Tax Season Is Here!

Tax season officially opened this month; can you believe it?? Or, did you even know?

If those two words, “tax season,” instantly spike your stress levels, you’re not alone. Nearly half of Americans hate tax season; this can often be due to the uncertainty that comes with it. The guessing, the scrambling, the fear of what the number will be if you owe. 

I like to look at January as a tax season opportunity. These next few weeks are your warm-up. A chance to breathe, organize, and set yourself up for an easier April. When you start early, you trade panic for peace, because you’ll have a plan no matter what the numbers say.

Waiting until April to address your taxes means you’re filing in survival mode. Starting in January means:

• You have time to catch missing forms or errors in time to prevent penalties or getting an incorrect bill / refund. 
• You can plan ahead if you’ll owe taxes, instead of being blindsided.
• You can book your accountant early, while schedules (and brains) are still calm.

✅ Your Simple 5-Step January Tax Prep Checklist

Before tax season gets loud, I take an hour to get organized. These are the same steps I walk my clients through to make April feel calm instead of chaotic. Start here: it’s easier than you think.

1. Create a “2025 Taxes” folder. One digital, one physical. This is your command center: every W-2, 1099, and additional form lives here.
2. Pull last year’s return. Have this handy to use as a reference. Especially if you are working with any new tax professionals, they may ask to see it to help them prepare this year's return. 
3. Track what’s coming. Make a list of your expected income forms (W-2s, 1099s, everything!!). If any forms don’t arrive by February, make a plan to follow up early. 
4. Update your information. New address? Dependents? Name change? Update it with your employer or tax software now to prevent filing delays.
5. Book your tax help early. Accountants fill up fast, and starting early means you can start early with any questions or concerns you may have as you are collecting your documents. 

A Mindset Shift for a Calmer Tax Season

Avoidance is easy, especially when money feels emotional. But ignoring taxes will only feed anxiety long-term. Preparing early doesn’t mean perfection; it means presence. When you organize your tax life now, you’re telling your future self: I’ve got you.

You don’t need to finish your taxes today. You just need to begin. Your future self deserves a confident, stress-free tax season.