Tax season 2024: Details on when filing begins, tax deadlines, filing help and more

Tax season is just over a week away.

If you’re wondering when you can file your taxes, how long it will take for your refund to be in your bank account and how to get filing help, we’ve got you covered.

When can you file taxes during the 2024 tax season?

The Internal Revenue Service usually starts accepting federal tax returns in late January.

This year, tax season officially starts on Monday, Jan. 29, when the IRS begins accepting and processing 2023 tax returns, the agency announced.

In Delaware, the Division of Revenue will begin processing 2023 individual state income tax returns on Jan. 23, said Melissa Marlin, deputy principal assistant with the Department of Finance.

When are 2023 taxes due?

Federal 2023 tax returns are due by Monday, April 15.

If you can’t file by then, you can file for an extension by filling out Form 2868 by April 15. This gives you an additional six months, to Tuesday, Oct. 15, to complete your tax return, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Tax returns can still be filed after April 15 without filing for an extension, but you may be subject to a penalty if you owe taxes.

The filing deadline in Delaware for personal income tax returns is Tuesday, April 30.

Delaware does not maintain reciprocity agreements with other states, so taxpayers who work in Delaware but are not Delaware residents need to file a Delaware tax return. Delaware residents who work out of state are required to file returns with Delaware in addition to the state where they worked, said Marlin.

How can I file my 2023 taxes?

You can file your taxes yourself or have them done for you, either by a paid preparer or from a free service provider.

If you generally make $60,000 a year or less, have a disability, have limited English skills or speak English as a second language or are 60 years of age or older, you may be eligible for in-person, full-service tax preparation for free through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

If you need a filing extension, be sure to check which filing assistance programs will remain open past the April 15 deadline.

Individuals with an income of $73,000 or less may be eligible to prepare and file federal income tax returns for free through IRS Free File, which opened on Jan. 12. Free File allows tax returns to be completed in advance and then held by participating software companies until they can be filed electronically with the IRS.

Beginning on Jan. 29, Free File Fillable forms, part of the Free File efforts, will provide free electronic forms to tax filers at any income level, allowing them to fill out and e-file their taxes independently at no cost.

Service members may be able to prepare and file their tax returns for free through MilTax if they meet certain criteria.

The agency also announced a new pilot program, IRS Direct File, that allows taxpayers the option to file their 2023 federal tax returns for free online, directly with the IRS. It will be rolled out in phases and is expected to be widely available in mid-March.

It is available on desktop or mobile devices and walks users through step-by-step instructions to fill out their tax returns. Delaware is not currently involved with the pilot program, but many states have indicated interest to enroll in the service in the future, according to the IRS.

When will I get my 2023 tax refund?

This year, the IRS estimates that more than 128.7 million individual tax returns will be filed by the April 15 deadline.

The IRS expects to issue most refunds via direct deposit in less than 21 days, according to the agency, but some returns may require additional review that takes longer to process.

Issues that can cause your refund to be delayed according to the IRS include:

• If the taxpayer is claiming certain credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit.

• Whether the return is e-filed or sent by mail.

• If the taxpayer has existing debts to the federal government.

Electronically filing your tax return and choosing direct deposit is the fastest way to get your refund. For the issuance of paper checks, the IRS estimates a four- to six-week waiting period.

Remember, the wait for your tax return is based on when the IRS has received your return and entered it, which can be a few days after you submitted it electronically or a few weeks after mailing it in and the IRS has manually entered your information.

For taxpayers claiming the EITC or the ACTC on their tax returns, the IRS cannot issue refunds before mid-February. The IRS is required by law to hold the entire refund amount for dispersal, not just the portion associated with the EITC or ACTC.

Most EITC- and ACTC-related refunds are expected to be available by Feb. 27 for taxpayers who chose direct deposit and submitted returns without issues, according to the IRS.

Delaware taxpayers should note that refunds will not begin to be issued until Feb. 15 as a result of fraud prevention measures that protect Delaware taxpayers, said Marlin.

More tax information: Tax season 2024: When to file 2023 taxes, tax filing deadline, refund window and more info

How to check the status of your 2023 tax return

Want to keep an eye on your 2023 tax return? You can check the status of your filed return, or find out why it may be delayed, by using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the IRS website or using the IRS2Go app.

Delaware also has a state tax refund locator that can help you figure out where your money is.

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: When can you file 2023 taxes? Season deadlines, refund timeline & more