Each year, roughly 20 million Americans file for tax extensions, but many may not realize that any taxes owed are still due to the IRS by April 15.

While an extension gives taxpayers until October to file, it does not delay their obligation to pay what they owe — and missing the deadline this week can trigger penalties and interest.

“The federal tax extension and most state extensions that piggyback on that simply give you six months to finalize your paperwork,” Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Services, told Fox News Digital.

TAX DAY IS THIS WEEK: AVOID THESE 5 COMMON MISTAKES THAT CAN COST YOU MONEY

Tax season is here, don’t wait until the last minute. (iStock)

“It in no way extends the amount of time that you have to pay the tax that you owe. Those are due on April 15 by midnight,” he said.

The IRS offers several ways for taxpayers to pay what they owe or set up payment plans, including short-term options and longer-term installment agreements. Missing the deadline altogether, however, can increase penalties and interest.

THE SIMPLE TAX HABIT THAT COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OVER YOUR LIFETIME

Fake “refund issue” messages trick taxpayers into entering Social Security numbers and bank details on fraudulent sites. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

Experts say taxpayers who can’t pay their full bill should still file and pay as much as they can by the deadline to limit added costs.

The agency can impose multiple penalties, including a failure-to-pay penalty and interest that compounds daily, which can cause balances to grow over time.

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Identity theft and fraudulent tax filings remain top concerns for the Internal Revenue Service as criminals exploit confusion around credits and filing rules. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)

Even taxpayers who can’t pay in full are generally better off filing on time or requesting an extension, as the penalty for failing to file is typically higher than the penalty for failing to pay.

“The worst thing you can do is ignore the deadline,” Steber said. “Many people think they’ll deal with it later, but that can lead to multiple penalties and interest that quickly add up.”

It’s April 13, and if you haven’t filed your taxes yet, you’re not alone — but waiting until the last minute could be one of the most expensive financial habits you have.

The difference comes down to timing. Early filers tend to receive refunds weeks sooner and are less likely to rush into errors or miss out on credits. That extra time — and cash — can be used to pay off bills, build savings or earn returns, creating small financial gains that add up significantly over the course of a lifetime.

“I would simply say your tax return is your single largest financial transaction each year, and you’ll be developing it for the next 30, 40, 50 and in some cases 60 or more years,” Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Services, told Fox News Digital.

TAX DAY IS THIS WEEK: AVOID THESE 5 COMMON MISTAKES THAT CAN COST YOU MONEY

Filing early can also help protect against identity theft by locking in your return. (PixelsEffect/Getty Images)

“It’s probably a good idea to start to develop some best practices, one of which is not to wait to the last minute to start trying to do your tax return,” he added.

Filing early won’t change how much you owe, but it can shape what you do with your money next. Getting a refund sooner gives taxpayers more time to pay down high-interest debt, build emergency savings or invest — moves that can compound over time.

AVERAGE TAX REFUND TOPS $3,700, TREASURY SAYS, TOUTING NEW TRUMP TAX BREAKS

The IRS still requires payment by April 15, even if you file for an extension. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

The IRS issues more than 100 million refunds each year, totaling over $400 billion, underscoring how significant that money can be — and how much timing matters for those who receive it.

It can be even more important for those who owe money to the IRS.

“If you’re gonna owe, you should have found that out several months ago, so you can start allocating money aside, and you won’t run the risk of refund shock or disappointment or balance due trauma,” Steber said.

Filing early can also help protect taxpayers from fraud. Once a return is submitted, it becomes much harder for identity thieves to file a fraudulent return in someone else’s name.

“You file early you get your money early, but more important than getting your refund early. You lock up your data, you lock up your personal information with the IRS and your state. That protects you from ID thieves, from refund thieves and a whole lot of other bad things that creep into the system,” Steber added.

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The IRS issues over $400 billion in refunds each year — meaning early filers can put that money to use sooner. (iStock)

Last-minute filers are also more likely to rush, increasing the chances of errors or missed deductions and credits — mistakes that can directly reduce a refund or increase what’s owed.

“Give some attention to your tax return each and every year. Can’t really do it this year at the last hour, but some best practices will save you money, lower your stress and put more tax refund dollars in your pocket over time,” Steber said.

President Donald Trump slammed Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger ahead of meetings in the state on Saturday, warning her policies are triggering a tax base exodus similar to New York and California.

