When Will Tax Season Start in 2026?

Tax season for tax filing year 2025 is rumored to be starting late this year. The new IRS commissioner, Billy Long, was quoted in July 2025 stating that tax season could start around President’s Day in 2026. That would mean tax season 2026 would start in mid-February. This is approximately 3 weeks later than we are used to tax season starting, but it’s not the first time that tax season would have had a late start. The IRS is said to have walked back that statement about a late start but as of yet there is no official start date. 

With the new tax law changes stemming from the OBBBA legislation, many forms will need to be revised or even created to facilitate those tax provisions, such as no tax on overtime, no tax on tips, and the new senior deduction. This will be first done by the IRS and then these forms will need to be coded into tax software by every tax software developer approved by the IRS. Some tax years, there are specific forms that come out late and only those taxpayers using those specific forms will need to wait to file, but it all depends on the IRS. 

While unfortunate if the rumors are true, this does not necessarily preclude taxpayers from being prepared to file when hub testing opens (usually about a week or two before official tax season start date) if their tax professional works with a software developer who participates in the program. Refund anticipation loans have also come back into play for those who rely on getting their refund as early as possible in order to pay rent and other various living expenses. Especially with the government shutdown and SNAP benefits not being given, the thought of waiting an extra 3 weeks for their refund may be very scary. 

One silver lining is that tax filing capabilities are extended for this year. Usually e-filing shuts down at the end of November, but this year the ability to e-file is extended through mid-to-late December which presents an opportunity to file for anyone with unfiled 2022, 2023, or 2024 tax returns. If a refund is due, this could help float the taxpayer until they are able to file their 2025 tax return in 2026.