It’s time to gather the receipts, the forms, and all the other paperwork and start crunching the tax numbers.
The tax-filing season has begun, running until April 15, and as CNN reported, tax refunds are expected to be larger than those paid out last year if nothing financially significant happened last year.
The refunds usually take less than 21 days when filing electronically, CBS News reported. Most taxpayers will have to get their refund electronically as the IRS electronically started getting rid of paper checks last year.
Once you file, you can track your refund on the IRS website.
The average refund received in 2025 was $3,167, according to the IRS. The Treasury Department said refunds should increase by an average of $1,000 thanks to tax breaks and not adjusting withholdings, CNN said.
Some of the changes include a tax break on car loan interest, a tax break on some tips and overtime, and a $200 increase of the child tax credit.
Tipped workers can deduct up to $25,000 worth of tips, depending on whether your job makes you eligible to do so. People with overtime can deduct up to $12,500 a year of overtime pay, NBC News reported.
You will have to fill out an additional form to claim the deductions. It can be found here.
The standard deduction also went up to $15,750 for single filers and $31,500 for married couples filing jointly.
If you itemize, you may be able to deduct up to $40,000 for state and local taxes, instead of the $10,000 previously.
Senior citizens can take a special deduction of $6,000 on top of their standard deductions if they are eligible.
How to file for free
While most people are required to pay taxes, you don’t necessarily have to pay to have them done.
Keep in mind that while the window is open, you may not have all the forms you need just yet, so you may have to wait, NBC News reported.
When you are ready, there are tax prep assistance programs and software that you can use for free if you qualify.
The IRS has two options: IRS Free File, which is income-dependent and Free File Fillable Forms.
IRS Free File is an agreement between the tax bureau and private companies, but each software platform may only be available depending on a taxpayer’s circumstances and usually has up to $89,000 annual income, The Washington Post reported. Some of the programs may ask you to switch to the paid version but read the requirements; you may not have to, according to the newspaper. Some also only file federal returns, not state ones.
The Free File Fillable Forms site will help with some of the math, but you have to go line by line on Form 1040 to fill it out correctly.
There are also Volunteer Income Tax Assistance typically found at public libraries or other community organizations. You have to have a household income of $67,000 or less. For more information, click here.
AARP also provides tax prep help for free for people over 50 with low to moderate income. Click here to find a location.
Cash App has its own tax filing program, the Post said.
You can also go totally analog and, for the cost of a stamp, file your taxes on paper and mail them. Keep in mind, though, that you will most likely have to wait for your refund.
About 93% of people filed electronically last year, CBS News reported.
If you have any questions while working on your taxes, you can either go to an IRS office in person or call 800-829-1040.
CBS News warned there could be issues with customer service this year because of staffing cuts and the federal shutdown last year.
“Taxpayers might want to lower their expectations and prepare for unanswered phone calls to the IRS and delays in tax refunds, given these ingredients for a problem-prone filing season,” Janet Holtzblatt, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said earlier this month.
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