Tax filing season underway as IRS begins accepting and processing 2023 federal income tax returns
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- While Tax Day itself may be more than two months away, you can get a head start on filing because starting today, the IRS will begin accepting and processing tax returns.
The IRS announced that it expects more than 128 million individual tax returns to be filed by the deadline, so they're trying to help and have made some changes this year.
They say they've increased help on their toll-free phone line and expanded its 'Customer Call-Back' feature to reduce wait times.
The most widely-used tool, called 'Where's My Refund?' is also improved so you can check on when to expect getting money back.
Starting in mid-March, there will be a new pilot service called 'Direct File,' which will give you another free option to file directly with the IRS.
Here are some things to keep in mind before you file.
Know your deadlines. Unless you file for an automatic six-month extension, the filing deadline for most is April 15.
Grab your 2022 tax return. It will give you a good starting point for figuring out what documents you need to have handy to fill out this year's return.
When it comes to the speed of your refund, the IRS typically issues them within 21 days of accepting your return.
You may be able to file for free this year.
If your income was $79,000 or less this year, select tax software companies will file your return for free.
People who miss the tax filing deadline will likely face a hefty penalty, so make sure you've got April 15 on your calendar now and start working on your tax filing well ahead of time.
Filing for free is available on IRS.gov