IR-2025-50, April 15, 2025

WASHINGTON — On this Tax Day, the Internal Revenue Service marks a major milestone: the 70th Anniversary of the April 15 federal income tax filing deadline. Since 1955, April 15 has served as a consistent annual deadline for millions of Americans to file their federal income tax returns, becoming a fixture in the nation’s financial calendar

The deadline was moved to April 15 from March 15 in 1955 to give taxpayers and the IRS more time to prepare and process increasingly complex returns. Since then, innovations in technology and customer service have transformed the tax filing experience from hand-prepared paper forms to modern e-filing and online tools that make the process faster, more secure and more accessible. In 2024, more than 144 million individual tax returns were filed with more than 96% submitted electronically.

Despite the changes, one thing has remained the same: the importance of meeting the annual filing deadline. Most taxpayers must file by midnight tonight. Those who need more time can still request an extension until Oct. 15 – though any taxes owed must be paid by April 15 to avoid penalties and interest.

For more information on filing options, taxpayer assistance, available credits and deductions, visit IRS.gov.

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 15-Apr-2025