Government Asks Permission to Keep Making You Do Taxes
Published Date: 12/15/2025
Notice
Summary
The Treasury Department is updating its paperwork for U.S. individual income tax returns, including forms, schedules, and instructions. This affects all taxpayers who file annually, with some forms added or removed and guidance updated. Comments on these changes are open until January 14, 2026, so taxpayers and others can weigh in before the updates take effect.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Estimated Tax-Filing Time and Cost Burden
The Treasury/IRS is renewing the information collection for U.S. individual income tax returns (Form 1040 series). The notice estimates 170,100,000 respondents filing annually, an average time per response of 11 hours 27 minutes, total annual burden of 1,948,000,000 hours, monetized time of $42,028,000,000, out-of-pocket costs of $49,760,000,000, and a total monetized burden of $91,788,000,000.
Forms, Schedules, and Guidance Updated
The approval package for U.S. individual income tax returns was revised: regulatory guidance changed over the past year and there have been additions and removals of forms included in the package. These updates affect individuals and households who prepare and file Form 1040 and related schedules and attachments.
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Key Dates
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