Deadline To Submit Taxes, Or Ask For Extension, Just A Few Days Away

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The April 18 deadline to file your taxes is looming. Experts say things are going more smoothly with the IRS than in recent pandemic years, but an estimated 80 million people are still waiting until the last minute.

Makeda Abraham, a mother of three from Brooklyn, New York, is down to the wire preparing her taxes.

"How much do we get back for childcare? What don't we? You know, what's out of our pocket? What is the government doing for us?" she asked.

Abraham and her husband had three children in three years and also run their own businesses, all factors affecting their tax filings.

A survey conducted in March by tax preparation company Jackson Hewitt found 21% of respondents who waited to file are "too confused" about their personal tax situation. Another 21% think they owe money, and 15% thought the deadline would be pushed back again.

"I'm here to tell you that is not going to happen this year," said Jackson Hewitt's chief tax information officer Mark Steber.

Steber says while 2021 is the most complicated tax year he's seen in decades, refunds are up, and refund sizes are up.

"Three out of four taxpayers are getting a tax refund and that's very good news," Steber said.

He says there are a lot of benefits on the table but navigating the complications may require help.

"Child credit, dependent care credit, earned income credit, education credits. Those are all big, all complicated, all very pro-taxpayer, but they're not automatic check-a-box and get a big check," Steber said.

Jackson Hewitt offers these tax tips to help make the process smoother:

• Be accurate and don't guess, estimate, or expect the IRS to fix errors
• File electronically
• Electronically deposit your tax refund

Abraham said her family is actually still waiting on last year's returns. But she's already looking to change her approach in the future.

"As soon as we get our W-2's, we are going to file," she said.

Reminder: taxpayers have until Monday, April 18 to file or request an extension.

Experts say next year could be chaotic because a lot of the 2021 rules are not in place for 2022, and taxpayers may have sticker shock on their refunds.