The Internal Revenue Service officially kicked off the 2025 tax filing season, and they expect over 140 million returns by the April 15 deadline.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to gather necessary documents, such as W-2s, 1099 forms, interest statements, information on education credits, and other eligible deductions, before starting.
The IRS continues to offer several free tax filing options, including:
- IRS Free File: Available to individuals earning $84,000 or less, this program partners with private tax software companies to provide guided filing options at no cost.
- Direct File: Colorado is not a participating state.
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE): Designed for eligible individuals earning $67,000 or less, seniors or those with disabilities.
- MilTax: A Department of Defense program offering free tax preparation for military members and eligible veterans.
“This is actually the 23rd year for Free File,” Stacy Engle with the IRS told Denver7. “We suggest starting at irs.gov to ensure you're using official IRS tools. For those who don't feel comfortable with tax software, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Centers staffed by IRS-trained volunteers provide free in-person help for eligible taxpayers."
As tax season begins, scammers often intensify efforts to exploit taxpayers.
"The first and foremost thing that the IRS wants people to know is if it seems too good to be true, it probably is, so buyer beware on any text messages you would get saying that you're due a refund because the IRS will not send you text messages or send you emails,” Engle said.
Engle said to be on the lookout for mail with errors, misspellings or strange words out of context.
If you are unsure the communication you are receiving is from the IRS, log into your IRS account at IRS.gov and verify its authenticity.
Taxpayers who file electronically and select direct deposit can expect refunds in less than 21 days for most returns.
The state of Colorado has not begun accepting tax returns.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.