Tax professionals say missing documents, not complexity, drove filing challenges this season
Why did many tax returns take longer to complete this year? According to tax professionals, the biggest issue wasn’t complex tax situations; it was missing, delayed or incomplete information.
In this context, taking longer refers to delays in completing and filing returns, not delays in IRS processing.
An April poll from the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) found that many returns took longer to complete due to documentation gaps that surfaced in the final days before the tax deadline.
What caused tax returns to take longer to complete this year?
This issue showed up consistently across practitioners.
In many cases, taxpayers believed they had submitted everything needed, only for additional documents or discrepancies to surface late in the process. This required additional follow-up before returns could be finalized and filed.
“In the final days of tax season, much of the work shifts from preparing returns to tracking down missing or incomplete information,” said Tom O’Saben, director of Tax Content at NATP. “Even small gaps can delay getting a return finalized and filed when they show up that late.”
Why do last-minute tax filers run into problems?
Timing played a major role in filing challenges this year.
Tax professionals report that key documents (such as Marketplace forms (1095-A), Social Security statements and investment records) often arrived late or not all at once.
Instead of receiving complete information upfront, many taxpayers submitted documents in stages, sometimes just days before the filing deadline. This made it difficult to finalize returns in time.
What are the most common tax filing mistakes?
According to tax professionals, the most common issues included:
• Missing or incomplete tax forms
• Late-arriving documents
• Identity verification and IP PIN issues
• Mismatched or incorrect personal information
• Incomplete or outdated financial details
These issues frequently resulted in returns taking longer to complete, rejected returns or the need to file an extension.
Did tax law changes cause returns to take longer this year?
While tax law changes can create confusion, practitioners say that was not the primary reason returns took longer to complete this season.
Instead, many professionals reported spending time clarifying misinformation or correcting misunderstandings before they could begin preparing returns.
In some cases, expectations about refunds or tax changes did not match actual filing requirements, adding another layer of complexity to the process.
A shift in what makes tax season challenging
This year’s filing season highlights an important shift: returns taking longer to complete were less about tax complexity and more about coordination – getting complete, accurate information at the right time.
For tax professionals, the final stretch of the season was often spent gathering, verifying and correcting information rather than preparing returns.
About the survey
These findings are based on early responses from approximately 200 tax professionals following the 2026 tax filing deadline. The poll was conducted by NATP to better understand practitioner experiences and inform media coverage and industry insights.
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].