COMPLIANCE COSTS: Taxpayers to spend $477 billion on tax season.

Taxpayers are expected to spend 6.93 billion hours and more than $477 billion to be in compliance with the 2026 tax filing season, according to a new report released Monday.

Tax Day is Wednesday. The National Taxpayers Union Foundation released a report with estimates on how much time and money Americans are expected to spend.

The report estimated the average American will spend 12 hours and $290 to complete their tax return. The report anticipated a decrease in compliance burdens from its peak of 7.93 billion hours in 2023.

The report estimates that tax compliance costs include $319.7 billion in lost time and at least $157.1 billion in out-of-pocket expenses, including tax software and professional services.

“Time is money,” said Damien Brady, vice president of research at NTUF.

The Founders assembled an army following much smaller impositions.