As we move to 2025, taxpayers preparing for the 2025 tax season must be wondering when the IRS will start accepting tax returns. Most taxpayers try to pay taxes early to complete their tax responsibilities and receive an early tax refund.
The IRS tax filing season generally kicks in in January, hence taxpayers are preparing to file their taxes. IRS has yet to announce the tax season beginning date, taxpayers wondering about the beginning date can check here.
When is the IRS Accepting Tax Returns 2025?
The IRS is making efforts to make the tax filing system seamless for the taxpayers and allow them fulfill their responsibility. The agency has urged taxpayers to prepare beforehand for tax filing and urges them to use the IRS tools and services for tax filing.
The taxpayers now await the IRS announcement on the 2025 tax season starting date when they will start accepting the taxes. Last year, the IRS began accepting taxes on 29 Jan, hence many anticipate that the tax season will begin by the end of Jan 2025. Some reports suggest that the 2025 tax season will begin from 27 Jan 2025.
The tax season for paying the taxes for the 2024 tax year will be announced soon by the agency. Last year, the agency announced the tax season in the initial weeks of Jan, hence, we can expect the announcement soon.
IRS 2025 Tax Deadlines
Though the IRS has not announced the 2025 tax season commencement date, the agency has confirmed the deadlines that every taxpayer should know for the upcoming tax season. Taxpayers should file the taxes for the 2024 tax year before the deadline for tax day, 15 April 2025.
The agency usually extends the tax filing date for people living in disaster-affected areas to give them more time to file their tax returns. For the 2025 tax season as well, the agency has announced the tax filing extension date for the disaster-affected areas as storms and hurricanes have hit the various US states. The agency has announced the disaster-affected areas recognized by the FEMA can file their taxes till 01 May 2025.
The taxpayers who paid the taxes quarterly through estimated tax returns should pay their 2024 final tax returns before 15 Jan 2025. Every taxpayer preparing to file the 2024 tax year tax return should know these tax deadlines to avoid the late fees, IRS tax penalties, etc. Taxpayers should note the following tax deadlines for the 2025 tax season:
| Tax deadlines | Tax Events |
| 15 Jan 2025 | 2024 tax year last quarter Estimated Tax Return |
| 15 April 2025 | Tax Deadline |
| 01 May 2025 | Tax deadline for disaster-affected area |
| 15 Oct 2025 | Extended Tax Returns Deadline |
Changes in 2025 taxes
The IRS agency regularly made some improvements and introduced some tools for taxpayers to boost tax filing and help taxpayers file their taxes easily. This year as well the agency has announced the following changes that every taxpayer should know as they prepare to file their taxes for the 2024 tax year:
- 1099-K reporting Change: The IRS will be sending the 1099-K forms to taxpayers to report the payment app or marketplace income they received in the 2024 year. The taxpayers who received the payment above $5000 through the third-party payment apps and the marketplace would use the form 1099-K to report the income in their tax form.
The agency urges people to report their income even if they do not receive the 1099-K form. If you receive the Form 1099-K, you must know how to use it and meet your tax responsibility.
- Digital assets: Taxpayers must report their digital assets just like they reported in the 2024 tax season. Today, digital assets like NFTs and cryptocurrencies are gaining attention in the world and many people hold such virtual currencies, hence taxpayers should report such digital assets to the agency.
Taxpayers would be required to answer the question if they received or sold/exchanged the digital assets in the 2024 tax year and if they have they should report the transactions to their filed taxes.
How can you file for IRS tax returns for the 2024 tax year?
Taxpayers preparing for the 2024 tax year tax return filing can file the taxes in many ways, but first, they should gather the required documents. The documents that support their income details, dependents, and other details are required with the tax form to receive the applicable tax credits and deductions.
The IRS has many ways for taxpayers to file federal income tax returns, however, the agency urges taxpayers to e-file their taxes. According to the IRS, taxpayers can file the taxes through the following tax filing ways:
- IRS Direct File: Taxpayers can file their tax returns through the IRS Direct file without any cost. For now, the IRS direct file is available for 24 US states, hence, taxpayers should check if they can use the Direct file or not.
- IRS Free File: Taxpayers can use the IRS Free File to pay taxes and prepare for tax filing for free. Under this service, the agency has collaborated with tax preparation software companies and offers certain taxpayers a chance to use this software and prepare for taxes and file their tax returns accurately without paying any penny.
- VITA assistance: Elderly taxpayers who need assistance in filing tax returns can get help from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or take tax counseling Elderly programs to file their taxes timely and accurately.
- Mailed tax form: The taxpayers can also file their taxes through mailed form 1040 and other attached forms as per the credit or deduction they have applied in the tax return.
Tips to File taxes in 2025 Tax season
As the 2025 tax season approaches, taxpayers should keep the following things in mind to file federal taxes and ensure they receive the refund on time:’
- You should check all the credits and deductions that you may qualify for based on your qualifications to apply in the tax return.
- You should prepare well for the tax return to file the return early as during peak hours it can take time to process the refund.
- You should select direct deposit as your refund payment method to receive your tax refund early unless you have claimed the ACTC/ EITC credits that can delay your tax refund due to the PATH Act.
- You should use the IRS tools like Estimated tax calculator, withheld tax calculator, EITC tools, and others to file accurate tax returns.
The 2025 tax season will be announced soon, so taxpayers should be well prepared to file their taxes early and complete their tax responsibility.