It’s the beginning of 2016 and it’s also the time to start calculating and paying your taxes. There are lots of tax calculation options out there including TurboTax, TaxAct, and H&R Block to name a few. Personally I’m a bit of a nut when it comes to filing my taxes early – I’ve already finished my taxes for this year.

I’ve also changed my deductions on my W-4 withholding form in order to get as small a refund as possible in order to not give the government an interest free loan. The tax software that I recommend is TurboTax.

Maximize your deductions and continue to hold your passport

While it’s always a good idea to pay your taxes given that it’s the law – if you’re delinquent in paying your taxes, it can cause your passport to be revoked. If you owe more than $50,000 in back taxes including fees and penalties, the State Department would now have the authority to act against your passport thanks to the passing of H.R.22. This authority to have the Internal Revenue Service have the ability to limit travel has been requested for many years but hasn’t had the support to pass until recently. The details of whether that restriction includes future renewals or your current passport is not clear. Hypothetically it could be either.

Therefore for the easiest way to ensure uninterrupted travel, make sure to stay current on your taxes in order to not give the government a way to limit your ability to explore the world.