Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 Tax Filing Season
With the 2025 Tax Filing season opening January 27th and the filing deadline on April 15th, 2025, here is everything you need to know for this tax season.
Available Help
- For tax questions visit IRS.gov and use the interactive tax assistant (ITA) that can aid in answering specific questions.
- IRS Free File- for taxpayers with income less than $84,000 they can use Free File which is guided software with electronic forms that e-file themselves.
- Direct File – can be used to file online directly at no cost and guides taxpayers through series of questions to prepare their return step by step. This service is available in English and Spanish. Welcome to Direct File | Direct File | Internal Revenue Service
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – offers free tax help to people who make$67,000 or less, persons with disabilities and taxpayers whose preferred language is not English. To find a clinic near you Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service
- MilTax- available to members of the military and some veterans and offers free return preparation and electronic filing.IRS Free File- for taxpayers with income less than $84,000 they can use Free File which is guided software with electronic forms that e-file themselves.
- Direct File – can be used to file online directly at no cost and guides taxpayers through series of questions to prepare their return step by step. This service is available in English and Spanish. Welcome to Direct File | Direct File | Internal Revenue Service
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – offers free tax help to people who make$67,000 or less, persons with disabilities and taxpayers whose preferred language is not English. To find a clinic near you Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service
- MilTax- available to members of the military and some veterans and offers free return preparation and electronic filing.
Refunds
- Most refunds are issued in less than 21 days but there are many different factors that may delay a refund so do not count on getting it by a certain date.
- Easiest way to check on refund is to go to Where’s My Refund? | Internal Revenue Service or go to the IRS2Go app.
Tax Scams
- Scammers become more active during tax season.
- Signs to watch out for- large payday, threats or demands, and odd or misspelled website links.
- Watch out for tax-related identity theft when someone uses your personal information to file fraudulent tax returns. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, be sure to still file a return and visit identify theft central on IRS website.
- To help alert and protect taxpayers there is now a banner on the online account homepage to alert taxpayers of potential scams.
Note: This information cannot take the place of advice from a lawyer. Each case is different and needs individual legal advice. You should contact the LITC or a private attorney if you need representation on a tax matter or if you have questions. The Cal Poly LITC is a controversary clinic that does not prepare tax returns.