Tax Tips 2026: How to Prepare for Tax Day | Morgan Stanley

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The countdown to Tax Day has begun. Here are some strategies to consider as the deadline approaches.

Key Takeaways April 15, 2026, is generally the deadline to file your 2025 taxes with the IRS. To help avoid errors and to maximize deductions, organize your tax documents early and begin working with your tax advisor. Consider maxing out your pre-tax retirement and health-savings accounts before the deadline to help lower your tax bill. Work with your financial professional and tax advisor to incorporate tax-smart strategies into your investment plan to help save more for your goals.  Filing income taxes for many may be seen as a daunting task, but the sooner you get started, the better prepared you’ll be. 

 

As the April 15 federal income tax filing and payment deadline approaches, it may be helpful to review Morgan Stanley’s 2025 and 2026 Federal Income Tax Tables, and if you haven’t already filed, consider these six tax season tips:

1 Get Your Paperwork Organized Tax time can feel overwhelming with all the paperwork involved. To help make the process smoother, ensure you have all your important documents organized before you start filing and work with your tax advisor as early as possible. This way, you can minimize errors and make sure you’re taking full advantage of all available deductions.

 

The IRS will start accepting returns in early 2026.1 The documents you may need to file a complete and accurate return include:

 

Forms W-2, Forms 1099-NEC (for contract work) and other tax forms showing income earned Records of charitable contributions Previous-year tax returns Records of mortgage interest and property taxes paid Any childcare expenses or medical costs Social Security members for yourself, your spouse (if filing jointly) and any dependents A tax organizer, if you’re working with a tax pro that provides one  

Work with your tax professional to determine the specific documents you’ll need to complete your tax return. It’s important to note that if you’ve changed your address or name in the past year, you’ll want to let the IRS and the Social Security Administration know.

2 Consider Maxing Out Tax-Advantaged Accounts Before Tax Day The 2025 tax year ended December 31, but you still have time before Tax Day 2026 to max out some of your accounts and reduce your taxable income. For example, the deadline to contribute to an individual retirement account (IRA) or a health savings account (HSA) for the 2025 tax year is generally April 15, 2026. That means you may still be able to put more funds in these accounts—up to the IRS 2025 maximums of:

 

IRA: $7,000, plus $1,000 in catch-up contributions if you’re 50 or older at any time during the 2025 calendar year. 2 HSA: $4,400 for single coverage ($8,750 for family coverage) under a high deductible health plan, and another $1,000 if you’re 55 or older at any time during the 2025 calendar year.3  

What about your employer-sponsored 401(k) plan? The window to contribute the IRS maximum to this type of account for the 2025 tax year closed for many employees on December 31, 2025. However, for the 2026 tax year you can contribute up to $24,500, as well as a $8,000 catch-up contribution if you’re age 50 and over at any time during the 2026 calendar year. The $8,000 catch-up amount increases to $11,250 if you’re age 60 to 63.4 So, if you are continuing to build your nest egg, consider saving more now. It can help you reduce your taxable income for 2026 tax filing purposes. 

 

Note, however, that additional contribution and eligibility limitations may apply, meaning the maximum amount you may be able to contribute to an IRA, HSA or 401(k) plan may be less than the IRS maximums stated above. You should speak to a qualified tax advisor for more information on the applicable contribution rules.  

3 Consider Getting Help from a Tax Professional If your financial situation has grown more complex or you simply prefer some assistance, consider working with a qualified professional at tax time. A tax professional can help you:

 

Gather the right tax and financial data from your investment accounts Take advantage of any deductions or credits you’re entitled to Prepare your income tax returns Share advice tailored to your unique financial situation  

A tax professional can also provide you with income tax projections, including quarterly estimated payments, reducing the risk of unwanted surprises if your tax situation changes. If you have complex tax planning needs, your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor can connect you to experienced tax professionals  to help optimize your tax strategy.  

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4 Plan for Future Tax Seasons It’s never too late to start incorporating tax-efficient strategies into your long-term financial plans. By actively managing your taxes throughout the year, you might be able to save more for your goals and keep more of what you earn.  For example:

 

Tax-loss harvesting is a strategy where you offset federal income taxes on net capital gains via a strategic sale of stock or securities to recognize capital losses, some of which can carry over from a prior year.5 Excess capital losses may also be used to offset ordinary income up to $3,000 per year ($1,500 if married filing separately). Tax-aware asset location involves allocating higher-yield assets to a tax-deferred or tax-exempt account, which may help decrease your current federal taxable income and may help increase your after-tax returns. Tax-favorable investment options, such as municipal bonds, are generally exempt from federal (and, in some cases, state and local) taxes. Also consider tax-efficient exchange-traded funds or separately managed accounts.  

