Tax season has arrived: Here’s what to know in Pennsylvania

Do you have questions about filing your 2025 taxes with the IRS? We’re here to help.

It is time to get those 1099s, W-2s, receipts, and all your other tax-related documents in order. The 2026 tax filing season is upon us.

The Internal Revenue Service said it expects nearly 165 million people will file federal income tax returns by the April 15 deadline. And you may want to file your 2025 taxes sooner rather than later, especially if your return isn’t as straightforward as simply filing a W-2 form. The head of the independent Taxpayer Advocate Service is cautioning that the 2026 tax filing season is likely to present challenges for taxpayers who encounter problems with filing their taxes given the exodus of IRS workers since the start of the Trump administration, and other changes.

The IRS started 2025 with about 102,000 employees and finished with roughly 74,000 after a series of firings and layoffs led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“The IRS is simultaneously confronting a reduction of 27% of its workforce, leadership turnover, and the implementation of extensive and complex tax law changes” mandated by Republicans’ tax and spending measure that President Donald Trump signed into law last summer, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins said in her annual report to Congress.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some important things to know about the 2026 tax filing season.

What’s new this year

This year, most taxpayers must provide their routing and account numbers to receive refunds directly deposited into their bank accounts. That’s because the IRS began phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30 in accordance with an executive order.

There are exceptions. Limited paper checks may still be issued for hardship cases or when no other option is available.

If a tax return is filed without direct deposit information, the refund will likely be delayed while the IRS requests electronic payment details.

Taxpayers without bank accounts can use prepaid debit cards or digital wallets. 

Bottom line: to avoid long delays, it is highly recommended you provide direct deposit information on your 2025 tax return. 

Also new this year: the senior deduction

There is a new senior deduction that could mean no taxes on Social Security for seniors 65 and older.

The senior deduction allows individuals aged 65 and older to claim up to an additional $6,000 on top of the current additional standard deduction under existing law. 

The deduction is per individual, so a married couple who qualify could claim up to $12,000. Married couples must file jointly in order to claim the benefit.

Find more information on the senior deduction here.

Help filing your 2025 taxes

The IRS Free File system is the service’s network of several official partner tax software companies, each of which will file your 2025 federal income taxes for free.

The IRS website walks you through the process, and also informs you of the documents and other information you will need in order to file your taxes.

Workers earning less than $84,000 qualify to file federal taxes for free through the IRS’ partner tax software companies.

In addition, the IRS-funded Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an appointment-only service available to Pennsylvania residents who generally made no more than $67,000 to $70,000, depending on their county of residence in 2025. 

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) is another tax assistance program intended for senior citizens who are 60 or older. Most of these sites are run by the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program. Trained TCE volunteers are particularly skilled at answering questions about pensions and retirement-related tax issues.

You can search your zip code on the IRS website or call 800-906-9887 to find a VITA or TCE site near you. 

When refunds will go out

If you file electronically, the IRS says it should take 21 days or less to receive your refund. If you choose direct deposit, it should take even less time. If you file a paper return, the refund could take four weeks or more, and if your return requires amendments or corrections, it could take longer.

How to check the status of your refund

Taxpayers can use the online tool Where’s My Refund? to check the status of their refund within 24 hours of e-filing and generally within four weeks of filing a paper return. The “Where’s My Refund?” tool will also provide projected deposit dates for most early EITC/ACTC refund filers by Feb. 21, according to the IRS.

Information related to this tool is updated once daily, overnight. To access the status of your refund, you’ll need your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)

Taxpayers can also consult the IRS2Go app, or their IRS Individual Online Account, to check their refund status.

How much you can expect to get back

The average refund last year was $3,167. This year, analysts have projected it could be $1,000 higher, thanks to changes in tax law.

Information from the Associated Press and USA Today via Reuters Connect was used in this report.