IRS Opens 2026 Filing as White House Expects Largest Tax Refund Season

Average refunds issued to taxpayers are projected to jump by $1,000 or more, the White House said.

Current federal tax forms are distributed at the offices of the Internal Revenue Service in Chicago on Nov. 1, 2005. Illustration by Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Internal Revenue Service announced on Jan. 26 the opening of the 2026 tax filing season.

“The IRS expects about 164 million individual tax returns for tax year 2025 to be filed ahead of the Wednesday, April 15, federal deadline. Taxpayers can find a range of tools and filing options on IRS.gov to help them prepare and file their returns,” according to the agency’s news release.