More than 146 million individual tax returns are expected to be filed before the end of the 2024 tax filing season.

The IRS, with the help of the tens of billions of dollars in supplemental cash from the Democrats' 2022 tax-and-climate law, built up its call centers, expanded its online options, and is now offering more hours at its taxpayer assistance centers to help make a smoother tax filing season for taxpayers and tax professionals.

It also launched a controversial free agency-run filing tool for low- and moderate-income taxpayers filing simple returns, though access to the tool won't be more widely available to the general public until mid-March.

Bloomberg Tax reporter Erin Slowey spoke with Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations at the National Association of Tax Professionals, about what's different this tax filing season, what's happening in Congress, and why taxpayers shouldn't rush to file once the season opens.

Do you have feedback on this episode of Talking Tax? Give us a call and leave a voicemail at 703-341-3690.