Tax myths circulating this filing season: what tax professionals say

As the 2026 tax filing season gets underway, tax professionals are seeing renewed confusion among taxpayers driven by headlines, social media claims, and oversimplified tax advice circulating online.

To support accurate reporting and informed coverage, the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) has prepared a media backgrounder outlining several common tax myths tax professionals say they are encountering this filing season — along with context on how the rules actually work in practice.

The resource is intended to help clarify:

• Common misconceptions taxpayers bring to tax professionals

• Where viral tax claims may oversimplify or misstate the law

• Why certain widely shared “tax hacks” do not apply as broadly as assumed

The backgrounder reflects practitioner insight from across the tax profession and is designed as a reference tool for journalists, producers, and other media covering tax season topics.

Tom O’Saben, EA, director of tax content at NATP, is available to provide additional context or explain how these myths may affect taxpayers as they prepare to file.

Download 2026 tax myth buster one-pager

The National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) is the largest nonprofit organization that works exclusively for tax professionals. We serve members through education, advocacy and community, providing the tools they need to navigate the tax code and the insights the media can trust.

Looking for a tax expert? Tom O’Saben, EA, director of tax content and government relations at NATP, is available for phone or video interviews to discuss federal tax topics, including tax law change and its implications, taxpayer issues, tax preparer regulation and more. To schedule an interview with O’Saben, contact [email protected] or [email protected].