The 2025-2026 tax season begins this month. January may seem a little early to be thinking about taxes, but the April deadline is sneaking up quickly, in just a few months.
And the sooner you file, the sooner your tax return comes. The first day to file taxes is in less than a week, as of Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Here’s when tax season begins and ends, what to know before you file and a list of some new tax breaks that were introduced in 2025.
What is the earliest the IRS will accept tax returns? When the 2026 tax season starts
The IRS announced earlier this month that the 2026 tax filing season will officially begin Monday, Jan. 26.
When can I file 2026 taxes? When is the last day to file taxes?
The deadline to file your taxes in 2026 is Wednesday, April 15. If you’re not able to file by then, you can request a six-month extension.
What are the new tax breaks? Check before you file
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Trump earlier this year included several new tax breaks that are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025.
Some changes in tax rules to be aware of include:
- Standard deductions increases
- $6,000 deduction for those 65 and older
- No tax on tips, with maximum deduction of $25,000
- No tax on “qualified” overtime. Maximum deduction is $12,500 or $25,000 for joint filers
- No tax on car loan interest, with maximum annual deduction of $10,000
- Expansion of health savings account
- Adoption credit up to $5,000
What documents do I need to file my taxes?
Here is a list of some tax forms you might need to fill out and what they do:
- Form 1040: If you’re using a tax filing service, like the IRS’s Free File service, they’ll have this form ready for you to fill out when the time comes. If you’re doing your taxes on your own, you’ll need to get a Form 1040 yourself from your library, or you can print it from the IRS’s website.
- W-2: If you work for an employer, they should give or mail your W-2 to you by the end of January. This form shows how much you earned last year and how much of what you made was deducted for taxes or other withholdings.
- 1099-NEC: This 1099 form is only applicable to you if you did freelance or contract work in 2023.
- 1099-K: If you’re a gig worker for a business like Uber, Lyft or Airbnb, you will probably use this form. This 1099 form is for reporting income that you received through third-parties, like payments through PayPal, debit cards or credit card processors.
- Other 1099 forms: If you earned interest from savings or investments, you might get a 1099-INT form. You could also get a 1099-DIV form, which tracks investment dividends and distributions. If you get a 1099-C form, you had $600 or more in debt that was canceled.
- 1098-E: This form tracks tax-deductible student loan interest payments over $600 and allows you to deduct up to $2,500 of interest on your student loans. If you paid less than $600, you may not receive a 1098-E, but if you find out what amount of interest you paid, you can still deduct it.
- 1098-T: The 1098-T is used for educational tax credits and deductions. It reports payments received for tuition and education expenses. You’ll also need to include scholarships or grants. If you need to fill this out, your school will send it to you or have it available in your student portal.
How do I create an IRS online account?
You can create an account on the IRS’s website.
Through their IRS Online Account, taxpayers can:
- View key details from their most recent tax return, such as adjusted gross income.
- Request an Identity Protection PIN.
- Get account transcripts to include wage and income records.
- Sign tax forms such as powers of attorney or tax information authorizations.
- View and edit language preferences request and alternative media such as Braille, large print and more.
- Receive and view over 200 IRS electronic notices.
- View, make and cancel payments.
- Set up or change payment plans and check their balance.
What is the minimum income to file taxes in 2026?
If you are under the age of 65, not married, aren’t self-employed and made at least $15,750 of taxable income in 2025, you have to file taxes in 2026.
Even if you aren’t required to file a tax return, you might want to anyway. If there were any federal taxes pulled from any of your 2025 paychecks, you can only be refunded that money when you file a tax return. The IRS doesn’t automatically issue refunds.
How fast do tax returns come back with direct deposit?
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, “Assuming no issues, IRS issues tax refunds in less than 21 calendar days after the IRS receives the tax return.”
If you want to track the status of your tax refund, the IRS has a “Where’s my tax refund?” search tool that will show you the status of your refund by using your social security number, filing status, and refund amount.
Do I have to pay state income tax in Florida? How many states don’t have income tax?
No. Florida is one of nine states that do not have state income tax. The states with no income tax are Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska. Florida does have a corporate income tax, though.
