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.
hi i filled the 29th irs accpeted my return on the 30th it has been 16 days and still no update when i will get it irs will not tell me any thing does anyone know when i should get my money turbo tax said there is no problems showing wrong on my forms so did the irs thats all im getting told and a week later the bar went away on whers my refund
Hi Sarah,
The IRS says that most people will get their refund in less than 21 days, so your return is still within that range. I wouldn’t start worrying until next week.
Hi I filed my taxes on January 25th, 2013 with a private tax preparer. She sent in thru on January 26th she says. Ive been calling and checking the IRS website for the status and its still says Return is still pending. Ive tried to call and talk to a live representative but they never tell me anything really. I just want to know when should I expect a refund its been about 21 days now. What should I do I havent recieved state nor federal?
Hi Jonierre,
Even though your return was filed on Jan. 25th, the IRS did not start processing returns until Jan. 30th. So that means that you still have a few days before you hit the 21 day window. I can’t you anything more than what the IRS has said. It’s up to them at this point and if you don’t have it by the 21st I would call back.
I didn’t get my refund yet nor any other information besides that it was processing. Then I decided to request a transcript of my taxes. I finally got my transcript and this is what it says:
Processing date: Feb 18, 2013
on my other form (because for some reason they sent me two DIFFERENT transcripts) they list all the information that they received and for the received date it says APRIL 15, 2013
I filed and got excepted on January 27th through turbo tax. Soooo if you guys are wondering when you’ll get yours, file a request for your transcripts and you could find out just like me.
I e-filed on January 18th. and I’ve been checking to see when my refund will be deposited, but there’s never any information about my refund. So is that bad or is it normal. just concerned because I never received an email or anything.
Hi Brandi,
Even though you e-filed on the 18th, the IRS probably didn’t start processing your return until the 30th, so it’s actually been less time than you think. I’ve also heard that the Where’s My Refund tool has been having some problems, so that my account for the lack of information. By this point, however, you should have heard something. I would a) see if you can get any information from Where’s My Refund and then b) contact the company you filed your taxes with to make sure everything went through okay.
I efiled my federal and state on jan 25 2013 and my federal was accepted on jan 27 and state still says waiting for response and federal wheres my refund says processing but doesnt have a estimated date of when to expect it 🙁 is that normal?
Hi Rose,
Yes it’s perfectly normal. The states tend to be slightly behind the IRS and many did not start accepting returns until several days later. As for the federal, even though it was accepted on the 27th, the IRS likely did not start processing it until the 30th. It’s only been a week at this point and it could be up to 21 days before you get your refund.