The IRS will start accepting tax returns on January 26th. Federal returns for 2025 will need to be filed by April 15th in order to avoid penalties and interest. Most taxpayers will also be expected to pay their taxes by that date. Those expecting a refund could see a little more this year. Tax experts say the IRS did not update withholding tables for employers last year, which show how much to take from workers' paychecks. That could mean bigger refunds for some taxpayers.