Tax Filing Season Begins; Tax Returns Due April 17

Terry L. Barker • March 25, 2018

More than 155 million individual tax returns are expected to be filed in 2018, according to the IRS, which began accepting electronic and paper tax returns on Monday, January 29, 2018. The January 29 opening date was set to ensure the security and readiness of key tax processing systems in advance of the opening and to assess the potential impact of tax legislation on 2017 tax returns.

Note: Although the IRS began accepting both electronic and paper tax returns January 29, paper returns will not begin processing until mid-February as system updates continue.

April 17 Filing Deadline

The filing deadline to submit 2017 tax returns is Tuesday, April 17, 2018, rather than the traditional April 15 date. In 2018, April 15 falls on a Sunday, and this would usually move the filing deadline to the following Monday (April 16). However, Emancipation Day, which is a legal holiday in the District of Columbia, will be observed on that Monday. This pushes the nation's filing deadline to Tuesday, April 17, 2018. Under the tax law, legal holidays in the District of Columbia affect the filing deadline across the nation.

Refunds in 2018

The IRS anticipates issuing more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days, but there are some important factors to keep in mind.

The IRS will begin releasing refunds for taxpayers claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) starting February 15. However, these refunds--even the portion not associated with the EITC and ACTC--are not likely to arrive in bank accounts or on debit cards until the week of February 27. This date assumes that there are no processing issues with the tax return and the taxpayer chose direct deposit.

Taxpayers should be aware that many financial institutions do not process payments on weekends or holidays, which can affect when refunds reach taxpayers. For example, the three-day holiday weekend involving Presidents' Day may affect the timing of refunds for EITC and ACTC filers.

Don't hesitate to call if you have any questions or need assistance filing your tax return this year.

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