2026 tax filing season: IRS warns of ‘peak’ ahead of Presidents Day, ‘frequent calls to IRS phone lines…’

If Americans want to avoid long waits amid expected phone traffic next week, they are urged to take advantage of available online tools to get answers to their questions.

Taxpayers can view their adjusted gross income and transcripts through their IRS personal online account. They can also register or retrieve an IP PIN, and make or cancel payments.

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“With the 2026 tax filing season approaching and increased call center demand around the Presidents’ Day holiday on February 16, the IRS encourages taxpayers to visit IRS.gov Let us help you and use our online tools to get fast, convenient help without waiting. Presidents’ Day week is historically one of the busiest times of tax filing season, when calls to IRS phone lines often surge. Many common tax questions and tasks can be handled online 24/7 before, during, and after filing,” the IRS said.

The IRS has long emphasized that filing electronically and selecting direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to get your refund. Electronic payments are always less likely to be lost, stolen, tampered with, or delayed than paper checks.

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this The IRS also emphasized that” Interactive Tax Assistant Provides answers to common tax questions, including filing status, taxable income and credit eligibility,” adding, “Taxpayers can use Where is my refund?provides refund status information within 24 hours after the IRS accepts electronically filed returns for the current year. “

This year’s tax filing season is expected to be busier than last year’s. When the IRS announced the start of tax season on January 26, it said it expected to receive about 164 million personal income tax returns this year. Most taxpayers are expected to file electronically.

The agency said last year it expected more than 140 million 2024 individual tax returns to be filed by the April 15 deadline.