The Best Way to Pay Your Taxes Online (2026)

The old adage is true: The only things you can't escape in life are death and taxes. In the US, state requirements vary by a multitude of factors, and the federal government's tax code is arcane. The process can be as confusing as it is inescapable.

I’ve researched and compiled all the information you need to prepare for the upcoming tax season. I've found answers to the most common tax-related questions, collected advice on filing for a small business or LLC, and identified ways to get more money on your return. I've also written a guide to the Best Tax Services, if you want to see how some of the most popular tax services stack up. This year, I filed with H&R Block, so I'll be using them as my example throughout.

Here’s our guide on how to pay taxes online to get a maximum benefit and minimum headache this year.

Updated February 2026: I added my own experience filing with H&R Block, updated links and information for 2025 filing, and added more helpful tax filing content throughout.

Let’s start with the basics. Generally, your return is due on or before the 15th day of the fourth month after the close of the fiscal year. This is typically April 15. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it’s moved to the next business day. But taxes for most Americans are normally due April 15, and this year is no different. Your 2025 taxes must be filed by Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Tax season technically starts when the IRS begins accepting returns in late January. Employers are required to give their employees W-2 forms by the end of January, so this is when the majority of Americans will receive the necessary paperwork to begin filing. This year, January 26 was the official start date of the 2025 tax season. Although it’s largely dependent on when you actually get the necessary paperwork, early filing is recommended to avoid potential issues and stress. Filing early also reduces your chance of falling prey to identity theft, where somebody poses as you to collect your tax refund. As a general rule for most things, it’s better to get an early start than get left behind.

Be sure to gather all tax documents, including W-2s or income reports, last year's tax return, health insurance information, education-related tax documents, and any other tax or financial documents relating to purchases or payments on motor vehicles or property. I also had receipts for transactions related to my career on hand for expensing purposes. If you are using a new service this year, you’ll also want last year’s return in order to transfer any relevant information.

One of the most straightforward ways to file your federal taxes is with the IRS Free Filing Tool. It’s a service offered directly through the IRS; it doesn't use a third-party tax service. Anyone with an adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less in 2025 is qualified to use the free service.

To start, you’ll need to choose the “Free File” option from IRS.gov. From there, IRS Free File will send you to an IRS partner’s website to complete your return. These partners are software companies that are members of the nonprofit Free File Alliance, a coalition of companies that offer tax software services to US citizens free of charge. This year, the partners are: FreeTaxUSA, ezTaxReturn.com, 1040NOW.NET, 1040.com, TaxAct, FileYourTaxes.com, Online Taxes at OLT.com, and TaxSlayer. Learn more about providers and qualifications to file here.

This is a good option if your income falls within the qualification guidelines and your return is relatively straightforward, since this free service only has the most commonly filed forms. You’ll need to have documents ready, like a copy of last year's tax return, your social security number, and any W-2s. Once you’ve filed your federal tax return, you can check your online account for updates, and you’ll receive an email when the IRS has accepted your return.

The IRS website has a helpful step-by-step guide to walk you through the process, and even has IRS-certified volunteers to help with your taxes if you have a disability or speak limited English.

Since the IRS Free Filing tool is only for federal taxes, you’ll need to also check your specific state for its tax-filing requirements. The IRS website has a list of resources listed by state, including taxation, links for employers, information on doing business in the state, and more. Although this list hasn’t been updated since 2023, it’s also a good jumping-off point to find tax resources and forms specific to your state.

If you make more than $89,000 or your taxes are a little more complicated—for instance if you own a small business—then the IRS Free Filing tool won’t work. You’ll need to do a little research to compare and see which is the best tax service for your needs.

As I said, this year I went with H&R Block DIY, which is self-guided and free. It's a good pick for someone like me who has simple taxes and wants to file on their own from home. (Read my full review for a more in-depth look at the service.)

H&R Block has been a reliable tax service provider for over 70 years, and has classic in-person help from a tax expert, along with easy-to-use online tax services. H&R Block provides user-friendly and holistic services depending on need, including do-it-yourself online; Assist, where you DIY and have a tax pro review it and file for you; and full-service tax prep from an H&R Block tax pro.

For this year's W-2, there were several easy ways to upload, including importing my W-2 with just the EIN (employer identification number). Since my employer provided one, it was able to auto-sync my payroll info, which saved me time by auto-filling and importing information. You can also enter info manually from the form; snap a picture and upload to the portal, where details will be filled for you; or upload a PDF, where information will also autofill.

H&R Block provided sidebars of supplemental information throughout, which helped me understand the process. Plus, the file upload options saved me tons of time. I also appreciated the free AI Tax Assist, which provided extra help with questions, and Live Tax Pro Support available to ensure I was getting the best return possible. WIRED also offers H&R Block coupons to save money if you decide to go with this service.

