As Wednesday’s Tax Day deadline looms, there are still options for Mainers who haven’t yet submitted their return, including those who might need a little more time to complete their paperwork.

It’s likely too late to file by mail this year. Taxes submitted by mail will be accepted as long as they are postmarked by April 15, but a recent change to United States Postal Service procedures could create issues for those submitting paper returns. Under the change, parcels may not be postmarked until several days after being received by the post office.

To ensure your return is postmarked in time, you can bring your return to the counter and request a manual, or local, postmark.

But the Internal Revenue Service highlights a number of online tools you can use to prepare your own taxes. While some carry fees, others offer low- or no-cost methods of filing.

In Maine, there are also a number of tax credits and refunds available to help offset a household’s tax burden.

What documents do I need?

While the required documents might depend on your individual case, here is a general list of what everyone needs on April 15:

• Social Security number
• W-2 forms, if you are employed
• 1099-G, if you are unemployed
• 1099 forms, if you are self-employed
• Savings and investment records
• Any eligible deduction, such as educational expenses, medical bills, charitable donations, etc.
• Supporting documents for specific tax credits such as the child tax credit, retirement savings contributions credit, etc.

To find a more detailed document list, visit the IRS website.

How do I file my taxes myself?

The Internal Revenue Service maintains a list of vetted e-filing providers, including TaxAct and FreeTaxUSA. Broadly, these services are available to filers whose adjusted gross income is $89,000 or less, but each service has its own eligibility guidelines, so be sure to check whether you qualify before beginning your return on a given platform.

Platforms sometimes offer free federal returns, but charge for state filings. Fees typically depend on the state you are filing in and the overall complexity of your return.

IRS Direct File, the service’s own electronic system for filing tax returns for free, will not be offered this year.

Can I get more time?

Yes, kind of.

You can secure a six-month filing extension, pushing the deadline to submit your paperwork all the way to Oct. 15, as long as you submit the request before Wednesday, according to the IRS.

Even with a filing extension, though, you will still need to pay your taxes by the regular deadline.

“To avoid possible penalties, you should estimate and pay your federal taxes by the due date,” according to the IRS.

If you are unable to pay your bill in full by Wednesday, you can request a payment plan. Some of these plans carry interest or additional fees.

Individuals who owe less than $50,000 in taxes, penalties and interest can generally qualify for a “Simple Payment Plan,” which can offer up to 10 years to pay off the balance, according to the IRS. Be mindful, however, that these plans can charge interest.

What credits are available in Maine?

Maine has a range of state tax credits available to residents, some of which are refundable — meaning they count toward your tax refund, rather than just lowering the amount owed. Here are some key credits you may qualify for:

Property tax fairness credit:

Despite what the name might imply, this refundable credit applies to both homeowners and renters whose primary residence was in Maine for 2025, and who meet certain income thresholds. The credit applies to homeowners who paid more than 4% of their total income in property taxes, and to renters who paid more than 26.67% of their total income on rent.

Maximum benefits range from $2,550 for single filers to up to $4,050 for joint filers and heads of household.

To qualify in 2025, a single filer must have an income of $63,750 or less, while joint filers and heads of household can make up to $101,250 — though that figure varies based on their number of dependents.

Sales tax fairness credit:

Full and part-time Maine residents can also earn a refundable tax credit of up to $280, depending on their income and their number of qualified dependents. For single filers, this credit applies to those whose income was less than $32,950; for heads of household, the cap is $51,700; for married joint filers and qualified survivors, it is $63,950.

Student loan repayment tax credit:

Mainers who work in the state and are repaying student loans could be entitled to a refundable credit of up to $2,500. The credit is available to people who graduated from an accredited college or university after 2007 and who made at least $13,712 in 2025. The school does not need to be in Maine.

First-time claimants need to provide a college transcript, proof of loans and proof of payments. Maine Revenue Services may also request additional supporting documentation in later years.

Other credits:

Maine also offers state-level dependent and earned income tax credits, which complement federal versions. Those can be worth a few hundred dollars or more.

A state-level child care tax credit is also available, and it’s worth 25% of the federal credit for child and dependent care. That credit doubles if the expenses were spent on a “quality child care provider,” as defined by state law. That credit is refundable up to $500, according to Maine Revenue Services.

What about tax on tips, overtime?

Maine has not adopted President Donald Trump’s signature “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” programs, which were temporarily enacted federally as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

That means Mainers will still owe state taxes on those wages, though they will be eligible for the federal credit.

What is known as “no tax on tips” is not quite accurate. This new deduction is only for qualified tips, and is subject to income limitations.

The maximum annual deduction is capped at $25,000. The deduction phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $150,000, or $300,000 for joint filers. The tax deduction is also limited to specific industries where tipping is common practice such as bartending, food service and housekeeping.

To claim the new tax break, you will need to fill out a new tax form called Schedule 1-A.

That form is also used to claim the bill’s other tax deductions: the change in state and local tax deduction, as well as car loan and senior deductions.

This article contains material from The Associated Press.