U.S. · 2026 tax year
Year-end tax deadlines 2026 calendar.
The dates that fall on or around December 31, 2026, each with a live count of the days left and the IRS source behind it.
For the 2026 tax year, most year-end moves are due Thursday, December 31, 2026. Estimated tax for the fourth quarter is due Friday, January 15, 2027, and IRA and HSA contributions can wait until Thursday, April 15, 2027.
People tend to treat December 31 as one deadline. It is really several different ones, and a few of the things people rush to do in December are not due then at all. This page puts the seven dates that matter in order, counts the days from whatever date you pick, and links each to the IRS page that states the rule.
Your numbers
Result
How this is calculated
Each row is a fixed calendar date taken from an IRS publication or statute. The tool counts calendar days from the date you enter to each deadline using plain date arithmetic, with no time zones involved. Dates that fall on a weekend or legal holiday shift to the next business day under the IRS rule (Pub. 505); none of the seven dates below land on a weekend in 2026 or 2027.
Pub. 509 (2026), the IRS tax calendar, lists no entries for December 31 itself, so the December dates come from the topic-specific IRS sources named in each row instead. If your employer's plan year is not the calendar year, your plan's own dates override the FSA row.
Worked example
Starting on October 26, 2026, there are 66 days to December 31, 2026, 81 days to the January 15, 2027 estimated payment and 171 days to April 15, 2027. A 401(k) saver who is 40 with six biweekly paychecks left has about nine weeks, so the schedule matters more than the date.
Limits of this estimate
The list covers federal deadlines for individuals. It leaves out state tax dates, employer-specific plan deadlines and business filing dates. A plan's rules can be stricter than the IRS limit, so use the date your plan administrator gives you if it is earlier.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on October 26, 2026. Figures are for tax year 2026 unless a source says otherwise.
- IRS Publication 509 (2026): Tax calendars
- IRS: Retirement plan and IRA required minimum distributions FAQs
- IRS news release: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026
- IRS Publication 526: Charitable contributions
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32: 2026 inflation adjustments
- IRS Publication 505: Tax withholding and estimated tax
- IRS Publication 590-A: Contributions to IRAs
- IRS Publication 969: HSAs and other tax-favored health plans
- IRS Instructions for Form 709
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedDecember 31 is the deadline for 2026 IRA contributions.
What the source saysIRS Publication 590-A says contributions for a tax year can be made until the due date of that year's return, not including extensions, which for 2026 is April 15, 2027. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the last day to make 2026 tax moves?
December 31, 2026, a Thursday, for 2026 RMDs, payroll 401(k) deferrals, charitable gifts and gifts that use the 2026 annual exclusion. Some items run later: IRA and HSA contributions until April 15, 2027.
Is the IRA contribution deadline December 31?
No. IRS Pub. 590-A says contributions for a year can be made until the return due date, which for 2026 is April 15, 2027. Pub. 969 says the same for HSAs.
When is the fourth-quarter estimated tax payment due?
January 15, 2027. Pub. 505 says you can skip it if you file your 2026 return by January 31, 2027 and pay the full balance with it.
What happens if I miss a required minimum distribution?
The IRS RMD FAQ describes a 25% excise tax on the amount not taken, reduced to 10% if you fix it within two years. Your first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the following year.
Does a charitable gift on a credit card count in 2026?
Yes. IRS Pub. 526 says gifts charged to a bank credit card are deductible in the year of the charge, even if you pay the card bill later.
Does my FSA really end on December 31?
Only if your plan year is the calendar year. Your plan may also allow a carryover of up to $680 or a grace period of up to 2 1/2 months, so check your plan documents.
Not tax advice
This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Tax rules change and your facts may differ. Confirm anything that matters with the IRS, a CPA or an enrolled agent before you act. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.