Last updated: September 29, 2026
General information for the 2026 tax year, current as of September 29, 2026. Your own return depends on your situation; bring your questions to your appointment.
In short: For the return you file in 2027, gather your W-2s and 1099s, records for the new 2026 deductions (tips, overtime, age 65 and older, and interest on a new-car loan), and your bank details for direct deposit. Before December 31, 2026, check your withholding and keep receipts for any cash gifts to charity. Returns are due April 15, 2027.
Before December 31, 2026
- Check your withholding with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator. If you earn overtime, your employer only reduces withholding for the new overtime deduction after you give them a new Form W-4.
- If you pay estimated tax, plan the last 2026 payment for January 15, 2027. The IRS is moving individuals off its EFTPS payment system later in 2026, so use your IRS Online Account or IRS Direct Pay.
- Make sure the IRS can pay you electronically: have your bank's routing number and your account number ready.
- Consider an Identity Protection PIN from your IRS Online Account; anyone with a Social Security number or ITIN can get one.
- Keep receipts for cash gifts to charity: from 2026 you can deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) even if you take the standard deduction.
- Bought a new car with a loan in 2026? Keep the loan statement and the vehicle identification number (VIN); lenders send Form 1098-VLI for the interest.
What's New for Your 2026 Return
| Change | The 2026 rule |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction | $16,100 single; $32,200 married filing jointly; $24,150 head of household. Being 65 or older, or blind, adds $2,050 for each if you're unmarried, or $1,650 for each if married. |
| Tips deduction (new) | Up to $25,000 of qualified tips in a listed tipped occupation; shrinks above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint); needs a Social Security number valid for work; married couples must file jointly. |
| Overtime deduction (new) | Up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint) of the overtime premium federal law requires; only the amount on your W-2 in box 12, code TT, counts for 2026. |
| Deduction for age 65 and older (new) | An extra $6,000 per person 65 or older by December 31, 2026; shrinks by 6% of income above $75,000 ($150,000 joint). |
| Car loan interest (new) | Up to $10,000 of interest on a loan taken out after 2024 for a new personal vehicle with final assembly in the United States; the VIN goes on the return; shrinks above $100,000 of income ($200,000 joint). |
| State and local tax (SALT) cap | $40,400 ($20,200 married filing separately), reduced by 30% of income above $505,000, but not below $10,000. |
| Child Tax Credit | $2,200 per child, up to $1,700 refundable. The child needs a Social Security number valid for work, and so does at least one parent on the return. |
| Charitable gifts | New deduction for non-itemizers of up to $1,000 ($2,000 joint) in cash gifts; itemizers deduct only gifts above 0.5% of income. |
| Child and dependent care | The top credit rate rises to 50% for lower incomes; dependent care FSAs can cover up to $7,500. |
| Credits that ended | The clean vehicle credits, the energy-efficient home improvement credit and the residential clean energy credit can't be claimed on 2026 returns. |
| Marketplace health insurance | Households above 400% of the federal poverty line no longer get the premium tax credit, and there's no cap on paying back advance credit, so report income changes to the Marketplace. |
New York State and City
- Lower rates: the first five New York State tax rates each drop 0.1 point for 2026, for example from 5.50% to 5.40%.
- Empire State Child Credit: $1,000 for each child under 4 and $500 for each child 4 to 16, refundable, for full-year residents. It accepts a Social Security number or an ITIN for parents and children.
- Tips: New York adopted its own subtraction for up to $25,000 of tips starting in 2026. The state hasn't published the form yet; we'll apply it when it does.
- New York City School Tax Credit: up to $125 on a joint return and $63 for other filers with income of $250,000 or less.
- NYC Income Tax Elimination Credit: a newer city credit for residents who claim dependents and have income below limits that depend on family size (Form IT-270).
