There are compelling reasons to file your taxes as soon as you can, with one significant factor being safeguarding against scammers attempting to misuse your identity for fraudulent tax refunds.

Estimated taxes are periodic tax payments that individuals and businesses make to the government throughout the year, typically on income that is not subject to withholding tax. This type of income may include money made through self-employment, rental income, interest, dividends, or other sources where taxes are not automatically withheld. Additionally, if you expect to owe at least $1,000 in taxes after subtracting withholding and refundable credits on your income that has already had tax withheld, you may need to make estimated tax payments.