The Internal Revenue Service officially started the 2026 tax season on January 26, 2026. This means that the IRS began processing people’s tax returns from this date. E-filing options were made available from January 2026, and the tax filing deadline is April 15, 2026.
For the 2025 tax year, the IRS has maintained the same tax refund processing timeline as in previous years: within three weeks for electronic filing and within eight weeks for paper filing. Processing of EITC and ACTC will begin on February 21, 2026.
The earliest refunds in the 2026 tax season are expected to be received on February 4, 2026, and those who have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit will have to wait until March 2, 2026, to receive their refund direct deposit.
IRS Tax Season 2026 Start Date
The tax year 2026 has started on January 26, 2026, and the IRS has already begun processing returns for many people. Many will also receive their refunds soon. If you haven’t filed your return yet, do so as soon as possible because many people make mistakes when filing close to the deadline.
The filing deadline is April 15, 2026, but you can extend this deadline by six months by filing an extension. However, remember that the extension is only for filing, not for payment. It means that if you have a tax liability, you will incur penalties if you pay after April 15, 2026.
Tax Rates
The tax rates for the tax year 2025 have been changed under the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). You can find information on the percentage of tax you need to pay based on your filing status from the table available below.
Single Filers
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income |
| 10% | Up to $11,925 |
| 12% | $11,926 to $48,475 |
| 22% | $48,476 to $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,351 to $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,301 to $250,525 |
| 35% | $250,526 to $626,350 |
| 37% | Over $626,350 |
Married Filing Jointly
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income |
| 10% | Up to $23,850 |
| 12% | $23,851 to $96,950 |
| 22% | $96,951 to $206,700 |
| 24% | $206,701 to $394,600 |
| 32% | $394,601 to $501,050 |
| 35% | $501,051 to $751,600 |
| 37% | Over $751,600 |
Married Filing Separately
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income |
| 10% | Up to $11,925 |
| 12% | $11,926 to $48,475 |
| 22% | $48,476 to $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,351 to $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,301 to $250,525 |
| 35% | $250,526 to $375,800 |
| 37% | Over $375,800 |
Head of Household
| Tax Rate | Taxable Income |
| 10% | Up to $17,000 |
| 12% | $17,001 to $64,850 |
| 22% | $64,851 to $103,350 |
| 24% | $103,351 to $197,300 |
| 32% | $197,301 to $250,500 |
| 35% | $250,501 to $626,350 |
| 37% | Over $626,350 |
How to File?
Filing can be done both electronically and on-paper, but the better option is electronic filing because it reduces the chances of errors and also results in faster refunds. For the convenience of taxpayers, the IRS has made the IRS Free File service available, which you can use to e-file your return for free.
It offers two types of tools. One is for those whose AGI is less than $89,000; this software is available to them and helps with state tax returns, automatically answering basic questions and performing all calculations. However, for those whose AGI is above $89,000, the available tools do not offer tax state return filing, and information must be entered manually.
Return Status
The IRS provides a web-based tool and a mobile application to check tax return status, namely “Where’s My Refund” and “IRS2Go,” respectively. You can use either of these to check the status of your filing. It can be used 24 hours after electronic filing and four weeks after filing on paper.
To check your refund status using either of these methods, you will need your Social Security number and other identifying information. When you check your status, you will see either “Received,” “Approved,” or “Sent,” each of which has a different meaning, as discussed below.
If the status shows “Received,” it means the IRS has received your return and will now review it. If it shows “Approved,” it means they have approved your tax return and will send your refund soon. If it shows “Sent,” it means they have already sent your refund, which you should receive within a few hours of it being released.
