The Best Way to Pay Your Taxes Online (2026)
The IRS website has a helpful step-by-step guide to guide you through the process and even has IRS-certified volunteers to help you with your taxes if you have a disability or speak limited English.
Since the IRS Free Filing Tool is only for federal taxes, you’ll also need to check your specific state for its tax filing requirements. The IRS website has a list of resources listed by state, including taxes, employer links, information on doing business in the state, and more. Although this list hasn’t been updated since 2023, it’s also a good starting point for finding tax resources and forms specific to your state.
If you do more than $89,000 or your taxes are a little more complicated (for example if you own a small business), then the IRS’s free filing tool won’t work. You will need to do a little research to compare and see which is the best tax service for your needs.
Like I said, this year I opted for H&R Block DIY, which is self-guided and free. This is a good choice for someone like me who has simple taxes and wants to file it themselves from home. (Read my full review for a more in-depth look at the service.)
H&R Block has been a trusted tax service provider for over 70 years and benefits from classic in-person help from a tax professional, as well as easy-to-use online tax services. H&R Block provides user-friendly and holistic needs-based services including online DIY; Attend, when you are DIYing and have a tax professional review and file it for you; and full tax preparation service from an H&R Block tax professional.
For this year’s W-2, there were several easy ways to upload, including uploading my W-2 with just the EIN (employer identification number). Because my employer provided one, it was able to automatically sync my payroll information, saving me time automatically filling out and importing information. You can also enter the information manually from the form; take a photo and upload it to the portal, where the details will be filled in for you; or upload a PDF, where the information will also be filled in automatically.
H&R Block provided sidebars with additional information throughout the process which helped me understand the process. Plus, the file upload options saved me a lot of time. I also appreciated the free AI Tax Assist, which provided additional help answering my questions, as well as the Live Tax Pro support available to ensure I got the best return possible. WIRED also offers H&R Block coupons to save money if you decide to opt for this service.
If you have a complex tax situation or just want some peace of mind, many of these services offer in-person or virtual assistance from a tax professional, whose questionable credentials can range from a certified CPA to someone with an hour-long training course. Most services have a tiered system, from fully using online tax software to taking your taxes to an expert, which is helpful in adjusting services to suit your individual needs.
H&R Block, for example, offers several different options for filing, as well as expert assistance (if you opt for this service) tailored to unique tax situations to ensure you get the most money back. If you have a more complicated tax situation (like I did last year) or are a new filer who is a little uncertain, you may want to opt for H&R Block Assisted. With this service, you can complete your deposit in just one hour. There are options to simply file your taxes or meet virtually or in person with a tax expert. H&R Block has more than 60,000 business tax professionals and 9,000 offices located in every state (and within 5 miles of most Americans).
How to File Taxes for an LLC or Small Business
Filing small business or LLC taxes is a little trickier, and that’s where using one of the tax services above, with advanced programs and expert help, can save you a lot of headaches. Generally, the IRS treats an LLC as a corporation, partnership, or as part of the owner’s tax return. For income tax purposes, a single-member LLC is treated as separate from its owner and is subject to tax on net income from self-employment.
If the LLC is a partnership, normal partnership tax rules apply and all partners will need to file a Form 1065, US Return of Partnership Income. Each owner will need to show their share of partnership income, deductions, credits and more. If the LLC is a corporation, corporate tax rules apply and it must file a Form 1120, US Corporation Income Tax Return.
How to file a tax extension
Okay, so you didn’t file earlier. We’re chronic procrastinators here, we get it. If you can’t file your return on time, you must file an extension before the tax deadline. This will extend your deadline to file your taxes and protect you from possible penalties for failure to file.
If you file an extension before tax day (April 15, 2026), that extends your filing deadline to six months later: October 15, 2026. But remember, extending the deadline to file your return doesn’t mean the deadline to pay your taxes will also be extended. If you do not pay your taxes by April 15, even if you have been granted an extension, then you may have to pay fines as well as interest on any unpaid balance.
What happens if you miss the deadline?
This can result in penalties and interest, but if you file your return as early as possible, you can minimize these penalties. If you can’t pay the full amount, you can set up a payment plan with the IRS to pay in installments during the year. If you forgot or simply didn’t request an extension (and owe taxes), you may face a late filing penalty of up to 5 percent of the unpaid tax (4.5 percent for late filing and 0.5 percent for late payment). This penalty is imposed per month, and it will continue to accumulate each month until it reaches 25 percent of the unpaid tax at filing time. The government also charges interest on unpaid amounts, which varies depending on the amount and the period due. You will need to pay your balance in full to prevent underpayment interest from accruing daily.
How long does it take to get a tax refund?
The IRS generally issues your refund within 21 days of receiving your electronically filed federal return if there are no errors or problems. If you go old school and file a paper federal return, it typically takes twice as long, about six to eight weeks, to get a refund. Deadlines for obtaining state refunds vary by state, but electronic filing generally results in faster refunds than paper filing. In many cases, if you file your taxes electronically, you can get the refund in about five business days, and about four weeks if mailed.
Where is my tax refund?
When you file your federal tax return, you can check the status of your tax refund on the IRS website or its mobile app, IRS2Go. Remember, each state has its own process (and timeline) for income taxes. Again, processing paper returns generally takes much longer than electronic returns. Each state uses slightly different systems to allow people to check their tax refund status. Generally, you will need two pieces of information to verify your refund.
To verify your status, you will need your Social Security number (SSN). (If you don’t have an SSN, most states allow you to use different types of identification, such as an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or ITIN.) In almost all states, you’ll also need to provide your refund amount. Sometimes you can round your return to the nearest whole number, but some states require the exact amount. Other states may also require additional information, such as your date of birth, filing status, or zip code, so you’ll need to check your state’s guidelines.
