The IRS announced today that Tax Season will begin on Monday, January 24th. That’s the first date that electronically filed returns (and extensions) for the 2021 tax year will be accepted for individuals. (Businesses can already file their 2021 returns.)
Do note that almost every tax professional uses software, and that some forms may not be ready until after that date. Additionally, some state forms and state returns will not be able to be processed until after January 24th.
You should not file your return until you have all your tax paperwork. The deadline for brokerage firms to send their 1099s is February 15th (and it is routinely extended). If you are a partner in a partnership, a shareholder in an S-Corporation, or a beneficiary of a trust, you must wait until you receive your K-1’s. Remember, it’s better to extend than amend.
Finally, we do not expect the deadline for individual returns to be extended from April 18th. That means you will need to file (or file an extension) by then.
As for how this year’s Tax Season will go, expect a repeat of last year. The IRS still has not processed all 2020 returns (but they’re through April!). Until IRS staff is fully back at their Service Centers, there’s no reason to expect anything to change. This is not a scenario to make any IRS stakeholder–be it a tax professional, taxpayer, or Congressman–happy. I can state for the record that I absolutely expect the same issues with delayed processing of refunds this year. (I have a client whose 2019 return is still stuck in limbo!)
Tags: 2022.Tax.Season