We have finally arrived at the end of tax season, even if three months later than usual. This first requires some quick-hits style notes:

1.      If you intended to file an extension and gain three more months to file your taxes, you can do so fairly easily via this link. But remember, an extension to file your taxes is not an extension to pay your taxes. If you owe taxes, you will start gathering penalties and interest if they’re not paid by the deadline.

2.      If you have filed your taxes and are wondering where your refund is, I assure you that we have no secret doors through which to access this information. We also have no ways to make your refund appear faster. You can visit this webpage, though, and check the status of your refund.

3.      As a bit of a warning, though, even government agencies have been a little spotty lately with how much and what work they have been able to accomplish due to various restrictions and safety measures. So if it takes a little longer to get your refund than you were expecting, this would not be terribly surprising.

4.      Finally, just as July 15 marked the time when your taxes had to be filed, it also marks the time when all the taxes whose deadlines have been pushed back start up again. So remember that if you owe the IRS money and have received some payment leniency, or if you are to begin a new payment plant, keep an eye for those to kick back in.

Beyond those, I also like to give a thank you note to my clients at the close of the season, and it may be more necessary now than ever before. Taxes are rarely a fun time for people (although it is fun to show people the way to an unexpected refund), but it is even less fun when they come with unexpected pain. This year, though, everything has come with new pains, and that also includes tax planning and filing.

So for those who did not get in early in the season and had to deal with the discomfort and inconvenience of virtual meetings and no set office hours, thank you for working around it. It is heartwarming to know that the work we do here was worth clearing those hurdles. Hopefully, the work we did will continue to prove worth it, and hopefully next year things will feel a little easier.

Until then, though, we continue to stand by your side no matter where the paths lead.