The Internal Revenue Service confirmed this week that the nation’s tax season will start for individual tax return filers on Monday, Jan. 27, when the tax agency will begin accepting and processing 2019 tax year returns.

The deadline to file 2019 tax returns and pay any tax owed is Wednesday, April 15. More than 150 million individual tax returns for the 2019 tax year are expected to be filed, with the vast majority of those coming before the traditional April tax deadline.

The IRS set the Jan. 27 opening date to ensure the security and readiness of key tax processing systems and to address the potential impact of recent tax legislation on 2019 tax returns, the agency said in a news release.

While taxpayers may prepare returns through the IRS’s Free File program, as well as with many tax software companies and tax professionals before the start date, processing those returns will begin after IRS systems open later this month.

“The IRS encourages everyone to consider filing electronically and choosing direct deposit,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “It’s fast, accurate and the best way to get your refund as quickly as possible.”

IRS tax help is available 24 hours a day on IRS.gov, the official IRS website, where people can find answers to tax questions and resolve tax issues online.