The Internal Revenue Service kicked off the U.S. tax filing season, announcing on Tuesday that taxpayers will have until April 18, 2011, to file their 2010 returns and pay their tax bills because of a holiday on April 15.
The agency also said that it would not be ready to process returns carrying itemized deductions until mid- to late February, because it has to reprogram its processing systems following the passage of a big tax bill at the end of 2010.
April 15 is Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia. Taxpayers who file extensions will have until October 17, 2011, to file their 2010 tax returns.
Taxpayers who won't be able to file until mid-February include those claiming itemized deductions on Schedule A, higher education deductions on Form 8917, and teachers claiming their $250 deduction for classroom expenses.
The tax agency has started posting filing information for the new season on its website, www.irs.gov.