2026 tax season reshapes refunds with new deductions and filing options
The IRS opens tax season with sweeping changes from the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, including new deductions for seniors, tips, and overtime; temporarily higher SALT limits and revised 2026 standard deductions; plus new filing options like IRS Free File and Free File Fillable Forms; refunds typically arrive within about 21 days for e-filed returns, with an April 15 deadline and about 164 million returns expected.