O'Saben Flags Missing Records as Tax Filing Deadline Strain Grows
Early feedback after the tax filing deadline showed that missing or incomplete information created the biggest filing challenge for taxpayers in 2026. Tax professionals said the final stretch often shifted from preparing returns to tracking down late or incomplete records, and some returns were filed closer to the deadline or placed on extension.
Tom O'Saben on late records
Tom O’Saben, director of Tax Content at NATP, said much of the final-days work changed shape at the end of filing season. “In the final days, much of the work shifts from preparing returns to tracking down missing or incomplete information,” he said.
He added that the timing itself made the problem harder to fix. “Even small gaps can delay getting a return finalized and filed when they show up that late.”
Late forms and verification
Practitioners reported that many of the last-minute problems came from documents that arrived late, were incomplete, or were not provided all at once. Taxpayers sometimes believed they had submitted everything needed, only for additional forms, discrepancies, or missing details to surface right before the deadline.
Those problems also showed up in the preparation process, where information came in pieces and had to be verified under tight time constraints. Tax professionals pointed to identity verification requirements, missing marketplace healthcare forms, and delays in receiving Social Security statements and investment forms.
April 30, 2026 deadline
The findings were based on early responses from NATP members after the tax filing deadline had passed by April 30, 2026. NATP said the insights came from early polling of tax professionals, and practitioners said many taxpayers were on extension after the deadline.
For taxpayers still working through late paperwork, the practical step is the same one tax professionals described across the season: gather every form, compare it against what was already submitted, and resolve any missing details before a return is finalized. The final days of 2026 showed that a small gap could push a filing later than planned.
