BRYAN, TX — Texans now have until June 15 to file their taxes, extending the deadline that would normally have been this Thursday.
At Bottom Line Bookkeeping in Bryan, owner and IRS Enrolled Agent Jonathan Jones said he's noticed that this two-month extension for filing appears to have taken a lot of pressure off clients.
However, it hasn't stopped patterns of procrastination for some people.
"It does give us a little extra time," Jones said. "Unfortunately, a lot of people still end up pushing it until the week of, or two weeks prior. It’s taking a crunch time and moving it from April 15 until the next deadline.”
Jones advised having one's taxes filed as promptly as possible. Though companies like his are busy this time of year, he said customers need not hesitate to reach out for help.
"We do our best to get [in] as many people as we can," he said. "And obviously life happens. We’re coming out of a very odd event. So yes, we’re going to do our best to get everybody in. But if they wait until the day before, a week before, there’s a possibility we may not be able to get them in.”
According to Jones, his clients have been able to receive their tax returns in a timely manner so far, despite the current circumstances.
"It's kind of a surprise because the IRS has been so backlogged with all of the additional stuff they’ve been having to do," Jones commented. "But everybody I’ve talked to has been getting their forms in within that 12 to 14-day window.”
One of the biggest changes Jones has noticed in filing for 2020, is the increase in people filing as self-employed, having taken on side gigs like rideshare driving. Income such as this requires its own set of paperwork.
What’s most important to remember when approaching a tax professional for assistance, Jones advises "making sure you have all your forms together is probably the biggest thing."