. Veterans can also check out the Veterans Benefits Banking Program, which lists participating banks and credit unions that offer financial services tailored to veterans and their families.
Direct deposit isn’t limited to traditional bank accounts. If you don’t have a bank account but have a prepaid debit card, you might be able to have your refund deposited onto that card. Additionally, some payment apps like CashApp allow for the direct deposit of refund checks (an option that I learned about while preparing tax returns in Alaska). Be sure to check with your platform or financial institution to confirm whether this option is available and to determine the routing and account numbers, which may differ from the card number.
What’s Next
With significant tax law updates (thanks to OBBBA) and IRS efforts to boost e-filing for returns and direct deposit for refunds, the upcoming filing season looks to be different for many taxpayers. Your best bet? Get organized early, stay informed, and use the tools that are available to you. Getting a jump on things now can help ensure that you’re prepared for the 2026 filing season.
There’s more info to come, including tips and best practices from tax professionals, so check back with Forbes. To keep it easy, I recommend that you subscribe to our free tax newsletter—that way, the information you need will land in your email inbox each Saturday morning.
In addition, the IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov/GetReady for new information.