U.S. · Federal taxes · 2027 filing season
When does tax season start in 2027?
What is announced, what is not, and the pattern from the last six IRS opening days, with a counter to each date.
Not announced yet. As of November 1, 2026 the IRS had not named the 2027 opening day. The last five seasons all began on a Monday between January 23 and 29; the 2026 season opened January 26. Tax Day is Thursday, April 15, 2027.
Count the days
Days to each date
What the IRS has said
The IRS announces the opening day of each filing season ahead of time. Its filing season statistics page lists when each recent season began, and nothing for 2027 had been published when we read it on November 1, 2026. The IRS Free File page says the program has closed and asks users to check back in January 2027. The one 2027 date that is already fixed by statute is Tax Day, April 15, which falls on a Thursday.
Opening days, 2021 to 2026
| Filing season | Opening day | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | February 12, 2021 | Friday |
| 2022 | January 24, 2022 | Monday |
| 2023 | January 23, 2023 | Monday |
| 2024 | January 29, 2024 | Monday |
| 2025 | January 27, 2025 | Monday |
| 2026 | January 26, 2026 | Monday |
The weekday labels are ours. The 2021 season was the outlier; the five seasons since all opened on a Monday between January 23 and January 29. In 2027 the Mondays are January 25 and February 1, so those are the two dates the pattern points to. That is a pattern, not an announcement, and the IRS can choose any date.
What matters more than the opening day
For most people the real start of tax season is the day your documents arrive. Employers must furnish W-2s by January 31, which in 2027 is a Sunday, so the deadline moves to Monday, February 1. Other forms follow on their own dates, some in February. See the information return deadlines for the full list. Filing before you have every form risks an amended return.
The refund date also depends on what you claim. The IRS says an e-filed return typically gets a refund in 3 weeks and a mailed return in 6 or more weeks. Refunds on returns claiming the Earned Income Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit are held by law until mid-February, so filing the first week of the season does not make those arrive sooner. Our refund date estimator applies those rules to your filing date.
Worked example
If today is November 1, 2026, it is 85 days to Monday, January 25, 2027 and 165 days to Thursday, April 15, 2027. The counter above updates from any date you enter, so you can see how many weeks you have to gather documents.
Limits of this page
The candidate dates are our reading of a pattern. They are not IRS dates, and this page will be updated when the IRS publishes the real one. Do not time a filing decision on them.
Sources
Primary sources opened and checked on November 1, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When does tax season start in 2027?
The IRS had not announced the 2027 filing season opening day when we checked on November 1, 2026. The last five seasons all opened on a Monday between January 23 and January 29, so a Monday in late January or the first days of February is the pattern to expect. Watch for the IRS announcement ahead of the season.
When did the 2026 tax filing season start?
January 26, 2026, per the IRS filing season statistics page. The 2025 season began January 27, 2025 and the 2024 season began January 29, 2024.
When is Tax Day 2027?
Thursday, April 15, 2027, for most taxpayers filing 2026 returns. You can request an extension to October 15, 2027, but an extension to file is not an extension to pay.
Can I file before the filing season opens?
You can prepare your return early in tax software, but the IRS begins accepting and processing returns on the opening day. Wait for your W-2s and 1099s before you file.
When will I get my refund in 2027?
The IRS says the typical e-filed return gets its refund within 3 weeks, and a mailed return within 6 or more weeks. Refunds on returns with the Earned Income Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit are held by law until mid-February.
When is IRS Free File open for 2027?
The IRS says Free File has closed for now and to check back in January 2027.
When must employers send W-2s for 2026?
January 31, 2027 falls on a Sunday, so the deadline moves to Monday, February 1, 2027 under the usual next-business-day rule. Most W-2s arrive in the last week of January or early February.
Not tax advice
This page is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm anything that matters with the IRS, a CPA or an enrolled agent. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.