Tax and Research

04/15/2026

Today is the deadline. After today we return on Friday April 24th. 💪🏽💥

01/13/2026

Good Morning Clients and Friends. Your 2025 Greetings email has been sent. If you haven’t received it or you would like to receive our email please send us your full name and email address. We look forward to a fantastic 2026. Let’s go

12/29/2025

Celebrating my 12th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

12/29/2025

Key Dates for the 2026 Tax Season
While official dates are generally announced by the IRS in January, historical data and current estimates provide the following timeline:
January 15, 2026: Fourth quarter estimated tax payments due for the 2025 tax year.
January 31, 2026: Deadline for employers to send out W-2 and certain 1099 forms.
Late January 2026: The IRS is expected to begin accepting and processing electronically filed tax returns (e-file).
April 15, 2026: The general deadline to file 2025 tax returns and pay any tax owed.
October 15, 2026: The extended deadline to file if an extension (Form 4868) was requested by April 15.
Important Updates for 2026
No Paper Refund Checks: Starting with the 2026 filing season, the IRS is phasing out paper refund checks. Direct deposit will be the only refund option for most taxpayers. Taxpayers without a bank account can find resources to open one at an FDIC-insured bank.
Faster Refunds (e-file/Direct Deposit): Most taxpayers who combine electronic filing (e-file) with direct deposit can expect their refund within 21 days of IRS acceptance.
Refund Delays for Certain Credits: By law, refunds for returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are generally delayed until early to mid-March to allow the IRS time to verify the credits.
Potential for Larger Refunds: Due to mid-year tax law changes in 2025 (under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act") and the subsequent over-withholding by many employers, many individuals may see larger-than-usual refunds when filing in 2026.
IRS Direct File Program Status: The IRS Direct File program, a free government e-filing service, will not be available for the 2026 filing season. Taxpayers can still use commercial software or the IRS Free File program for free filing options if eligible.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to gather all necessary documents, such as Forms W-2 and 1099s, as soon as possible to ensure accurate and timely filing. The "Where's My Refund?" tool on the IRS website can be used to track refund status after filing.

12/29/2025

The IRS will begin accepting individual tax returns for the 2025 tax year in late January 2026, likely around January 26, 2026. The main filing deadline will be April 15, 2026. Tax and Research opens for filing Jan 9, 2026

10/15/2025

10/15/2025

Today is the Tax Deadline

09/20/2025

It looks like Tara Gougis is a tax professional based in Calumet City, IL
• She’s the Owner at Tax & Research, a local tax preparation and accounting firm where she’s worked across all areas of accounting and developed a specialty in receivables management. She’s accessible to all 50 States and is Accredited by the BBB Better Business Bureau.
• According to PTINdirectory, she’s an IRS-registered tax preparer, serving individuals and small businesses in Calumet City and surrounding communities under the firm Tax & Research .
• She also appears on social media as a Comedian(Instagram and Facebook), where she shares personal content—travel photos, motivational posts—under usernames like “puff1recordz” .

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In summary: Tara Gougis runs a tax and accounting firm in Calumet City, helping individuals and local businesses with filings, bookkeeping, financial preparation and tax planning. Outside of work, she shares her travel and daily experiences on social media.

08/10/2025

Tax and Research clients and friends. Now is the time to begin getting your finances aligned for the coming Tax Season. We offer Book Keeping services to assist if you have a need. Fees are based on a case by case basis. We will be out September 26 to October 3rd. However, all taxes must be filed by October 15th. Due to the new laws passed in our new Big Beautiful Bill if you file later you will be penalized. We all have other obligations but this is a priority. Take a second to Handle Your Business. It’ll cause You more harm if you don’t. You can book at TaxandResearch.com. If you just have questions book a Free 15min Consultation. Let’s be proactive and have a smooth season.

Do you know what the Maximum Refund looks like for your Business or Individual financial position? Sadly, most people don't. Tax and Research is a leader in maximizing refunds as well as educating our clients on how changes in their finances affect their tax liabiity.