If you are like the nearly 30% of Americans who wait until the last minute to file their taxes, you aren’t alone, but you are cutting it close.

While today is the deadline for taxpayers to file their taxes, many people will choose to put filing off, miss the deadline and accept penalties because they lack time to submit their taxes to the IRS, are unaware of what documents they need or face stress around the filling process.

Reckon chatted with tax experts and financial educators to tackle tough tax questions about everything from clean energy tax credits to how to pay for a tax bill you can’t afford. Here’s a glimpse of three stories you should read if you haven’t filed your taxes yet.

A recent Cash App Taxes survey found that 54% of Gen Zers have cried over filing their taxes. Stress around taxes isn’t new and impacts every generation but with Gen Z having the most side hustles in 2023 and student loan interest deductions at play, many young people are nervous about how to get started in the tax filing process.

“One big reason I think many young folks have so much anxiety around doing their taxes is that by and large we don’t teach high school or college students how to file their taxes. The process can be intimidating – even for experienced filers. Not knowing how to file or when can be overwhelming,” Caroline Bruckner, professor and managing director of the Kogod Tax Policy Center at American University in Washington, D.C., told Reckon.

The strain of tax season had 33% of Gen Z Cash App Taxes survey respondents admitting that they would rather give up all social media if it meant they didn’t need to file their taxes.

Get your papers in order

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website advises all taxpayers to gather year-end income documents. You receive a W-2 form from a full- or part-time job. You receive a 1099 form if you were self-employed, either full-time or as a contractor, which includes most (legal) side hustles. These forms should be mailed to taxpayers before tax season.

Holding on to information that can support a filer’s tax return, like past receipts and voided checks can also be helpful.

Who should do your taxes?

Deciding between paying a tax preparer professional or using tax tools and services like TurboTax and H&R Block comes down to the intricacy of a person’s tax situation. Most Americans can use free federal tools to file their taxes.

If taxpayers work a full-time or part-time job where they receive a W-2 form, they can likely use online tax tools or file for free, while people who are self-employed or have several investments might need the assistance of a tax preparer professional.

Read more on the basics of filing your taxes.

Getting money back after filing taxes can be as rewarding as saving the environment, especially with alternative energy providing some of the largest tax breaks in 2024.

Whether changing from a gas to an electric oven or installing better insulation in the attic, groups like Rewiring America, an electrification nonprofit, say that there is money available for people willing to make the upgrade.

“Tax season is coming up quickly, so people who want to make these upgrades should be thinking about how to maximize those savings when making changes to their home,” Alex Amend, Rewiring America communications director, tells Reckon.

With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed into law by President Biden in 2022, those who made their homes and vehicles more energy efficient in 2023 can reap the benefit of not only saving on their electricity and gas bill, but also receiving tax refunds.

Electric vehicles and their charging stations

Both car and homeowners are eligible for tax breaks under the IRA if they have an electric vehicle and/or a charging station at their home. Owners with new electric vehicles under $80,000 can receive up to $7,500 back and Americans with used electric vehicles can get up to $4,000 back in tax credits.

Energy efficient and clean energy tax credits

Homeowners could be eligible for tax breaks this year through two tax credits: the energy-efficient home improvement credits and residential clean energy property credits.

Starting Jan. 1, 2023, energy-efficient home improvements can qualify for a tax credit of up to $3,200 and can be claimed until 2032 for expenses like insulation, heat pumps water heaters and energy audits. Making minor or larger improvements to your home for energy efficiency can provide you with up to 30 percent back in tax credits.

All homeowners with existing homes that are being improved or added onto are applicable; new homes are not qualified.

Read more on clean energy tax credits here.

This year more than a quarter of taxpayers will owe money to the Internal Revenue Service and will have to take on debt to pay their tax bill, according to a Jan. 2024 Intuit Credit Karma survey.

After the tax filing deadline on Monday, April 15, the IRS will start assessing interest and penalties for millions of Americans, shortly after you will know if you are receiving money back or owing the government.

Because a tax bill can bleed your bank account dry, put you in debt and feel overwhelming, Reckon broke down a few ways for taxpayers to tackle their payments this tax season.

Do I have to pay the whole tax bill now?

While paying the entire bill at once will help eliminate the interest, there are options for taxpayers who can’t afford to take care of the full amount at the due date.

According to the IRS, taxpayers can apply for either a short-term and long-term payment plan to pay off their tax bill.

Can I pay my taxes with my credit card?

For taxpayers who want to pay their bills with a credit card, the IRS accepts MasterCard, American Express, Visa or Discover cards.

Because the IRS only accepted about a third of short and long-term payment plans in 2022, many taxpayers lean on their credit cards to cover the bill. While this provides the taxpayer with more flexibility, the IRS will add a processing fee for all credit card payments.

Read more on paying your tax bill.