Taxes

When does the IRS start accepting tax returns? Here's what to know

The IRS expects more than 140 million individual tax returns to be filed by the Tuesday, April 15, deadline.

The average tax refund is almost 29% lower this tax season, IRS reports
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The start of tax season is just days away.

The Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting tax returns on Monday, Jan. 27, the agency announced earlier this month.

The agency said it expects more than 140 million individual tax returns to be filed by the Tuesday, April 15, deadline. While most filers are required to submit their forms by that deadline to avoid incurring penalties and interest, relief provisions are in place for those affected by recent natural disasters.

The agency also announced a series of expanded and new programs designed to aid the tax filing process as a part of a modernization effort initiated by the 2022 passing of the Inflation Reduction Act. The changes, the agency said, are meant to better the tax-paying experience through improved customer service options and expanded free resources.

Part of that expansion includes the Direct File program to taxpayers in 25 states, up from 12 in its pilot year last filing season.

Similar to third-party digital filing tools, Direct File allows filers to automatically import data from their IRS account into the corresponding tax forms for free. With Direct File, however, taxpayers can file their taxes directly with the IRS.

Direct File is set to be available in dozens of states, including Illinois.

New this year, filers using Direct File will also be able to use a chat bot to guide them through the program's eligibility checker. The program will also support more taxpayer claims, such as child and dependent care credit, premium tax credit and credit for the elderly and disabled. A live chat option will also be available in English and Spanish.

Additionally, the IRS announced updates to its Free File program, which offers tax preparation software to eligible taxpayers for free. Though the tax season won't officially open until the end of January, taxpayers can start using Free File to plan ahead.

For more information about the 2025 tax filing season, visit irs.gov.

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