When can I file my 2023 income taxes with the IRS? What is the new standard deduction and child tax credit?

Dear Tax Guy,

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When can I file my income taxes for 2024? While we’re at it, what are the income tax brackets this year?

What’s the child tax credit for 2024? How about the standard deduction? And what are the 401(K) limits for this year?

Trying to Plan Ahead

Dear Planning Ahead,

Full disclosure: I usually respond to questions from people on very tax topics . But you ask a lot of good and timely questions.

In fact, your letter is a mash-up of trending early January Google GOOG queries that were related to taxes.

These are valid questions from people who are trying to plan their financial lives for 2024, and this column is about providing answers.

First off, there’s no date announced yet for the start of the 2024 filing season, an IRS spokesperson said.

If history is any guide, it’s coming soon. Last year, the filing season kicked off on Jan. 23. In 2022, it was on Jan. 24 . The 2021 start date was Feb. 12, a delayed start while the Internal Revenue Service caught its breath after a second round of stimulus checks.

The filing season marks the date when the IRS begins accepting and processing income-tax returns. April 15 is still Tax Day, meaning that’s the deadline to pay any tax owed. The IRS also accepts installment plans.

April 15 is also the deadline to either file a 2023 return or get an extension.

While we wait for the start date, there are things people can do. “Be prepared and be organized,” said Melanie Lauridsen, vice president of tax policy and advocacy at the American Institute of CPAs.

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That includes gathering receipts for potential deductions, and keeping an eye for tax forms in the mail and via email, including W-2s from an employer. Here’s an IRS link to help you start planning for the upcoming filing season.

Prospect of a government shutdown

There’s a 2024 wrinkle: the chance of a federal government shutdown just as tax season…