The IRS has officially announced that the 2025 tax season will commence on Jan. 27, with an estimated 140 million tax returns expected to be filed by the April 15 deadline. This announcement comes as the agency undergoes a significant overhaul, aiming to enhance its technology and customer service processes following the allocation of tens of billions of dollars through the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August 2022.
One of the key initiatives being expanded by the IRS is its Direct File program, which enables taxpayers to file their taxes directly with the agency for free. This program will be available in 25 states starting Jan. 27, up from 12 states in the previous year's pilot program. In 2024, participants in the pilot program claimed over $90 million in refunds by submitting their returns directly to the IRS.