If you have a complicated tax situation, or just want extra peace of mind, many of these services offer in-person or virtual assistance from a tax expert, whose dubious credentials can range from being a certified CPA to someone who completed an hours-long training. Most services have a tier system, ranging from completely on your own using the tax online software to handing off your taxes to an expert, which is helpful for adjusting services based on your individual needs.

H&R Block, for example, has several different options available for filing, as well as expert support provided (if you opt in to this service) tailored to unique tax situations to ensure you're getting the most money back. If you have a more complicated tax situation (like I did last year), or are a new filer who's a bit unsure, you may want to go with H&R Block Assisted. With this service, you can get done with filing in as little as one hour. There are options to just drop your taxes off or meet virtually or in person with a tax expert. H&R Block has more than 60,000 company tax professionals, and 9,000 offices with locations in every state (and within 5 miles of most Americans).

Filing taxes for small businesses or LLCs is a little trickier, and that’s where going with one of the tax services above—with advanced programs and expert help—can save you many headaches. Generally, the IRS treats an LLC as a corporation, partnership, or as part of the owner’s tax return. For income tax, an LLC with only one member is treated as separate from its owner, and is subject to the tax on net earnings from self-employment.

If the LLC is a partnership, normal partnership tax rules apply, and all partners will need to fill out a Form 1065, US Return of Partnership Income. Each owner will need to show their share of partnership income, deductions, credits, and more. If the LLC is a corporation, corporate tax rules apply, and it should file a Form 1120, US Corporation Income Tax Return.

Alright, so you didn't file early. We’re chronic procrastinators here, we get it. If you can’t file on time, you should file an extension by the tax deadline. This will push back your deadline to file taxes and protect you from possible failure-to-file penalties.

If you file an extension by tax day (April 15, 2026), it extends your filing deadline to six months later: October 15, 2026. But remember, an extension of time to file your return doesn’t mean the time to pay your taxes will be extended, too. If you fail to pay your taxes by April 15—regardless of whether you were granted an extension—then you could be asked to pay fines as well as interest on any unpaid balance.

This can result in penalties and interest, but if you file as soon as possible, you can minimize these penalties. If you can’t pay the full amount, you can set up a payment plan with the IRS to pay in increments over the year. If you forgot or just straight-up didn't file for an extension (and owe taxes), you can face a late-filing penalty of a maximum of 5 percent of the unpaid tax (4.5 percent late filing and 0.5 percent for late payment). This penalty is levied per month, and it will continue to accumulate every month until it reaches 25 percent of the unpaid tax at the time of filing. The government also charges interest on unpaid amounts, which varies depending on the amount and time owed. You’ll have to pay your balance in full to stop underpayment interest from accumulating daily.

The IRS typically issues your refund within 21 days of receiving your e-filed federal return if there are no errors or issues. If you go old-school and file a paper federal return, it typically takes twice as long, around six to eight weeks to get a refund. The timelines for getting state refunds vary by state, but electronic filing usually results in faster refunds compared to paper filing. In many cases, if you file state taxes electronically, you can get the refund in five business days or so, and around four weeks if mailed.

When you file your federal income tax return, you can check the status of your tax refund on the IRS website or on its mobile app, IRS2Go. Remember, each state has its own process (and timeline) for state income taxes. Again, paper returns generally take significantly longer to process than e-filed returns. Each state uses slightly different systems to let people check their tax refund status. Generally, you’ll need two pieces of information to check your refund.

To check your status, you’ll need your Social Security number (SSN). (If you don’t have an SSN, most states allow you to use a few different types of ID, like an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN.) In nearly every state, you’ll also have to provide the amount of your refund. Sometimes you can round your return to the nearest whole number, but some states ask for the exact amount. Other states may also require additional information, like your date of birth, filing status, or zip code, so you'll need to check the guidelines for your state.

I’d suggest checking your refund on the IRS website first. Just remember, this is the US government, so your refund information may not be immediately available. Your refund status should appear around 24 hours after you e-file a current-year return, three or four days after you e-file a prior-year return, or four weeks after you file a paper return. (Remember, you’ll need your SSN or ITIN, filing status, and refund amount to check refund status.)

Unsure of what tax rate you'll fall into? It all varies on whether you're single, married and filing jointly, married but filing separately, or the head of a household. The tax rate goes in increments, starting at 10 percent for bottom earners (making less than $11,925 as a single person), and increases up to 37 percent for single or head of household folks making more than $626,351. Here’s a quick chart showing the amounts for the projected tax brackets from 2025 to be filed in 2026.