It’s official: January 30th will be the first day to e-file taxes in 2013!
Well, this was hardly a surprise. The IRS announced Tuesday that it was kicking forward the opening of the 2013 tax season to Wednesday, Jan 30th. That’s a full eight days later than the previously announced January 22nd marker, which was itself set five days past the Jan 17 date on which the 2012 season began.
It would be cheap, at best, to blame the Taxman. After the protracted end of year mess in Washington, the agency could hardly have been expected to have all its t’s crossed and its many i’s dotted by mid-month. For anyone in need of a reminder, legislation to pull the nation off the fiscal cliff was only passed on the second day of the year!
“We have worked hard to open tax season as soon as possible,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven Miller in a statement issued Tuesday.. “This date ensures we have the time we need to update and test our processing systems,” he added.
So when does tax season start in 2013? The old 22nd date, on which e-filing was set to begin, left open the option of paper filing your tax return hours after the din of the fireworks had died down, which is to say on Jan 1st. This will not be possible this time around.
Instead, both e-file and paper filing will have to wait for the end of January’s opening bell, further reducing the incentive to paper file. In the IRS’s estimate, more than 80 million taxpayers filed online last year. This is a number the agency’s brass is intent on increasing.
Starting Jan 30, the large majority of taxpayers, or roughly 120 million households, will be able to file their tax return, whether they go online or put pencil to paper. The rest, notably those claiming residential energy and some business credits, will have to wait longer, until late February and possibly into March.
Photo via Scott S on Flickr.
I file my taxes with u guys I was just wonder how long after the 30 will it take for the for it go through is 2 weeks befor the irs will get it.
Hi Amber,
We are currently in the process of filing a large backlog of returns from the month of January. If you’d like more information please contact our customer service at 877-289-7580.
i called the tax place and they told me mines had been sent off do you think i will be one of the ones who get the refunds early
Well I check tha status on my refund and mines say feburary 1 no later than tha six of febuary
If my status says pending, with date of jan 30, will it be processed on the 30? Do others say different dates of processing? What I am trying to ask is, if it says it’ll be processed on the 30th, its guarenteed for the 30th vs mid to late February? Do all efile processing dates say the 30?
Hi Raqi,
It’s not guaranteed to be processed on the 30th, but I think it’s safe to say that it will probably be processed within 48-72 hours.
hi i filed mine on the 23 at h and r block how long do u think it will take me to get my money i have things to pay and do =(
Hi Nadia,
It’s impossible to say for sure, but I think you should get your refund sometime in the first three weeks of February.