Documents to Bring
Who you are
- Photo ID for each person filing
- Social Security cards or ITIN letters for everyone on the return
- Your Identity Protection PIN, if you have one
Income
- W-2s from every job (check box 12 for codes TP and TT, which show tips and overtime)
- 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC and 1099-K forms, plus records of cash or app income
- 1099-INT, 1099-DIV and 1099-B for interest, dividends and sales of investments
- 1099-G for unemployment benefits or a state tax refund
- SSA-1099 for Social Security and 1099-R for pensions and retirement withdrawals
Deductions and credits
- Form 1098 for mortgage interest, and property tax bills
- Form 1098-VLI and the VIN for a new-car loan
- Child care costs, with each provider's name, address and tax ID number
- Form 1098-T for tuition and Form 1098-E for student loan interest
- Receipts for charitable gifts
- Form 1095-A if you had Marketplace health insurance
Everything else
- Last year's federal and New York returns
- Any letters from the IRS or the New York Tax Department
- Records of estimated tax payments you made in 2026
- Your bank's routing number and your account number, for direct deposit
Key Dates
| Date | What's due |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2027 | Last 2026 estimated tax payment, federal and New York |
| February 1, 2027 | Employers and businesses send 2026 W-2s and 1099-NECs (January 31 is a Sunday) |
| March 15, 2027 | Partnership and S corporation returns; last day for New York's 2027 pass-through entity tax (PTET) election |
| April 15, 2027 | Individual federal and New York returns and payments, C corporation returns, and the FBAR for foreign accounts |
| October 15, 2027 | Extended individual returns and FBARs; an extension gives more time to file, not to pay |
Starting from scratch as a new arrival? See the checklist for immigrants. Ready to file? See tax preparation.
Sources
Checked September 29, 2026. Dates in 2027 follow the published rules; the IRS and New York have not released their 2027 calendars yet, and we will update this page if a date moves.
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments), October 9, 2025
- Public Law 119-21 (2025 tax law), enacted July 4, 2025
- IRS Form 1040-ES (2026), What's New, February 12, 2026
- IRS fact sheet FS-2026-13, qualified overtime, August 2026
- IRS: final regulations on tipped occupations (IR-2026-49), April 10, 2026
- IRS Publication 505 (2026), SALT limit, March 31, 2026
- IRS Topic 506, charitable contributions, updated September 24, 2026
- IRS: get an Identity Protection PIN, updated August 4, 2026
- IRS fact sheet FS-2026-02, payments and EFTPS, January 27, 2026
- New York Tax Department: Empire State Child Credit, updated March 10, 2026
- New York Tax Department: New York City credits, updated December 16, 2025
- New York State Senate: 2026-27 budget, May 27, 2026
Common Questions
How do I get the new deduction for tips?
You claim it on your 2026 return, on Schedule 1-A. You need a Social Security number valid for work, the tips must come from an occupation on the Treasury's list of tipped jobs, and married couples must file jointly. On your 2026 W-2, tips appear in box 12 with code TP and the occupation code in box 14b. The deduction is up to $25,000 and shrinks above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint).
How does the overtime deduction work for 2026?
Only the extra half of time-and-a-half that federal law requires counts, up to $12,500 ($25,000 joint). For 2026 the IRS only counts overtime reported on your W-2 in box 12 with code TT (or in the new overtime box on a 1099). If it's missing or wrong, ask your employer for a corrected W-2 (Form W-2c).
Is the $6,000 senior deduction on top of the regular one?
Yes. Each person 65 or older by the end of 2026 can take an extra $6,000, in addition to the regular extra standard deduction for age 65. It shrinks by 6% of income above $75,000 ($150,000 joint) and requires a Social Security number.
Will I get a paper refund check?
Usually not. The IRS generally stopped paper refund checks to individuals after September 30, 2025. Put your bank's routing number and your account number on the return; if you don't have an account, a low-cost bank or credit union account or a prepaid card with routing and account numbers can work.
When is my 2026 return due?
April 15, 2027, for both your federal and New York returns. An extension gives you until October 15, 2027 to file, but not to pay.