What you need to know about the new IRS Direct File program, how to track a refund and more during the 2025 tax season.

Tax season will officially start Monday, Jan. 27. The IRS expects more than 140 million individual returns for tax year 2024 to be filed ahead of the April 15 deadline. The agency began accepting returns via IRS Free File on Jan. 10 but they won’t be processed until the official start date.

Most tax filers who submit tax returns online can expect to receive their refunds within 21 days, the IRS said. That means those who e-file on Jan. 27 may be able to get their money as early as Feb. 17. Those who file paper tax returns by mail will have to wait at least four weeks, according to the IRS.