The IRS will begin accepting and processing returns for the 2023 tax year on Monday, January 29, signaling the formal start of the 2024 tax season.
The bulk of submissions are projected to be made before the April 15 deadline, with over 128.7 million individual tax forms predicted to be filed.
The IRS strategically chose the Jan. 29 start date for individual tax return filers to allow for essential annual updates and readiness work, ensuring the seamless functioning of IRS systems.
While many software providers and tax professionals are already accepting tax returns, they will transmit these returns to the IRS when the agency officially starts accepting submissions.
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel emphasized the ongoing transformation efforts, promising marked improvements in IRS operations during the upcoming filing season.
The aim is to leverage new funding to streamline the tax preparation and filing process, making it more accessible and efficient for taxpayers. Numerous free services are available to assist individuals during tax season.
Innovative IRS Direct File Pilot
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs provide free basic tax return preparation for qualifying individuals. Trusted tax professionals, commercially available tax software, and IRS Free File are also valuable resources.
Free File, available exclusively at IRS.gov, enables taxpayers who earned $79,000 or less in 2023 to file their taxes electronically for free using brand-name software from commercial tax filing companies.
The IRS Direct File pilot, undergoing phased rollout upon final testing completion, is expected to be widely available in mid-March for eligible taxpayers in participating states, including New York. This program allows eligible taxpayers to file their 2023 federal tax returns online directly with the IRS, free of charge.
Most taxpayers who choose direct deposit and have no issues with their return can expect their refund within 21 days of filing electronically.
However, under the federal Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, refunds for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) cannot be issued before mid-February. Taxpayers can track their personalized refund status on IRS.gov using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool.
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