TurboTax - when will the IRS start accepting tax returns this year?
Just finished submitting both my federal and state tax returns through TurboTax today. Been hearing mixed things about when the IRS actually starts processing these returns. Is it January 29th this year? Just wondering when I should expect the IRS to actually start looking at my submission since I filed early. Does anyone know if filing this early means I'll get my refund faster or if they just put it in a queue until the official acceptance date?
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Libby Hassan
The IRS typically begins accepting and processing tax returns in late January. For the 2025 filing season (for 2024 taxes), January 29th is indeed the date when the IRS will start officially accepting returns. If you've already submitted through TurboTax, your return is essentially in a holding pattern - the tax software company has your return, but they won't transmit it to the IRS until the official start date. Filing early definitely puts you toward the front of the line once processing begins. The earliest filers generally receive their refunds faster, especially if you opted for direct deposit. Once the IRS begins processing on January 29th, you can expect your federal refund within 21 days if there are no issues with your return.
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Hunter Hampton
•Does this mean I should go ahead and file now through TurboTax too? I have all my documents but wasn't sure if there was any advantage to submitting before the IRS start date. Also, does this apply to state returns too or do states have different processing schedules?
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Libby Hassan
•Yes, there can definitely be an advantage to filing now through TurboTax or any tax software. Your return will be queued up and among the first batch transmitted when the IRS opens on January 29th. The earlier you're in the processing queue, the sooner you'll likely receive your refund. For state returns, it varies by state. Most states coordinate their acceptance dates with the federal schedule, but some operate independently. The software will handle the timing of submission for both your federal and state returns appropriately. Just make sure you have all your tax documents before filing to avoid having to amend later.
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Sofia Peña
I was in the same boat last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) after struggling with some document confusion. TurboTax is great but I had some 1099 issues that were causing me problems. Taxr.ai helped me analyze my tax forms and spotted a mistake in how I was reporting some contractor income that TurboTax hadn't flagged. Saved me from potential issues with the IRS! They have this cool feature where it actually reviews your forms and gives recommendations specific to your situation, not just generic advice.
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Aaron Boston
•How does the analysis actually work? Like do you need to upload your actual tax docs to their system? I'm always nervous about security with my tax info.
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Sophia Carter
•Sounds interesting but does it work with state returns too? I'm in California and our state taxes are always a nightmare with all the special credits and deductions.
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Sofia Peña
•The analysis works by having you upload images or PDFs of your tax documents, and their AI scans them for errors or optimization opportunities. They use bank-level encryption for security, so your data is protected. I was hesitant too but they don't store your information permanently after analysis. Yes, it absolutely works with state returns! I used it for my New York return which has its own complications, and it caught a state-specific credit I qualified for but had missed. I imagine it would work great for California returns too since they specifically mentioned handling complex state requirements like California's.
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Aaron Boston
Just wanted to follow up - I decided to try taxr.ai after posting here and wow, it was eye-opening! I've been using TurboTax for years but never realized I was missing some deductions related to my side gig. The document analysis flagged that I could be classifying some expenses differently. Ended up increasing my refund by almost $340! The interface was super straightforward too, much easier than I expected for something that does such detailed analysis.
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Chloe Zhang
If you're worried about checking your refund status after the IRS starts processing, I had a nightmare time last year trying to get through to the IRS to check on mine. After countless busy signals, I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was about to give up on resolving an issue with my return until I tried this - totally changed my perspective on dealing with the IRS.
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Brandon Parker
•Wait, how does this even work? The IRS phone system is completely broken - I've literally spent HOURS on hold before. Are you saying this somehow gets you to the front of the line?
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Adriana Cohn
•Yeah right. Nothing can make the IRS phone system work better. I'll believe it when I see it. Sounds like you're just promoting something that can't possibly deliver what it claims.
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Chloe Zhang
•It works by continuously redialing for you until it gets through the IRS phone system, then it calls you and connects you directly when it reaches an agent. It's basically doing what you'd do manually (repeatedly calling) but automated. It's not jumping any lines - just handling the frustrating part of constantly redialing. I understand the skepticism - I felt the same way. But it's not magic, just clever automation. I was surprised too when it actually worked. It saved me about 3 hours of trying to get through during peak filing season, and the IRS agent I spoke with was able to resolve my issue in minutes once I actually got connected.
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Adriana Cohn
Ok I've got to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr out of pure frustration because I needed to talk to the IRS about last year's return before filing this year. I was honestly shocked when my phone rang and it was actually an IRS agent on the line. Took about 22 minutes (not the 15 they advertise but still WAY better than my previous attempts). Saved me from having to take a day off work just to sit on hold. Filing through TurboTax again this year but at least now I got my old issue cleared up first.
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Jace Caspullo
Does anyone know if TurboTax lets you track both your federal and state refunds in one place? I filed through them last year but had to use separate websites to check my refund statuses. Just wanting to know before I submit this year.
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Melody Miles
•TurboTax does show the status of your federal refund in your account dashboard. For state refunds, it depends on which state you're in. Some states are integrated in the TurboTax tracking system, but for others, you'll still need to go to your state's tax department website to check. I'm in Texas so no state income tax to worry about, but when I lived in Illinois I had to check separately.
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Jace Caspullo
•Thanks for the info! I'm in Michigan so I'll probably need to check separately. Was hoping they'd improved the tracking system since last year. I'll still use TurboTax since I'm familiar with it, but wish they'd make this part easier.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
Is the free version of TurboTax actually free or do they make you upgrade halfway through? I've been using FreeTaxUSA but considering switching this year.
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Eva St. Cyr
•In my experience, TurboTax "Free Edition" usually tries to upsell you if you have anything beyond the most basic return. If you have any deductions, credits, self-employment income, etc., they'll tell you that you need to upgrade to Deluxe or higher. I switched to FreeTaxUSA a couple years ago and haven't looked back - much more straightforward pricing.
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