The IRS opens the tax-filing season on Monday, Jan. 26, but this cycle comes with a twist: Several major tax-law changes take effect due in large part to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. With the end of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, higher standard deductions, expanded credits, and new deductions for tips and overtime, households are navigating a very different tax landscape than they were just a year ago.

Adding to the complexity, the IRS is heading into filing season with fewer staff and major systems updates. "The agency's limited capacity could lead to a backlog of questions and amended returns," says Forbes Tax Notes contributor David D. Stewart. Here’s what you need to know about the changes before you file your taxes.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made sweeping updates to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, making many of the TCJA’s temporary provisions permanent. Core features that were set to expire, like the expanded standard deduction and today’s tax‑bracket structure, were extended, so taxpayers will continue operating under the same framework that’s been in place.

This continuity matters: Without the extension, millions of households would have faced higher tax bills if the law reverted to pre‑TCJA rules. As Forbes contributor Andrew Leahey notes, “the TCJA was only a temporary tax cut for provisions that benefited individuals and families — corporate tax cuts were permanent right from the start.” That built-in sunset is exactly what the OBBB aimed to prevent.

Instead, the updated legislation keeps the TCJA’s lower rates, wider brackets and larger standard deduction intact while layering on new adjustments for 2025.

Those updates include inflation‑indexed bracket changes, revised deduction thresholds and refreshed credit amounts. The........

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