Dates to remember when filing 2023 taxes

IRS will begin accepting returns later this month

The holidays are over, your debt balance is huge and you may be wondering how soon you can get your tax refund and put a dent in that debt. Wonder no more. The IRS said Monday it will begin accepting tax returns on Jan. 29.

If you file your taxes electronically that day and there are no issues, the IRS says it can usually issue a refund within 21 days or less as long as you didn’t claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. By law, those refunds can’t be issued before mid-February.

The final deadline for most people to file taxes is April 15.

How can I ensure my taxes are filed on the first day?

As long as you’ve received all your tax documents, you can complete the forms now and have them ready to send electronically on Jan. 29.

Most software companies accept electronic submissions and then hold them until the IRS is ready to begin processing later this month.

If you use a tax preparer, they also can complete your return ahead of opening day and queue it up to the IRS. As soon as the agency opens for business that day, your return will automatically get filed.

IRS Free File will be available on IRS.gov starting Friday ahead of the filing season opening. The IRS Direct File pilot will be rolled out in phases as final testing is completed and is expected to be widely available in mid-March to eligible taxpayers in the participating states.

What if I file by paper and mail?

If you file by paper and are due a refund, you’ll have to wait longer for your check. Not only do you have to wait for the postal system to deliver your paper return, but processing your return will take longer.

An IRS employee will have to open the mail and enter your information to get processed.

“It could take four weeks or more to process your return,” the IRS said.

The IRS expects more than 128.7 million individual tax returns to be filed by the April 15 tax deadline.