The deadline for filing income tax returns or requesting an extension has been moved from the normal April 15 date to April 18 this year. This is due to Washington, D.C.'s Emancipation Day holiday on April 15, which affects tax deadlines for everyone in the same way as federal holidays. A total of 168 million individual tax returns are expected to be filed, with the vast majority being filed before the deadline.
For taxpayers affected by severe storms or disaster declarations, the IRS is offering extended deadlines for various tax returns and payments.
Tax refunds are expected to be smaller this year due to the expiration of some pandemic policies and a return to past levels of tax credits. Taxpayers who made $73,000 or less in 2022 can file their taxes electronically for free with the Free File program, while taxpayers at any income level can use the Free File Fillable Forms available on the IRS website.
The IRS Where's My Refund website can be used to check the status of e-filed returns, while a waiting period of about four weeks is needed for paper returns. By filing for an automatic tax extension using Form 4868, taxpayers can get six more months to file their returns, but payments are still due by the April 18 deadline to avoid penalties and interest.