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Commissioner of Taxes Announces Vermont Now Accepting Personal Income Tax Returns

Press Release

Mon, 01/26/2026 - 12:00

For Immediate Release

Montpelier, Vt.- The 2025 tax season officially opens Jan. 26, 2026, when the IRS and the Vermont Department of Taxes will begin accepting personal income tax returns for tax year 2025. The filing deadline for personal and corporate income tax returns, Homestead Declarations, Property Tax Credit claims, and fiduciary income taxes is April 15, 2026.

“While most of us don’t exactly look forward to filing our taxes, we want Vermonters to know that our team at the Department of Taxes is here and ready to help them as they navigate the process,” said Commissioner of Taxes Bill Shouldice.

The Vermont Department of Taxes offers three key tips to make filing and getting your refund easier and faster:

1. Wait to receive all W-2 forms, 1099 forms, or any other necessary tax documents before filing. Filing too early without all your documentation is one of the most common reasons a tax refund is delayed.
2. Filing electronically through a commercial software vendor reduces the risk of errors and speeds up refund processing time. On average, taxpayers who e-file receive their refunds nearly three times faster than paper filers.
3. Vermonters with incomes up to $89,000 may be eligible to file their federal and State taxes for free using commercial software through the IRS’s Free File program. See the Department of Taxes website for information on vendors offering Vermont tax returns at no cost through Free File. Thanks to Act 71 of 2025, Vermonters will be seeing expanded credits and exemptions this year when they file their taxes.

• The maximum age where children are eligible for the Vermont Child Tax Credit has increased from 5 to 6. The credit is up to $1,000 per child.
• Vermont’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has been expanded for Vermont workers without children, now matching 100% of the federal EITC.
• The income eligibility limits for the tax exemption of Social Security income have increased to $65,000 for single filers and $80,000 for couples filing jointly.
• Military retirement and survivorship benefits for retirees and surviving spouses are now exempt for incomes up to $125,000, partially exempt up to $175,000.
• The new $250 Vermont Veteran Tax Credit is now available for income-eligible veterans. “These credits and exemptions are for Vermont’s young families, for our workers, our retirees on a fixed income, and our veterans,” said Shouldice. “In fact, for many taxpayers, Vermont's refundable credits mean the State could owe you money! We encourage all Vermonters to file and claim their credits to keep a little more money in their pockets this tax season."