Could Trump’s hiring freeze delay your 2025 tax refund? Here’s what Illinois filers can do
As the Trump administration has offered Internal Revenue Service employees the option to take a buyout — one of many recent executive orders that aim to reengineer the federal government — Illinois taxpayers may be wondering if their refunds could be delayed.
The state began accepting tax returns Jan. 27, and eligible taxpayers can use a free direct file program this year, the Illinois Department of Revenue reported in a Jan. 15 press release. To be eligible, a taxpayer must have lived in Illinois for all of 2024, earned all of their income in the state in 2024 and meet other requirements.
The deadline to file federal tax returns and Illinois state returns is Tuesday, April 15, unless a taxpayer takes an extension.
Here’s what else to know about filing your return this year and trying to avoid potential delays.
How long will refunds take in Illinois?
McClatchy News has contacted the U.S. Department of the Treasury to ask how long taxpayers should expect to wait for federal returns to be processed and refunds to be issued, as well as whether officials expect any delays, and did not receive an immediate response.
IRS employees who are involved in the 2025 tax season aren’t eligible to take a buyout until May 15, after the filing deadline, AP News reported Thursday. The Trump administration has sent buyout offers to approximately 2.3 million federal workers across agencies, with exceptions for U.S. Postal Service employees, members of the military and immigration enforcement positions, according to AP.
Resignations, a lack of senior leadership and cuts to taxpayer assistance programs could slow down IRS processing this year, The Independent reported Wednesday. The White House has also instituted a hiring freeze affecting federal civilian positions, including at the IRS.
In Illinois, officials say filing early and electronically is the best way to receive a timely refund.
“Taxpayers are encouraged to file electronically as early as possible in the tax season and choose direct deposit in order to ensure the fastest processing and issuance of any refunds,” Illinois Department of Revenue spokesperson Maura Kownacki wrote in a Feb. 5 email to the News-Democrat. “If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free Illinois return, they should receive a direct deposit refund in approximately four weeks. In 2024, IDOR received a total of nearly 6.2 million IL-1040 returns. Of those returns received, close to 5.7 million were filed electronically, or close to 92%.”
Illinois officials do not anticipate any delays in processing at this point due to federal government staffing issues.
“We have not been informed of any changes, do not anticipate delays, and we are off to a great start in the 2025 tax season! With just a little over a week since we started accepting 2024 returns, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) received over a half million (536,446) electronically filed IL-1040 Individual Income Tax returns --- which is an increase of 141,162 returns or 35.7% more than at this same time last year,” Kownacki said in a later email.
Illinois officials encourage filers to take advantage of any tax credits they are eligible for, the Illinois Department of Revenue said in a Tuesday press release.
“Depending on circumstances, taxpayers may be able to reduce the amount of taxes owed or receive larger refunds through tax credits,” Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris said in the press release. “I urge all taxpayers to double-check their eligibility status and take advantage of these benefits when filing their tax returns this year.”
Tax credits available to eligible Illinois taxpayers include the state Earned Income Tax Credit, Illinois Child Tax Credit, Education Expense Credit and more.
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This story was originally published February 7, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
