Taking the time to file your taxes every year is hardly anyone's idea of a good time. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans dislike doing their taxes; a reported 32 percent take it one step further and say they're actively dreading them, according to a recent survey by Credit Karma.
Whether you're laboriously looking over a year's worth of financial statements or carefully imputing deductions, it's relatively common for people to make more than a few mistakes when doing something as universally disliked as filing your taxes.
"The most common mistakes people make when doing their taxes are usually the most simple ones," Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate and head of Tax at Credit Karma, tells Marie Claire.
"And these mistakes can be costly," Alev adds. "A mistake can lead to getting a smaller refund than what you’re owed, paying more than you owe, or a delayed refund."
From making simple math mistakes to providing incorrect bank information, here are some of the most common mistakes people make when filing their taxes—and how to avoid them.
