WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced it will begin accepting tax returns two weeks from today, as the 2025 tax season officially begins on Jan. 27. An estimated 140 million individual tax returns are expected to be filed this year, with half of those planning to file a tax return. The IRS says they are expected to use tax professionals.
Free tax filing services were launched last week and are available to people with 2024 adjusted gross income (AGI) of $84,000 or less. These services can't officially file your taxes until January 27th, but save your information now and file your taxes when the window opens.
Along with the Free File service, Direct File will expand in 2025 to now include 25 states. This service allows taxpayers to electronically file their taxes for free if they only include a simple W-2 form.
The free option is not available in Michigan, but includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
of Where can I find the refund tool? is back, letting taxpayers know when they can expect their refund. In most cases, refunds are issued within 21 calendar days of filing taxes, but this tool provides information along the way, including when the refund was received, when it was accepted, and when the refund was actually sent. We will inform you of every step. .
Paper filers may have to wait up to four weeks for their status to appear in the tool.
To use this tool, you'll need your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer ID Number (ITIN), filing status, and accurate refund amount on your return. You can begin checking the status of your return 24 hours after you electronically file your return for the current year. The IRS says the system is updated daily, so there's no need to check the site more than once a day.
Officials say the safest and easiest way to receive returns is by direct deposit into your bank account. The Treasury Department's Fiscal Bureau estimates that paper refund checks are 16 times more likely to have something wrong. These problems include lost, misdirected, stolen, or cashed checks. The IRS also warns that it may take several weeks for paper refund checks to be mailed.
The 2025 federal tax filing deadline is set for Tuesday, April 15th.