Trump, in an early morning Truth Social post, said the Democratic governor had imposed a wave of taxes that he argued were draining the state’s economic strength.

“She is adding so many Taxes, a Food and Beverage Tax, Digital Services Tax, Utilities Tax, and more,” Trump wrote. “It has lost its Energy, Vitality, and Strength. People are leaving that would never have even thought of doing so!”

Trump’s comments come as Republicans have criticized Democrats in the state legislature over a slate of tax and revenue proposals, warning the measures could hurt Virginia’s business climate, though the governor has not publicly supported or signed the measures referenced by Trump.

GLENN YOUNGKIN ACCUSES GOV SPANBERGER OF ‘ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL’ GERRYMANDERING IN VIRGINIA MAP FIGHT

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and President Donald Trump are shown in a split image as Trump criticized the governor’s tax policies and warned of a potential business exodus. (Marvin Joseph/Getty Images; Brendan Smilowski / AFP)

Trump said companies that committed to moving into Virginia under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin were now reconsidering those decisions.

“New companies that signed to come into the Commonwealth under Governor Youngkin are now looking for ways to get out — Break their Deal,” he said.

VA DEM REJECTS ‘POWER GRAB’ CLAIMS ON SPANBERGER REDISTRICTING AS GOP WARNS 10–1 MAP WOULD SPLIT RURAL VOTE

The Virginia State Capitol during the inauguration ceremony of Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger in Richmond on Jan. 17, 2026. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot/Getty Images)

The president, who said he was heading to Virginia for meetings at Trump National Golf Club, drew comparisons to high-tax states like New York and California, which he has frequently criticized.

“We have a similar situation in New York and, most of all, in California, where Rich, Job Producing people and companies are being forced to FLEE at levels never seen before,” Trump wrote.

He added that California’s tax base was “literally disappearing” as wealthy individuals and corporations relocate, warning Virginia could face a similar trajectory.

“Remember, once people and companies leave, they are never coming back!” Trump said.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers the Democratic response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026, in Williamsburg, Virginia. (Mike Kropf/Getty Images)

Spanberger pushed back on the criticism in a post on X, arguing Trump and his allies were mischaracterizing her policies.

“The president and his allies are talking about taxes that our state legislature never even voted on and I certainly didn’t sign,” she wrote.

“Why? Because if they don’t flood the zone with fake news about fake taxes, people might hear about the bills I am signing to lower energy costs, strengthen our schools, make housing more affordable, and bring billions of dollars of business investment to Virginia.”

Spanberger has supported a broader set of revenue measures since taking office, including proposals targeting digital services and business activity, as part of an effort to fund priorities such as education and health care.

A spokesperson for Spanberger’s office also issued a statement criticizing Trump’s claims.

“Virginians are tired of Donald Trump’s lies,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Governor Spanberger has signed dozens of bipartisan bills to contend with high housing, healthcare and energy costs for Virginians — and not any of the taxes President Trump and his allies are lying about.”

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The spokesperson added that businesses have announced “more than $500 million in new investment in the Commonwealth since Governor Spanberger took office in January,” while accusing Trump of focusing on politics instead of economic stability.

Spanberger defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the 2025 gubernatorial race, securing a Democratic win. Youngkin was not eligible for re-election under state law.

She campaigned on issues including health care and abortion rights, while positioning herself as a more moderate alternative despite GOP criticism of her voting record.

Fox News Digital’s Preston Mizell contributed to this report.

With the deadline to file taxes a week away, a record number of voters say their taxes are too high, according to the latest Fox News Poll. They are also bothered by the rich not paying their fair share and how the government uses their money. In addition, three-quarters feel government spending is wasteful — up almost 20 points since last year.

Last year, 57% said a great deal (44%) or almost all (13%) of government spending was inefficient; now that’s up 18 points, with 75% feeling that way (53% a great deal, 22% almost all).

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The increase in those thinking spending is wasteful is seen among most demographics, with the biggest bumps among Democrats and independents. Three-quarters of Republicans think government spending is wasteful, down from more than 8 in 10 in March 2025.

Voters are also down on how the Trump administration has handled identifying and cutting wasteful government spending, with nearly two-thirds, 64%, calling their efforts only fair (20%) or poor (44%), up from 56% last March (13% only fair, 43% poor).

