RALEIGH, N.C. — The 2026 individual income tax filing season is officially underway, as both the Internal Revenue Service and the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) began accepting 2025 tax returns on Monday, January 26.
Taxpayers who file North Carolina state returns electronically will receive acknowledgements confirming receipt. For calendar-year filers, the deadline to submit both state and federal income tax returns is Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
State and federal officials are encouraging eligible taxpayers to file and pay electronically, noting that e-filing is more secure, convenient, and faster than submitting paper returns. Free and low-cost online filing options are available for qualified individuals.
Although the N.C. Department of Revenue has begun accepting returns, refunds will not be issued immediately. The department must first process returns to identify potential identity theft and refund fraud. Once processing begins, the “Where’s My Refund” tool will be available on the NCDOR website to allow taxpayers to track their refund status. Additional updates are expected in March.
At the federal level, the IRS anticipates approximately 164 million individual tax returns will be filed for tax year 2025 before the April deadline. IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano highlighted the continued push toward electronic filing, noting that 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of e-file.
To help taxpayers prepare and file, the IRS offers several electronic assistance options, including IRS Free File, Free File Fillable Forms, and free in-person help through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. Taxpayers who use paid preparers are encouraged to carefully select qualified professionals and avoid unethical “ghost” preparers.
Most federal refunds are issued within 21 days, particularly for those who choose direct deposit. In line with Executive Order 14247, the IRS has largely phased out paper refund checks, making direct deposit the primary method for receiving refunds. Taxpayers can track their federal refund using Where’s My Refund?, the IRS2Go app, or their IRS Online Account.
Refunds tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are expected to be available by March 2, 2026, for eligible taxpayers who file electronically and choose direct deposit. The IRS will begin providing projected deposit dates for most early EITC and ACTC filers by February 21, 2026.
More information and filing tools are available at IRS.gov and the N.C. Department of Revenue website.
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