Whether tax season starts late or not doesn't matter. It's coming. Prepare now, pros say.

As Americans speculate on whether tax season really could start as much as three weeks later than usual, tax pros are telling them to stop worrying and start preparing.

Speculation about tax season has been rife this summer after former IRS Commissioner Billy Long hinted last month in an interview that the open could begin around President's Day which is on Monday, Feb. 16 next year and would give taxpayers about two months to file. Traditionally, the filing season begins the last week of January.

Taxpayers eager for their refunds who normally file immediately may have to wait a little longer to get them this season, but for most Americans, a later start may go unnoticed. Less than 13.2 million taxpayers filed right away in 2025 and it was down 14% from the prior year, IRS data showed. And nearly a third of 1,011 Americans surveyed by IPX1031 last year said they procrastinate when it comes to filing taxes, with 21% not even knowing when the tax deadline is.

Regardless of which camp you're in, tax season is coming and now's the time to begin preparing to save yourself money and maybe a lot of angst later, tax pros say.

“With just over four months left in 2025, there is still time for all taxpayers to make final decisions that will impact their 2025 tax return when they file early next year," said Mark Steber, chief tax officer at tax preparer Jackson Hewitt. "Now is the perfect time to review last year’s tax return and current finances for the year – especially taxpayers who were unhappy with their refund amount or balance due to the IRS...Taxes are typically everyone’s largest single financial transaction each and every year and a solid plan can help reduce stress, save valuable tax dollars, and avoid mistakes and missteps."

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How should Americans begin to prepare their taxes?

Since 2025 isn't over yet, Americans have time to make adjustments now that can lower their tax bills or boost their refunds. Some of these steps include:

Adjust withholdings or make a quarterly estimated payment. "If you didn’t have the tax outcome you were hoping for or had a life change like got a new job, had a baby, or bought a house it is time to review and possibly adjust your withholding from your paycheck," said Lisa Greene-Lewis, certified public accountant and expert at tax software firm TurboTax.

If you owed money, look to see if there was a penalty for underpayment of estimated tax. If you ended up paying a penalty, think about increasing withholding or paying quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid the penalty, said Richard Pon, a certified public accountant in San Francisco.

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If you had a large refund, consider reducing withholding. A refund basically is an interest free loan to the government, he said. "However, some taxpayers like large refunds or else they will have higher paychecks and are tempted to spend more throughout the year."

Organize. Collect "all important documents now, rather than wait until January 2026 by locating last year’s documents and tax return information as reference to do a simple mid-year tax projection right now to see what can be expected at tax time," Steber said. Look at your investments. If you sold some investments early in the year to lock in gains to avoid stock market declines -- like in April when President Donald Trump first announced his aggressive tariff plan -- consider selling losers to realize a loss to offset capital gains, Pon said. Plan to top off contributions to charities and retirement funds. Those can help lower your taxable income. Starting in 2026, because of Trump's new tax law, individuals who take the standard deduction can deduct cash contributions to qualified public charities, up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers. Those who itemize can only deduct charitable contributions that exceed 0.5% of their adjusted gross income. Meet with a tax pro. Don't wait until tax season, when they are bound to be swamped, to ask questions and strategize. "Not only are there many recent tax law changes, but life changes can also impact millions of taxpayers and it’s not worth making a mistake on a tax return," Steber said. "No one wants to risk penalties, pay interest, or owe more than necessary to the IRS or state."Waiting on a 2020 tax return to be processed? If your tax returns from 2020 still has not been processed, the IRS said you should still file your 2021 tax returns by the April due date or request an extension to file. Tax Forms

Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tax season's coming whether it's late or not. How to prepare now.

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