What to know about filing federal and Kentucky tax returns

Rachel Smith, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·4 min read
The Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting 2023 tax returns on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024.
The Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting 2023 tax returns on Monday, Jan. 29, 2024.

After holiday shopping and new year's celebrations, a different season is upon us — tax season.

While your tax returns aren't due until mid-April, Kentucky and federal officials will begin accepting them this month, allowing people to get a jump on the process — or just to get it out of the way.

But when can you file your tax returns? And is there a way to do it at no cost?

Here's what Kentuckians need to know about when and how to file their taxes before the inevitable Tax Day falls upon the commonwealth:

When can you file 2023 taxes in Kentucky?

While the official start date for electronic filing of tax year 2023 Kentucky returns began Jan. 23, the state's tax office began accepting state individual income tax returns Jan. 29. The office will begin processing them Feb. 5.

The Internal Revenue Service began accepting and processing 2023 tax returns on Jan. 29.

If you've received all your tax documents, you can complete the forms now and have them ready to send electronically Jan. 29, USA TODAY reports.

According to the Kentucky Department of Revenue, electronic individual income tax returns typically take four to six weeks to process. Taxpayers can check the status of their state refund at the site refund.ky.gov.

When are taxes due in Kentucky 2024?

The federal deadline is April 15. The IRS expects more than 128.7 million individual tax returns to be filed by that date, officials said.

The deadline to file your state taxes is slightly later, falling on April 18, per the state's tax office website.

Are there any changes to filing 2023 taxes?

There had not been any significant changes announced yet to the state tax filing process for 2024.

But life events — such as a marriage, divorce or birth — can alter how you file taxes. For federal taxes, here's a few changes that have been highlighted by the IRS:

  • The Child Tax Credit is worth $2,000 for each qualifying child for 2023. A child must be under 17 at the end of last year to be a qualifying child.

  • For those with Earned Income Tax Credit, eligible taxpayers who have no qualifying children may get $600 for the 2023 tax year.

How to file 2023 taxes for free in Kentucky, federally? Where to get help in Louisville?

IRS Free File lets qualified taxpayers prepare and file federal income tax returns online for free with the help of software. To qualify for a free federal tax return, you must have a an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less.

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The state also offers a way to file your current year return for free through the software service, KY File. It allows you to fill in your tax information online, perform basic mathematical calculations and electronically sign and e-file your state tax return.

Officials have cautioned KY File isn't a guided software; it only performs basic calculations and doesn't provide extensive error checking. Since the user is responsible for inserting most of the information, people may want to consider choosing a different software or working with a tax professional. You must complete your federal forms before accessing KY File.​​​

Where to get help filing 2023 taxes in Louisville?

Kentucky has partnered with the IRS to host Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites, where staff members will provide free tax filing assistance to those who are eligible. To qualify, a person must have an annual income of $60,000 or less or be a Kentucky state government employee.

In-person assistance will be offered by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 6 to April 11. Louisville's satellite site is at 600 W. Cedar St., 2nd Floor West. The office's phone number is (502) 595-4512.

Louisville Metro is also set to host its own annual tax service program with 15 sites across the city hosting free assistance. The program begins Feb. 2 and is available to those who earned less than $66,000 in 2023.

Since its start in 2001, the program has helped more than 143,000 residents file taxes, according to city officials.

Eligible residents can make an appointment to visit the following sites for in-person, free tax filing:

  • Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Drive

  • Bates, 728 East Lampton St.

  • Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Suite 201

  • Family Scholar House U of L, 403 Reg Smith Circle

  • Family Scholar House Riverport, 3311 Cathe Dykstra Way

  • Goodwill Resource Center, 909 E. Broadway

  • Louisville Urban League, 1535 W. Broadway

  • Oldham County LaGrange Library, 308 Yager Ave. (LaGrange)

  • Portland Promise Center, 1831 Baird St.

  • Shively City Hall, 3920 Dixie Highway

  • St. Vincent de Paul Family Success Center, 1029 S Preston Highway

  • Sun Valley Community Center, 6505 Bethany Lane

  • United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 State St.

  • Wesley House Community Services, 5114 Preston Highway

Residents can call 502-305-0005 or visit louisvillekyvita.cascheduler.com to schedule an appointment.

Reach reporter Rachel Smith at rksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Tips on filing 2024 federal and Kentucky tax returns