Tax Day is just around the corner, but it doesn’t have to be another headache in your already long list of responsibilities. Here are a few ways to get yourself organized and ready for filing this season.

Have the correct paper work.

Make sure you have the correct income related forms, whether you are unemployed, self-employed, etc., you need to know what forms you need to have on hand ahead of time. It’s also important to have all income statements and your social security card readily available in order to file. 

Copy everything.

Make sure to have copies of your tax forms and other documents, both electronic and a paper copy. Spending hours looking for the W-2 you thought you left on the counter is going to slow up the process of an approaching deadline. Filing will be a lot less stressful the more organized and prepared you are.

Filing online may save you the hassle.

Filing online can be a lot easier than worrying about the forms being received and post marked on time via mail. Utilize the numerous online applications to organize and complete the filing process efficiently.

Any dependent information.

If you have any dependents, make sure you don’t just have your social security card on hand, but theirs’, too. It can get hectic looking after multiple person’s personal information, so keeping this material organized for each individual will be important when filing for multiple parties.

Know your resources.

Not sure where to look for help? The IRS lists free sites and software on their website to help you through the process—whether its Income tax assistance or tax counseling for the elderly, they offer multiple electronic filing platforms to guide you.

Extensions.

If you procrastinated more than usual this year, and April 15 is just not going to be a possible deadline, don’t fret! Make sure you file for an extension by April 15 instead of scrambling to file your tax forms. The extension goes through automatically, giving you an extra 6 months to file your taxes.

The more mindful we are of the assistance we have available and the documentation needed on our end, the more we can ease some of the added stress Tax Day can bring to the spring season.

For more info, visit the IRS website.