The 2026 filing season — for your 2025 tax year return — officially opened Monday, January 26, 2026. That's the earliest date the IRS started accepting and processing returns, whether you filed the moment the doors opened or waited until spring. * The deadline to file or request an extension is Wednesday, April 15, 2026. An extension buys you more time to file paperwork, not more time to pay — any tax owed is still due by April 15 to avoid penalties and interest. * If you're due a refund, electronic filing with direct deposit is by far the fastest option: the IRS says most e-filed refunds with no issues arrive within 21 days of acceptance. Taxpayers who filed on opening day generally saw deposits land around February 13 to 16. * One built-in delay to know about: if you're claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit, federal law requires the IRS to hold your entire refund — not just the credit portion — until at least mid-February. For 2026, the IRS expected most of those refunds to reach accounts by March 2, 2026, for filers who chose direct deposit and had no other issues. * The IRS expects roughly 164 million individual returns this season. Check your specific refund status anytime with the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool rather than guessing from these general timelines.