The IRS on Thursday announced the start date for the 2026 tax filing season later this month, when taxpayers will be able to start filing their returns for the past year.
Taxpayers may begin filing their 2025 tax returns on Monday, Jan. 26, the IRS announced. That will give taxpayers more than two months to file their returns ahead of the Wednesday, April 15 deadline to file or request an extension until the fall.
The IRS Free File program will start accepting individual tax returns on Friday, Jan. 9 for taxpayers who are qualified to use the program by having an adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less.
Taxpayers who are planning to prepare their own taxes may begin using the IRS Free File Fillable Forms tool starting when tax season officially opens on Jan. 26, and the program is open to all regardless of income level.
This tax season will see the use of a new form called Schedule 1-A that can be used to claim recently enacted tax deductions, including provisions limiting taxes on tips, overtime, interest on car loans and Social Security recipients.