Tax season is almost here. What to know about when you can start filing for your return

Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
A 1040 federal tax form printed from the Internal Revenue Service website.
A 1040 federal tax form printed from the Internal Revenue Service website.

Tax season is almost here.

The 2024 tax season begins on Jan. 29 this year, when the Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting and processing returns. The IRS expects more than 128.7 million individual tax returns to be filed by the April 15, 2024, tax deadline.

Are you hoping for a big break on your tax return this season? Here's what you need to know:

When does tax season start?

The IRS will begin accepting and processing returns on Jan. 29, 2024.

However, people do not need to wait until then to work on their taxes if they're using software companies or tax professionals, according to the IRS. For example, most software companies accept electronic submissions and then hold them until the IRS is ready to begin processing later this month.

When is the deadline to file my taxes?

For most taxpayers, including those in Ohio, the deadline to file their personal federal tax return, pay any tax owed or request an extension to file is Monday, April 15, 2024, according to the IRS.

Taxpayers living in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17, 2024, due to the Patriot's Day and Emancipation Day holidays.

Can I file my taxes for free?

IRS Free File opened Jan. 12, 2024, when participating software companies started to accept completed tax returns and will hold them until they can be filed electronically with the IRS, according to the agency.

IRS Free File lets qualified taxpayers prepare and file federal income tax returns online using guided tax preparation software. The program, available at IRS.gov, is available to any taxpayer or family with Adjusted Gross Income of $79,000 or less in 2023.

When do I get my refund?

According to the IRS, most refunds are issued in less than 21 days, although there are different factors that can affect the timing of the refund.

The IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills. Some returns may require additional review and may take longer.

The easiest way to check a refund's status is by using Where's My Refund? on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Tax season 2024: When you can start filing for your tax return