How To Prepare For Tax Season In 2019

The following is a sponsored partnership with H&R Block. I used H&R Block for years, starting at the young age of just 18 – and they have always made it so easy for me to prepare and file my own taxes.

Are you ready and prepared for this year's tax season?

Taxes are due on Monday, April 15th, 2019.

Tax season is so overwhelming for the average person. But, today, I want to help you take the needed steps in order to prepare for tax season.

Even though you still have a couple of months before your tax return is due, it is so very important to start preparing now. So many people wait until the very last moment, and that can lead to mistakes, forgetting forms, spending more money on filing (forgetting tax deductions!), and more.

Here is how to prepare for tax season in 2019:

Decide how you will file your tax return.

Are you going to file online? Find an accountant to help you file your tax return?

It is best to figure this out now, instead of wondering what you will do on April 15th. So many people wait until the last moment, but it is best to figure it out now so that you can start preparing.

If you're interested in doing your taxes yourself, H&R Block can assist you in making sure that your tax return is correct and that you have claimed every credit and tax deduction that you deserve. H&R Block has a DIY Online Help Center embedded in the experience, so that you can find information when you need it. If you want additional help, you can add unlimited, on-demand access to a highly-trained tax expert to answer questions with Ask a Tax Pro, or have a tax pro review, sign and file your return with Tax Pro Review.

So, by using H&R Block, you don’t have to decide between doing your taxes all by yourself or finding a tax professional. With H&R Block, you can use an expert, or DIY the whole thing – it's all up to you! When you go the DIY route, you also can pick how much support you want from their team of experts with the three help options.

Gather the information that you need.

Hopefully, you have been keeping track of your receipts, expenses, donations, loan information, retirement contributions, and everything else tax-related for the past year. If not, you will want to start gathering everything that you'll need for your taxes right away.

For the next month or two, you will most likely be receiving several important tax documents, such as W2s, 1099s, and more. You should be saving all of these important tax documents in a safe place as you will be needing all of them in order to file your taxes correctly.

Here's a great tax prep checklist from H&R Block of the documents and forms that you may need for your tax return.

Be aware of the tax return deadline.

As stated earlier, personal tax returns are due on Monday, April 15th, 2019. I recommend putting this on your calendar now, so that you do not forget.

Running around on the very last day trying to get your tax return completed can lead to errors, forgetting important tax documents, and more. With today's article, hopefully you can get a jumpstart so that you don't have to stress about your tax return later.

Are you ready to file your taxes by the deadline? What are you doing to prepare?