The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officially opened the 2026 tax filing season on January 26, beginning the acceptance and processing of federal individual income tax returns for the 2025 tax year. The IRS expects approximately 164 million returns to be filed before the April 15, 2026 deadline.

"As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the IRS and its employees are excited to once again serve American taxpayers in meeting their tax filing obligations during the 2026 filing season," said IRS CEO, Frank J. Bisignano. "Not only does 2026 commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it also coincides with the 40th anniversary of electronic filing."

The IRS highlighted several no-cost or low-cost filing resources. IRS Free File is available for eligible individuals using third party tax preparation software. For taxpayers who may be comfortable preparing their own returns, form instructions and Free File Fillable Forms are available. If choosing a tax professional, the IRS cautioned taxpayers to choose preparers carefully and ensure that a reputable and accredited practitioner is engaged.

The IRS encouraged taxpayers to electronically file to speed up processing. Most taxpayers must now provide routing and account numbers to receive refunds. Under Executive Order 14247, the IRS began phasing out paper checks on September 30, 2025.

Refunds will generally be issued within 21 days for electronically filed returns with direct deposit. If the returns include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), it may require additional review and extended processing times. The IRS encourages use of online tools to check refund status, including the Where’s My Refund? webpage, the IRS2Go mobile app and IRS Individual Online Accounts.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic tax assistance to qualified filers. The IRS announced it awarded grants to 315 VITA and 48 TCE applicants totaling $53 million to assist with no-cost federal tax return preparation to eligible individuals. Recipients of the grants include nonprofit agencies, faith-based organizations and community centers. The IRS provides support through tax law training, certification and ongoing oversight. VITA and TCE programs operate with the goal of preparing accurate and reliable tax returns for the individuals they serve.