Following the January tax law changes made by Congress under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), the Internal Revenue Service has announced the opening the 2013 filing season for income tax returns on Wednesday, January 30. The IRS will begin accepting tax returns on that date after updating forms and completing programming and testing of its processing systems. This will reflect the bulk of the late tax law changes enacted Jan. 2. The announcement means that the vast majority of tax filers -- more than 120 million households -- should be able to start filing tax returns starting Wednesday. The IRS estimates that remaining households will be able to start filing in late February or into March because of the need for more extensive form and processing systems changes. The IRS reminds taxpayers that they receive their tax refunds much faster by using e-file with direct deposit. More than 80 percent of taxpayers filed electronically last year. For more information on filing taxes and tax questions, go to www.irs.gov.