2025 Tax Day Guide from Groupon Coupons

Some things, like birthday cake and Girl Scout cookie season, we all look forward to every year. But others—looking at you, tax season—are universally dreaded. Unless you're a seasoned professional, tax season can be confusing and full of hard-to-find forms and even harder-to-understand terminology and questions. And after all the work that goes into it, you might end up owing the government money.

So, the Groupon Coupons team put together a tax prep guide to help make your 2025 tax filing as easy as possible. We compare the top tax service options so you'll know if TaxSlayer or TurboTax is right for you, we answer common tax questions, and we explain everything else you might need to know so you can get the biggest tax refund possible this year.

Best Deals from Our Tax Partners

These are without a doubt the best tax prep deals you will find on the internet. We update these deals every week, so check back to make sure you don't pay too much for your taxes.

Best TaxSlayer Deal
20% off Returns with Code GROUPON20

Best TurboTax Deal
Up to $30 Off Deluxe Edition

Best H&R Block Deal
15% off + Free Human Help if You Need It

Best Jackon Hewitt Deal
Switch & Get $100 When You File with Jackson Hewitt

2025 Tax Day Deadlines

Monday, January 27:

IRS will begin accepting federal tax returns

Friday, January 31:

W-2 forms must be sent out by employers

Monday, April 15:

Last day to file your taxes

Monday, April 15:

Last day to ask for an extension

Frequently Asked Tax Questions

Can I file my taxes for free?
You can! The IRS used to partner with industry-leading tax prep companies to offer free e-filing. Depending on your income, you may be eligible to use these name-brand tax software products to file both federal and state income tax returns for free. Or you can use the IRS Free Fillable Forms to file for free, no matter your income. Visit the IRS website for more details.

Is unemployment taxed?
At the federal level, yes, unemployment benefits are taxed just like wages. At the state level, it depends on the state. Many states tax the benefits just like the federal government. Some tax only part of the benefit, and some states don’t have state income tax, so they don’t tax any part of the benefit. Here is a state-by-state guide to unemployment taxes.

Just like a traditional paycheck, you can choose to have taxes withheld from your unemployment check to cover your federal tax bill. If you did not withhold taxes from your unemployment benefits, you will have to pay the taxes when you file your return. The IRS website has more information about how this works.

What’s the earliest I can file my taxes?
The IRS has announced that it will start accepting returns on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025.

What is the deadline to file taxes?

Traditionally, the last day to file taxes is April 15, which is a Tuesday in 2025. Taxpayers can request an extension on filing their taxes, which pushes the deadline to Oct. 15, 2025.

The last day to file taxes has been extended in Massachusetts and Maine to Wednesday, April 17, 2025.

Can I file my taxes early?
Some services, like H&R Block and TurboTax, allow you to file as early as Jan. 1, but your return cannot be officially submitted to the IRS until filing is open on Jan. 27. You’ll just have to wait longer to get your tax refund.

How long will it take to get my tax refund?
The IRS issued refunds for about 90% of taxpayers in less than 21 days from the date their return was received in 2023. But there are some factors that can affect how long it takes.

The earlier you file the better. The IRS gets busier and returns can take longer to process as the tax season progresses.
E-filings are processed faster than mailed-in returns.
Choosing to have your refund direct deposited is always faster than having your refund mailed to you.
Tax returns with an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or a Child Tax Credit (CTC) will not be processed until starting mid-February. These credits are more often misused than others and the IRS needs extra time to verify that taxpayers qualify.

What is a tax deduction?
A tax deduction is a reduction to your taxable income. For example, if a family’s income is $50,000 per year and they are eligible for a $500 deduction, the family will be taxed on $49,500 in income instead. A tax deduction is different than a tax credit, which is subtracted from your overall tax burden. For more on this, check out this Nerdwallet Tax Deduction vs. Tax Credit article.

What is the standard deduction for 2024-2025?
$14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for married couples filing jointly, and $21,900 for heads of household. These are the deductions on the tax returns filed by April 2025.

What is a tax credit?
A tax credit is a direct reduction in the overall amount of taxes owed. A tax credit is different than a tax deduction, which lowers the taxable income instead of the tax bill directly.

What is the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for 2024-2025?
The Child Tax Credit is up to $2,000 per dependent child ($1,500 of which is refundable) under the age of 17. The credit starts to phase out if your 2024 income was more than $200,000 (single) or $400,000 (married filed jointly).

Other Tax Resources

Filing your taxes can be confusing and Groupon Coupons knows how important it is to get it right. So here's a list of the resources we find most helpful when we're trying to answer all of our most pressing tax questions.