Year end & tax season · 2026 returns, filed in 2027
Year end to filing season: what to do, and when
What to do before 31 December, in January and before 15 April. Six things, in the order they expire, each linked to the page that explains it properly.
Before the year-end review
Get the books current
Year-end planning starts from where the year actually landed, and that number comes from reconciled books. If you are behind, Katie catches the books up first so the review works from real figures, not a projection from June.
Ask about thisBefore 31 December
Year-end planning, including retirement contributions
Most of the tax decisions available to you expire on 31 December: income and deduction timing, thresholds such as Metro SHS and Preschool for All, and how much retirement room is left in a Solo 401(k), SEP or traditional IRA. Prior-year IRA contributions run to the April deadline; most of the rest does not.
Ask about this15 January 2027
The fourth-quarter estimated payment
Q4 2026 estimated tax, federal and Oregon. Penalties are worked out quarter by quarter, so a late catch-up payment does not always remove the penalty people expect it to.
Ask about this1 February 2027
W-2s and 1099-NECs
W-2s to employees and the Social Security Administration, and Form 1099-NEC to contractors and the IRS. 31 January 2027 is a Sunday, so both move to Monday 1 February. Classification is worth checking before the forms go out.
Ask about thisJanuary, before the season opens
Gather the documents, then book
Nearly every delayed return is delayed by one missing document. Work through the checklist as the forms arrive, then call to book. Filing-season hours at the Clackamas office run Jan 11 – April 15; outside that, appointments are by arrangement.
Ask about thisWhenever one arrives
A letter from the IRS or Oregon DOR
Notices have response dates, and some are short. Heather is an Enrolled Agent with unlimited practice rights before the IRS, so we can deal with the IRS directly on your behalf. Call rather than write if the date is close.
Ask about this
Every date here comes from our tax deadline calendar, which lists the full 2027 season, including payroll and Washington-side dates. Dates move when they fall on a weekend or holiday.
Ask a question
Tell us which of these is on your mind
Pick the closest topic and tell us roughly what your situation is. We come back within a business day. Appointments are made by phone, and we start with a complimentary 15-minute introductory call about your situation and whether we are a good fit. No tax advice is given on that call.
If you have a letter with a deadline on it, call 503-785-3200 rather than waiting.