 Hey, so don't wait until April to think about your 2017 tax return, especially because the average refund was almost $2,800 last year. So get your money back and get it now. Give me 60 seconds and I'll tell you why. So to start, the IRS actually starts accepting 2017 tax returns on January 29th. And if you're expecting your refund, get it back, ASAP. The actual deadline is April 17th this year. Now the 15th is a Sunday and the 16th is a holiday in D.C., so you have two extra days. But that doesn't mean you can't file sooner. Get the drudgery out of the way. And if you're really organized and have all your forms, many of the tax prep companies and pros gladly will accept your return even earlier. And then they'll submit it for you when the IRS opens its doors on the 29th. But before you file, you actually need to do a few things. If you have not fully funded your traditional and Roth IRA for 2017, you have to do that first. You have until April 17th or when you file your return, so get that done. If you're self-employed and you file an extension, you actually have until October 15th of 2018 to fund those accounts. And if you didn't pay the IRS enough last year through payments or withholdings, consider making that fourth quarter estimated tax payment by January 16th. Then you'll avoid those annoying underpayment penalties. And then find a folder or a shoebox or something and get ready for the document dump that's coming in the mail. W-2s, 1099s, all will be showing up. And you need to keep them organized. So everything is there for you when you're ready to start preparing that tax return. So get psyched and get it done early. And for more tax tips, check out thestreet.com.