While there is broad bipartisan agreement that a significant share of government spending is wasteful and inefficient — with roughly three-quarters of Democrats, Republicans, and independents saying so — a sharp partisan divide emerges on the Trump administration’s handling of identifying and cutting that waste: nearly all Democrats (90%) and a large majority of independents (80%) say it is not doing a good job, while 7-in-10 Republicans (69%) give it a positive rating.

A record 70% of voters think the taxes they pay are too high — up 11 points from last March and surpassing the previous high of 64% in March 2024. It also marks the largest year-over-year increase since the question was first asked in 2004, when 51% felt taxes were too high. A majority of voters have consistently said their tax burden is too much.

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Compared to last year, groups showing the highest increase in concern over how much they are paying include voters with graduate degrees (+24 points since 2025), very liberal voters (+20), Democratic men (+19), moderates (+19), rural voters (+17), White voters without a college degree (+16), and women ages 45+ (+16).

What bothers people most about federal income taxes is the wealthy are not paying enough (38%), although that figure has dipped slightly from last year’s record high of 45%. Close behind is concern about how the government spends their tax dollars, up 3 points from a year ago to 29%.

Other irritations are the amount of taxes paid (14%), feeling too many people don’t pay enough (10%), and the complexity of the system (9%).

Democrats (57%) and independents (40%) are the most concerned about the rich not paying enough, while Republicans’ biggest issue is the amount the government uses (39%).

“The data show why Democrats persistently frame budget, spending, and tax policy questions as a matter of the rich paying their fair share,” says Republican Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News survey with Democrat Chris Anderson. “It’s one of the only ways the party is competitive on these issues given public skepticism about government performance.”

Disapproval of how President Trump is handling taxes has reached a record high of 64%, up 11 points from a year ago.

Dissatisfaction is up across the board, including among Democrats (+9 points disapproving since April 2025), independents (+14) and Republicans (+9).

One more thing…

AI use is on the rise, but not for tax prep.

Nearly 9 in 10 voters (87%) say they are not using AI to help with their taxes this year, while roughly 1 in 10 (13%) say they will or already have. Those most likely to say they will use AI are Republicans under age 45 (29%), voters under 30 (23%), Hispanic voters (21%), Black voters (20%), and employed voters (19%).

Conducted March 20-23, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,001 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (104) and cellphones (641) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (256). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis and voter file data.

Tax season is stressful enough, but avoidable mistakes can turn a routine filing into an expensive headache.

With Tax Day just 10 days away, even small errors can mean the difference between a smooth refund and frustrating delays. In some cases, they can even trigger IRS notices or unexpected penalties.

Here are five common filing missteps to watch out for and how to avoid them:

1. Choosing the wrong filing status

Tax scams have evolved from unemployment fraud to social media “tax hacks,” with the IRS warning of new threats for the 2026 filing season. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)

Your filing status is one of the most important choices on your tax return because it helps determine your tax rate, your standard deduction and which credits you may be eligible to claim. Pick the wrong one, and you could end up paying more than you owe, getting a smaller refund or triggering delays if the IRS flags the return for review.

For many taxpayers, the confusion comes from life changes that happened during the year, like getting married or divorced, having a child, moving in with a partner, supporting an aging parent or sharing custody. Even if your situation feels straightforward, the IRS rules can be less intuitive, especially for taxpayers who aren’t sure whether they qualify as “head of household” or whether they can still file as “qualifying surviving spouse” after a spouse has died.

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Head of household, in particular, can be costly to get wrong. It typically comes with a larger standard deduction and more favorable tax brackets than filing as single – but it has strict requirements tied to paying more than half the cost of keeping up a home and having a qualifying dependent. If you don’t meet the rules and claim it anyway, you may have to pay back tax benefits later, plus penalties and interest.

When in doubt, the IRS has an online filing-status tool, and many tax software programs will walk you through the questions to help you choose the right category.

2. Leaving credits on the table

A woman preparing her taxes. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

One of the biggest and most expensive tax-season mistakes is failing to claim every credit or deduction you qualify for. That can mean a smaller refund or a higher bill.

“I think the top mistake people make is not fully understanding or taking the time to really research what are all the different deductions and the ways that you can put a little bit of extra money in your pocket that are available to you,” said Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs at AARP.

AVERAGE TAX REFUND TOPS $3,700 MIDWAY THROUGH FILING SEASON, TREASURY SAYS

Sweeney also warned taxpayers not to rely on last year’s return as a blueprint for filing because of recent changes to the tax code from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

“This would be a good year given that there are these changes to the tax code, to make sure not to assume that what you did last year will convey over to this year. Really take a fresh look at your tax situation and see if there’s money that you’re leaving on the table,” he said.

