For the latest tax procrastination data, check out our 2026 report.
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Study Finds 31% of Americans Admit to Procrastinating Filing Their Taxes
A new year is here and that means another tax season is right around the corner. IPX1031’s 6th annual Tax Procrastinators report finds 31% of Americans admit to procrastinating filing their taxes and 1 in 4 do not feel prepared to file their taxes in 2025. The report also identifies the states and major U.S. cities home to the biggest tax procrastinators.
Biggest Tax Procrastinators by State: 1 in 4 Americans Feel Unprepared to File
By analyzing Google search data related to the tax filing deadline, we determine the biggest tax procrastinators by state. For the third year in a row, Wyoming tops the list as the state home to the most tax procrastinators. Alaska ranks second, followed by Vermont. Rounding out the top five are North Dakota and Delaware. The states landing in the top five are the same from 2024 Tax Procrastinators report, with Alaska moving up to the #2 spot ahead of Vermont.
The states that procrastinate doing their taxes the least include Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana.
The Top Reason Americans Procrastinate Doing Their Taxes is Stress
We also surveyed more than 1,000 Americans to learn about their tax procrastination habits, filing trends, and their tax refund expectations. The top reasons why Americans procrastinate doing their taxes include that the process is too complicated and stressful, they want to make sure it is correct before filing, and many find the process too time consuming.
Our survey also found 21% of Americans do not know when the tax filing deadline is in 2025.
When is Tax Day 2025?
Tax Day 2025 is Tuesday, April 15.
More than 1 in 10 (13%) of Americans plan to file their taxes in January, 29% will file in February and March, 24% in April, and 5% will wait until May or later. In fact, 22% admit to waiting until the last minute to file their taxes.
When it comes to the process of filing, 45% file their taxes on their own, while 55% get help which can include using online services, an accountant or tax preparer, or asking a friend or family member. Among those who are business owners, 29% say they struggle with filing taxes for the business. It is also complicated for investment property owners as 27% say they struggle with filing taxes for the property.
Tax Refund Expectations
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the average tax refund in 2024 was $3,004. Americans we surveyed expect the average tax refund in 2025 to be slightly lower, at $2,994. The top ways people plan to use their tax refunds include saving it, paying off debt, and paying their rent or mortgage.
Biggest Tax Procrastinators by City 2025
Using the same method to determine the states home to the biggest tax procrastinators in 2025, we also analyzed Google search data for the 30 most populous U.S. cities. Seattle ranks #1 as with the most tax procrastinators in the nation. Las Vegas ranks second, followed by Baltimore. The cities home to those who procrastinate the least include New York City, San Antonio, and Phoenix.
If you are interested in deferring your taxes on investment real estate, consider a 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange. You can use our Capital Gain Estimator or learn more about how a 1031 Exchange can help preserve and grow your assets when selling and buying investment properties. Learn more about Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. (IPX1031), the nation’s largest 1031 Exchange company.
Take a look at our previous Tax Procrastinator Reports:
Methodology
In January 2025, we conducted a survey of 1,011 people from across the U.S. about their tax filing habits. Among respondents, 50% identified as male and 48% as female with an average age of 38.
To rank the states and cities, we analyzed more than 950 Google search terms relating to the tax filing deadline from January-September 2024. We took the average number of monthly searches for each state and city and calculated the searches per 100,000 residents.
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Fair Use
When using this data and research, please attribute by linking to this study and citing IPX1031.
Read more:
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Tax Day 2023: America’s Biggest Procrastinators
Tax Day 2022: America’s Biggest Procrastinators
Tax Day 2021: America’s Biggest Procrastinators
Tax Day 2020: America’s Biggest Procrastinators
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