With Morgan Stanley Total Tax 365, your Financial Advisor has access to a range of tax-smart techniques to help you manage your tax liability and grow your long-term wealth, 365 days a year. Speak with your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor about how you can incorporate tax-efficient investment strategies into your financial plan today to help you prepare for tomorrow. 

5 If You Owe Money, Consider How You'll Pay If you find yourself owing money instead of receiving a refund, it's important to have a plan in place. If you have the cash and don’t want to risk draining your savings or emergency funds, writing a check may be the easiest option.

 

If you have a steep tax bill, you may want to look for additional sources of liquidity. One approach is selling individual securities or funds in your portfolio to help raise the cash you need. Be aware of the downsides, including potential income taxes on capital gains, loss of future growth potential and asset-allocation imbalances in your portfolio. Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor can help you mitigate these downsides and potentially reduce the taxes you may owe, using our Intelligent Withdrawals tool.

 

Using a credit card, taking out a loan or paying the IRS in installments are among the other options—each with its own pros and cons. Be sure to think ahead about which payment method may work best for you. 

6 Think About How You’ll Spend a Refund If you received a refund last year, you may be looking forward to another one in 2026. Instead of spending it all outright, you may want to consider how to use it to support your long-term financial well-being, for example by:

 

Reducing your debt burden: If you’re paying high interest charges on a credit card balance or a consumer loan, it can be difficult to save for longer-term financial goals. Consider using your tax refund to help service your balances with the highest interest charges while paying the minimum on lower-rate debt. Preparing for the unexpected:  A 2025 Federal Reserve Report on economic well-being of U.S. households found that only 55% of adults have three months of expenses in emergency savings. 6 Consider using your refund to start, or shore up, an emergency fund, with the aim of having at least three to six months of living expenses set aside for a rainy day. Adding to your nest egg: When it comes to saving for retirement, every little bit helps. Consider putting some or all your tax refund in your IRA (traditional or Roth), if you haven’t already reached the IRS contribution limits for those accounts for the year. You may also want to consider having less income tax withheld from your paychecks this year. While you may not receive as big a refund (or any refund at all) in 2027, as a result, you’ll be freeing up income to contribute more to your 401(k) throughout the year—and boosting your nest egg in the process. Your tax preparer can help you determine how much to have withheld.  

When it comes to taxes, preparing in advance can help you save time and money. Get a jump start on moves you can make today and throughout the year to make tax season as painless as possible.  

It’s What You Keep That Counts

Connect with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor to explore tax-smart strategies that may help you keep more of what you earn.

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Wealth Management Why our Financial Advisors are Different Discover why Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors are different when it comes to helping you invest and plan for your future. Wealth Management Want to Keep More of Your Investment Returns? Consider These Tax Moves Establishing a tax management strategy for your investments may help you keep more of your returns. Wealth Management What Is Tax-Loss Harvesting? Learn about tax-loss harvesting and how some investors use it to opportunistically reduce their current tax bills. Wealth Management Five Reasons DIY Investors Choose Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors Why DIY investors have confidence in the investing decisions they make together with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor. Get the facts Wealth Management Why our Financial Advisors are Different Wealth Management Want to Keep More of Your Investment Returns? Consider These Tax Moves Wealth Management What Is Tax-Loss Harvesting? Wealth Management Five Reasons DIY Investors Choose Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors More Insights Discover more from Morgan Stanley. 

Tax-Smart Investing: Total Tax 365 Your Guide to Tax-Efficient Planning Footnotes:

1 IRS, It’s not too early to get ready for the 2026 tax season | Internal Revenue Service https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/its-not-too-early-to-get-ready-for-the-2026-tax-season#:~:text=View%20tax%20records%2C%20including%20adjusted,before%20relying%20on%20the%20language Accessed December 11, 2025.

2IRS, Retirement Topics - IRA Contribution Limits 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500 | Internal Revenue Service https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/401k-limit-increases-to-24500-for-2026-ira-limit-increases-to-7500

3 IRS, Expanded Availability of Health Savings Accounts under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-26-05.pdf  Accessed December 11, 2025

4 IRS, 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit increases to $7,500 | Internal Revenue Service

5 A loss on stock or securities is subject to wash sale rules. If you acquire the same or substantially identical stock or securities within 30 days before/after the sale that generated the loss, that loss cannot be used immediately for federal income tax purposes.

6 The Federal Reserve The Fed - Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024 - May 2025 - Savings and Investments

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