3. Missing key deadlines

A couple is seen going over tax paperwork. (iStock)

An extension can buy you time to file your paperwork, but it doesn’t give you extra time to pay. For most taxpayers, the IRS deadline to pay what you owe is April 15, 2026 – even if you request an extension to file later.

“Remember that even if you claim an extension, the money is owed on April 15,” said Mike Faulkender, co-chair of American Prosperity at the America First Policy Institute.

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Faulkender, a former Treasury official and IRS commissioner, said taxpayers who need more time should still estimate their bill and pay by the filing deadline to help avoid added costs.

“You have to actually send in a check or have the payment deducted from your account by the filing deadline,” he said.

If you can’t pay in full by April 15, pay what you can to help limit penalties and interest on top of your tax bill.

4. Entering bank account details incorrectly

If you choose direct deposit for your refund, the IRS relies on the routing and account numbers you provide. One wrong digit can lead to delays. 

If you pay what you owe by direct debit, incorrect banking details can also lead to a rejected payment and potentially result in penalties and interest.

5. Filing before all your tax forms arrive

Timing matters when it comes to filing your taxes. Submitting your return before you’ve received all your key paperwork, like W-2s or 1099s, can lead to errors, missing income or a return you have to amend later.

Faulkender said there’s a simple way to double-check what’s been reported under your name before you file. 

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“One of the things that I learned last year when I was IRS commissioner, was that if you create an account on irs.gov, you can see everything that’s been filed under your tax ID,” he said. 

“We’re supposed to receive all of our W-2s and our 1099 forms in the mail in January and February. But if you’re missing one, or you misplaced it rather than requesting it again, you can actually go and see what was filed under your taxpayer identification number if you create an account on IRS.gov.” 

Filing late can also cost you extra money, especially if you owe. The goal is to wait until you have what you need, then file as soon as you’re ready.

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration will extend tax filing deadlines for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel as the ongoing shutdown intensifies financial pressure on thousands of federal workers.

The Treasury Department and IRS will announce a 30-day automatic tax filing extension for affected employees, shielding them from penalties and interest. 

The partial government shutdown is in its 46th day, intensifying pressure on federal workers.

HOUSE GOP RAMS THROUGH NEW DHS FUNDING PLAN WITH SHUTDOWN FAR FROM OVER

TSA Agents scan luggage at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. (Valerie Plesch/Getty Images)

Such broad tax relief is highly unusual and typically reserved for major disasters and other extraordinary circumstances, underscoring the severity of the current shutdown.

“The continued shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has created unnecessary disruptions, placing an unfair burden on DHS personnel and their families,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

“We are committed to supporting our hard-working DHS officers and employees so they can stay focused on their mission and keep the American people safe without being penalized for missing a tax filing deadline.”

AVERAGE TAX REFUND TOPS $3,700 MIDWAY THROUGH FILING SEASON, TREASURY SAYS

Scott Bessent, U.S. treasury secretary, speaks to members of the media outside the White House in Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2025. (Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Under the measure, affected workers will now have until May 15, 2026, to file their taxes and pay what they owe without facing additional financial penalties. 

DHS personnel include Border Patrol agents, TSA officers, Secret Service agents and FEMA responders, frontline workers responsible for border security, aviation safety, disaster response and counterterrorism. 

Many have reported struggling to cover basic expenses such as rent, mortgages and childcare as missed paychecks pile up.

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A Transportation Security Administration agent looks on as passengers queue to go through security at New York’s LaGuardia Airport March 22, 2026. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

The decision comes as pressure mounts over the real-world consequences of the shutdown, with DHS employees caught between their national security responsibilities and growing financial strain. 

While the administration says the relief is intended to ease the burden, for many workers it remains only a temporary lifeline as the broader standoff continues.

FIRST ON FOX – A leading conservative issue advocacy group aligned with House Speaker Mike Johnson is shelling out big bucks to highlight the tax cuts in the so-called “Working Families Tax Cuts Act.”

The American Action Network (AAN) on Tuesday is launching what it says is a $10 million ad blitz that will run nationally through April 15, which is the tax filing deadline.

The campaign, which was shared first with Fox News Digital, spotlights the tax cuts in the massive domestic policy measure, which was passed nearly entirely along party lines by the GOP-controlled House and Senate and signed into law by President Donald Trump last summer.

