Many IRS Tax Return Due Dates Just Changed, FBARs Too

Is your IRS tax return due April 15? Yes, and that date still holds, including the 6 month automatic extension. But many other filing deadlines were just changed by Congress. The due dates for partnership and corporate tax returns were changed, and for those important foreign account FBAR forms, also known as FinCEN Form 114. The changes came in an unlikely vehicle, H.R. 3236, the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015. That non-tax law also gave the IRS an increased audit period from three to six years in many cases.

Starting after December 31, 2015:

Tax Season Opens As Planned

IR-2014-119, Dec. 29, 2014

WASHINGTON -- Following the passage of the extenders legislation, the Internal Revenue Service announced today it anticipates opening the 2015 filing season as scheduled in January.

The IRS will begin accepting tax returns electronically on Jan. 20. Paper tax returns will begin processing at the same time.

The decision follows Congress renewing a number of "extender" provisions of the tax law that expired at the end of 2013. These provisions were renewed by Congress through the end of 2014. The final legislation was signed into law Dec 19, 2014.

"We have reviewed the late tax law changes and determined there was nothing preventing us from continuing our updating and testing of our systems," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "Our employees will continue an aggressive schedule of testing and preparation of our systems during the next month to complete the final stages needed for the 2015 tax season."

The IRS reminds taxpayers that filing electronically is the most accurate way to file a tax return and the fastest way to get a refund. There is no advantage to people filing tax returns on paper in early January instead of waiting for e-file to begin.