One of the busiest days of tax season is fast approaching, and there's a simple way to beat the rush

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

The week following President's Day is busy for the IRS.

• The IRS began accepting tax returns at the end of January. By now, you should have everything you need to file.
• Last year, the IRS issued an announcement warning filers of the busiest time of the tax season: the week following President's Day Weekend.
• To save time, avoid calling the IRS with your tax questions. Use an online tax prep service or check the IRS website for answers.
• See Business Insider's picks for the best tax software »

Tax season may be reaching a fever pitch this President's Day Weekend.

If you're preparing your tax return yourself, be prepared to set aside a few hours to get it done - and avoid calling the IRS with your tax questions.

Last year, the IRS said its busiest time of the year is the week following President's Day, when the number of phone calls to the organization peaks. To save time, exhaust your options before adding your own call to the queue.

You can get answers to most tax-related questions by searching the IRS website. If you're using an online tax preparer or tax software, you'll get helpful tips and explanations along the way and sometimes even access to a tax professional via chat, email, or phone.

The IRS started accepting tax returns on January 27. By now, you should have received a W-2 form - or a 1099 form if you're a freelancer - from every employer you had in 2019. If you haven't, contact your employer first.

To get your refund as soon as possible, the IRS recommends electronically filing and selecting direct deposit. Ninety percent of taxpayers who use this method get their refund within 21 days of submitting their return.

You can check the status of your tax refund using the IRS's return-tracking service 24 hours after filing your tax return online or four weeks after mailing a return.

States that tax income also issue refunds, and you can check the status of your refund on your state's government website.

• More tax day coverage:
• When are taxes due?
• How to file taxes for 2019
• Should I do my own taxes?
• CreditKarma vs. TurboTax
• Where is my tax refund?

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