Robert Rodriguez/CNET
2023 is well underway, which means tax season is starting up.
The IRS is not officially accepting 2022 returns yet, but it’s not too early to start getting your paperwork together.
This filing season is the first to benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in August and provided the IRS with additional staffing and resource.
“We’ve trained thousands of new employees to answer phones and help people,” Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell said in a Jan. 12 statement. “While much work remains after several difficult years, we expect people to experience improvements this tax season.”
Here are important dates for the 2022 tax season, including when federal and state taxes are due, the earliest you can file your income taxes, and when you can expect a refund.
For more on tax returns, learn how to set up an account on the IRS website, and how to file on your phone.
What’s the deadline for filing 2022 tax returns?
The IRS says it expects to receive more than 168 million individual tax returns this year. The deadline to file for most Americans is Tuesday, April 18, 2023. That’s because April 15 is a Saturday and the next weekday, April 17, is recognized as a holiday, Emancipation Day, in Washington, DC.
According to the IRS, “by law, Washington, D.C., holidays impact tax deadlines for everyone in the same way federal holidays do.”
Residents of California impacted by severe storms have until May 15 to file their taxes.
If you’re serving in the military abroad, including in a combat zone or as part of a contingency operation in support of the US Armed Forces, you may be granted additional time to file your return.
When are state taxes due?
Of the 41 states that levy income tax, most are adhering to the April 18 deadline. There are some exceptions.
Nine states — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming — have no state income taxes.
Check with your state department of revenue for the most current information and deadlines.
What’s the deadline if I file for an extension?
Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Oct. 16, 2023, to file their 2022 tax return.
Fiiling an extension doesn’t push back your payment deadline, though. You still need to submit anything you owe on time to avoid late penalties. An extension just gives you more time to complete your return.
How early can I file my 2022 taxes?
The IRS typically begins accepting and processing returns in late January. This year’s start date for individual tax return filers is Monday, Jan 23.
Employers are required to provide workers with W-2 and 1099 income tax forms by Jan. 31.
Should I file my taxes early?
If you have all your paperwork in order and you’re getting a refund, then it makes sense to file as soon as possible, said Joe Burhmann, senior financial planning consultant at eMoney Advisor. “From a planning perspective, the IRS likes that.”
If you owe money, though, you might want to wait a bit.
“It gives you a bit more time to hold onto your money,” Burhmann said. “And it gives you time to figure out how to pay – whether that means getting a loan, putting it on credit cards or something else.”
Even if you’re not filing immediately, you should prepare your taxes as soon as possible.
“Knowledge is always a good thing to have,” Burhmann said. “Make sure you’ve gotten your 1099 and know what you’re going to be dealing with.”
When can I expect my refund?
Once the IRS begins accepting returns, the agency says taxpayers who file electronically and are due a refund can expect it within 21 days — if they choose direct deposit and there are no issues with their return.
By law, the agency cannot issue refunds involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, in order to help prevent fraudulent refunds from being issued.
When is IRS Free File available?
IRS Free File, a partnership between the IRS and leading tax-software companies, traditionally becomes available in January. The program allows taxpayers under a certain income threshold to file electronically for free, using software provided by participating providers. (Last year, the salary cap was $72,000.)
Free File typically begins before tax season officially starts, so the partner companies hold the completed returns until they can be filed electronically with the IRS.
For more on taxes, find out about changes in the law that could affect your tax refund and learn which tax-prep software is the best.