The law is stuffed full of Trump’s 2024 campaign trail promises and second-term priorities, including extending the president’s signature 2017 tax cuts and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. 

FIRST ON FOX: HOUSE REPUBLICANS LAUNCH MAGA MAJORITY PROGRAM IN MIDTERM BATTLE 

President Donald Trump, joined by Republican lawmakers, signs the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act into law during an Independence Day military family picnic on the South Lawn of the White House on July 04, 2025 in Washington, D.C.  (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

With tax filing season in full swing, Republicans are spotlighting the cuts, which they insist will give them a political bounce with voters as they aim to hold their fragile congressional majorities in this autumn’s midterm elections.

“Republicans secured the largest tax cut in history and stood up for working families—a win that will be reflected in tax returns nationwide. American Action Network will continue to showcase the conservative policies that lower costs for the hardworking men and women across this country,” AAN President Chris Winkelman told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP BOOSTS HOUSE GOP’S WARCHEST AS MIDTERMS IN BATTLE FOR CHAMBER’S MAJORITY

And Winkelman added, “As Tax Day approaches, we are reminding Americans that every single Democrat voted to raise their taxes.”

Highlighting the tax cuts has become a major part of the congressional Republicans’ messaging as the midterms heat up.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., announces the final vote total after the House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and program cuts after an all-night session at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Thursday, May 22, 2025. ( Television via AP)

“Hardworking families will see the LARGEST tax cuts in American history….putting more money in their pockets, thanks to Congressional Republicans and President Donald J. Trump Working Families Tax Cuts,” Johnson touted recently in a social media post.

And National Republican Congressional Committee chair Rep. Richard Hudson told Fox News Digital a month ago that “as we move into tax season…folks who work overtime, folks who work for tips, they’re going to see a lot more money in their pocket thanks to no tax on tips, no tax on overtime.”

GOP lawmakers and the White House rebranded the measure, which was originally known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” to emphasize the tax cut provisions in the law.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS EXPAND REPUBLICAN TARGET LIST IN MIDTERM SHOWDOWN

Republicans are battling stiff political headwinds as the party in power in the nation’s capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. And they also face a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns over persistent inflation, an unpopular war with Iran and Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

Democrats have repeatedly taken aim at the law, which they call the GOP’s “big ugly bill.”

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Suzan DelBene told Fox News Digital that “the policies that Republicans have prioritized, have been favoring the wealthy and the well-connected, tax breaks for the wealthy and the well-connected, but hurting working families across the country. People are feeling that, and we’re going to continue to call that out and stand up against it.”

And CJ Warnke, communications director for the House Majority PAC, argued that “House Republicans voted to give the elite a massive tax break — all while raising prices, cutting health care, and hiding the Epstein Files. Americans won’t forget their betrayal, and Democrats will take back the House in November.” 

AAN says its national ad campaign includes broadcast, digital advertising and streaming across 37 congressional districts.

One of the spots will thank Republicans for passing the tax cuts.

It will run in the districts of GOP Reps. Nick Begich of Alaska, Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, David Valadao of California, Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna, Laurel Lee and Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa, Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brad Finstad of Minnesota, Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey, Nick LaLota and Mike Lawler of New York, Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Michael Baumgartner of Washington State, and Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.

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A separate spot criticizes Democratic lawmakers for voting for what AAN calls “the largest tax hike in American history.”

It will run in the districts of Democratic Reps. Adam Gray of California, Jared Moskowitz of Florida, Kristen McDonald Rivet of Michigan, Dina Titus and Susie Lee of Nevada, Nellie Pou of New Jersey, Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico, Tom Suozzi, Laura Gillen, and Josh Riley of New York, Don Davis of North Carolina, Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, and Marie Gluesenkamp-Perez of Washington State.

For weeks now, frustrated travelers trying to catch flights all over the United States have been caught in hours-long security-check lines as overwhelmed Transportation Security Administration agents were forced to work without pay.

It’s not the first time that federal funding for TSA — a highly visible service that impacts millions of Americans daily — has been caught up in a political brawl in Congress, this time over immigration enforcement.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, it never should have happened, not even once.

That’s because taxpayers and travelers already pay for transportation security, not through their taxes but through their plane tickets.

The federally mandated Passenger Security Fee, first levied after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to help fund TSA screening activities, has more than doubled since its inception.

Today, it adds an $11.20 charge to every round-trip ticket purchase — more than $4.5 billion in 2025 alone.

