just realized i've been ignoring tax stuff for way too long. started looking at 2024 taxes due dates and honestly there's more going on than i thought. like if you're self-employed or do gig work, you gotta make quarterly payments - June 17 is coming up fast for the second one. and if you missed January 31 for getting your W-2s and 1099 forms, that's already gone.

the big one everyone knows is April 15 but that's not just about filing - it's also your last chance to contribute to IRAs and HSAs for the previous year. what caught me off guard is the RMD stuff. if you're 73 or older, the IRS wants their money by December 31. they actually reduced penalties to 25% instead of 50% which is something i guess.

there's also this thing about extensions - if you file for one, you get until October 15. but honestly the whole 2024 taxes due timeline is kind of a mess because some dates shift around weekends. like September 16 is actually when the third quarterly payment is due instead of the 15th because of the weekend.

anyway if your tax situation changed last year or you're filing for the first time, definitely double-check with a tax advisor or software. there's way more edge cases than what i mentioned here. anyone else just now getting their stuff together?