Yesterday the IRS announced that e-filing for individual tax returns (Form 1040) will open on Monday, January 23, 2023. At that time the Service will begin accepting and processing returns for tax year 2022. The IRS has used part of the money they received from the Inflation Reduction Act to hire more than 5,000 new telephone assistors and they have added more in-person staff for local Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) so it may be easier for taxpayers and tax professionals to get IRS assistance this filing season than it has been the last few years. Reports from tax professionals on social media have noted that phone staff who had been assigned to help with clearing backlog have been released back to their phone assistance roles, which is truly welcome news for tax professionals and their clients.
Taxpayers using a professional to prepare their tax returns should nevertheless be aware that, while their returns can be prepared (and in some cases sent to the software provider for submission to the IRS) before e-filing opens, the returns will not be sent by the software providers to the Service until e-filing opens. The same is true for individuals who prepare and e-file their own returns using DIY software or the IRS Free File program. The re-opening of individual e-filing also means that prior year returns and amended returns (2019 through 2021) can be e-filed as well. Taxpayers who have not filed their 2019 returns or who could amend their 2019 returns to claim an additional refund amount have only until April 18, 2023 to do so. After that the 2019 tax year is considered closed with respect to “claims for refund.”
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