The fee is one of multiple government-mandated add-on charges, including a ticket excise tax, flight segment fees and passenger facility charges, that add taxes of 15% to 30% on every airline ticket you buy.

And while the lion’s share of Passenger Security Fee revenue was supposed to stay with TSA, Congress has chosen to divert much of it to feed an already fattened hyena.

Bipartisan Budget Acts passed in 2013 and 2018 funneled huge chunks of Passenger Security Fee proceeds away from TSA and into the Treasury’s general fund, where it can be spent in any way government officials want.

Congress deceptively portrayed that decision as a matter of “deficit reduction,” but we can see how well that’s worked.

If these resources had remained with TSA where they belonged, the agency could have built up an emergency fund to help tide these essential workers over during government shutdowns.

Or maybe the cash could have enabled technology investments to speed passengers through checkpoints all year round.

Airlines would be on solid moral, if not legal, ground to pull out of this charade and simply stop collecting the Passenger Security Fee.

They are not responsible for this mess: The blame belongs at the big, bloated feet of our federal government.

To do right by taxpayers, who are now literally paying $11.20 apiece to wait in line, Congress and President Donald Trump have four choices.

First, they can stop squandering Passenger Security Fee revenues on unrelated federal programs.

This means repealing the provisions from the 2013 and 2018 laws that allow these shenanigans, requiring the funds to be directly spent on TSA operations and investments and capping the fee so taxpaying travelers aren’t gouged for government services.

The only permissible diversion of any collections should be a small share for TSA’s Inspector General, which should oversee fee collections and ensure TSA uses the funding properly.

Another option is to turn over passenger security to airports and other private entities.

Private security contracts, overseen by government regulators, are commonplace in many countries — and are already used at some US airports.

TSA has frequently embarrassed itself with security lapses, poor equipment choices and the padded personnel budgets that often accompany slapdash federal agency expansions.

Alternatively, Congress could repeal the Passenger Security Fee entirely and fund the forward-facing portion of TSA’s responsibilities only through general revenues.

That would at least give taxpaying travelers a break on ticket prices.

One final option: Congress could fulfill its 2013 and 2018 claims.

Change the name to the “Special Deficit Reduction Fee” and require the revenue to go directly to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, to trim down the $39 trillion in borrowing our government has foisted on future generations of taxpayers.

It’s not particularly fair or logical to have air travelers help clean up Washington’s profligate spending habits — but at least it would be more honest than picking their pockets for something that doesn’t shorten airport security lines.

In fact, both the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and bipartisan legislation in Congress called the SAFEGUARDS Act already propose to end the underhanded Passenger Security Fee diversion.

This is no longer about ICE enforcement, or immigration policy in general, or the separation of powers — it’s about our money.

Get to work, Washington.

Pete Sepp is president of National Taxpayers Union.

The State Department has slashed by about 80% the fee for Americans to formally renounce their US citizenship.

After years of legal battles with several groups representing Americans wanting to give up their citizenship, the department on Friday published a final rule in the Federal Register that reduces the cost from $2,350 to $450.

The new fee, which took effect on Friday, had been promised in 2023 but had never been implemented. The cost is now the same as it was when the State Department first started charging Americans to formally renounce their citizenship in 2010.

Renouncing US citizenship can be an intensive and lengthy process.

Applicants must repeatedly confirm in multiple written and verbal attestations to a State Department consular officer that they understand the implications of the step before being allowed to take a formal oath of renunciation. It must then be reviewed by the department.

The fee was raised from $450 to $2,350 in 2015 to cover the administrative expenses as the number of people wanting to renounce their citizenship surged in part due to new US tax reporting requirements for American expatriates that angered many.

That dramatic fee increase drew significant opposition from groups such as the France-based Association of Accidental Americans, which represents people mainly living abroad whose US citizenship is due purely to their having been born in the United States.

The association filed several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the fee, including one that remains pending that argues there should be no cost at all for renouncing one’s citizenship.

“The Association of Accidental Americans welcomes this decision, which acknowledges the necessity of making this fundamental right accessible to all,” its president, Fabien Lehagre, said in a statement. “This victory is the direct result of six years of relentless legal action and advocacy.”

In court, the association said since the 2023 announcement that the fee would be reduced at least 8,755 Americans had paid the full $2,350 to renounce their citizenship.

The State Department did not provide numbers for the total number of Americans who have renounced their citizenship.