Kate Schubel
The IRS officially opened tax season 2025 on Jan. 27. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should start right away (do you have all your tax documents gathered?). Some taxpayers can file their federal returns as early as today. Others might need to wait until February. So, when should you file?
Here’s what you need to know.
When you can file taxes
Some tax preparation companies, such as Intuit’s TurboTax, will let you submit your federal tax return now. But they're not the only ones. The IRS also has several free options for filing taxes, like the Free File and Direct File programs.
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So if you’re ready for tax season, submitting your return now might place yours at the front of the line. Just make sure you have all your year-end documents before you hit submit.
What documents do you need to file taxes? You’ll need all your 2024 income statements, such as W-2s and 1099s. However, some taxpayers will need additional documents.
For example, if you plan to claim the mortgage interest deduction, you’ll need to wait for your Form 1098. And if you worked any side hustles, you’ll want to organize all your receipts for business expenses and keep in mind this 1099-K reporting change for the 2025 tax season.
(Note: Employers have until Jan. 31 to distribute W-2s, which means you might not receive yours in the mail until early February.)
IRS Free File: File tax for free
The IRS Free File program opened on Jan. 27. Eligible taxpayers can file their federal returns for free using guided tax preparation software.
- Your AGI must be $84,000 or less to take advantage of free guided tax preparation.
- Free guided tax preparation is done through one of the IRS’ tax preparation partners.
- If you do not qualify for IRS Free File, you can download and use fillable forms to file your taxes.
Free Fillable Forms closes after mid-October 2025, and accounts are deleted at that time. So, you may want to keep copies of your tax documents elsewhere if you choose this option.
2025 tax season
The IRS has made numerous changes for the 2025 tax season, from expanding the Direct File program to changing the 1099-K threshold and everything in between.
Additionally, a lot has been happening at the IRS since the new president's inauguration. The former Commissioner has stepped down, an indefinite hiring freeze is in place, and an idea for a new tax agency, the "ERS," is floating around. These administrative changes are not expected to go into effect this filing season.
But if you claim the earned income tax credit (EITC) or the refundable portion of the 2024 child tax credit (the "additional child tax credit"), the IRS cannot release your refund until mid-February, regardless of how early you file.
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