In a press release on January 8th, The Internal Revenue Service announced that the nation's tax season will start on Monday, January 26, 2026. That is when the IRS will begin accepting and processing 2025 tax-year returns. Taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to file their returns, pay any tax due, and/or file for an extension of time to file.
Several new tax law provisions of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill become effective this year and could impact federal taxes, credits, and deductions. Many experts predict many taxpayers will see an increase in their refunds. However, that depends on your actual tax situation.
According to IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano, “The Internal Revenue Service is ready to help taxpayers meet their tax filing and payment obligations during the 2026 filing season.” He goes on to state that the “IRS information systems have been updated to incorporate the new tax laws…”
2026 Tax Tools, Resources, and Recommendations
- New Schedule 1-A. Taxpayers will use the new Schedule 1-A to claim recently enacted tax deductions, such as no tax on tips, overtime, car loan interest and/or the enhanced deduction for seniors. More information.
- Forms 1099-K and 1099-DA. Taxpayers must report all taxable income on their federal tax returns. If applicable, learn what to do whether or not you receive either of these forms.
- Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, is used to report payments received from credit cards, payments apps and online marketplaces.
- Form 1099-DA, Digital Assets, is used to report digital asset proceeds from broker transactions.
- Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, is used to report payments received from credit cards, payments apps and online marketplaces.
- Open a bank account. The IRS has long encouraged taxpayers to establish a bank account to receive their tax refunds via direct deposit especially now since paper tax refund checks are being phased out due to the executive order - Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account.
- Enroll in a Trump Account. Parents, guardians and other authorized individuals can establish a new type of individual retirement account for their children. To learn more, visit trumpaccounts.gov.
- IRS Individual Online Account. Taxpayers can access their individual online account information, including balance due, payments made or scheduled, tax records and more.
- Where’s My Refund? Refund status information is generally available around 24 hours after e-filing a current-year return, or four weeks after filing a paper return.
- Be aware of tax scams and fraud. Taxpayers can learn how to prevent, report and recover from tax scams and tax-related identity theft on IRS.gov.
- Taxpayer Assistance Centers. Taxpayers should make IRS.gov their first stop to get help. If taxpayers cannot resolve their issue online, they can get help by making an appointment to visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center.
- MilTax. Military members and some veterans can use the Department of Defense program, MilTax, for free return preparation and e-filing software.
Sources:
“IRS Announces First Day of 2026 Filing Season; Online Tools and Resources Help with Tax Filing | Internal Revenue Service.” Irs.gov, 2026, www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-first-day-of-2026-filing-season-online-tools-and-resources-help-with-tax-filing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
“One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act: Tax Deductions for Working Americans and Seniors | Internal Revenue Service.” Irs.gov, 2025, www.irs.gov/newsroom/one-big-beautiful-bill-act-tax-deductions-for-working-americans-and-seniors. Accessed 24 Jan. 2026.
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