key tax return and refund dates
When can you file your taxes?
You can submit your tax return before the IRS begins processing as early as the first week of the year with many tax preparation providers. You don’t need to wait until the IRS begins accepting tax returns but you must have the proper forms and paperwork. Some forms are not available until mid January. Tax returns filed before the IRS officially opens sit in a “queue” and are held until the IRS officially begins accepting tax returns.
Your tax return may be selected in a test batch. If you e-file early and it sits in queue, your return may be sent to the IRS early. This can result in early direct deposits depending on the payment provider you select. Our cycle chart will update with key dates including test batch dates.
When does the IRS accept tax returns?
The IRS usually opens around the third week of January each year. They announce the opening date early in January.
The IRS began accepting tax returns this year on January 29, 2024.
When is the IRS test batch?
If you file your tax return early, it may be sent to the IRS in a test batch before the IRS has officially opened for the year. It is usually a week before the date the IRS begins accepting tax returns. This has resulted in refunds in the past that can be posted by direct deposit as early as the day after tax season opens.
When will I get my tax refund?
Early filers whose returns are accepted in a test batch can anticipate a tax refund as early as the day after the IRS opens the January filing season if your return was in the test batch. The day that the IRS deposits refunds varies for regular returns but we notice trends based on the method you chose to file and select to direct deposit. You can use our tax refund calendar or refund cycle chart to help find out when you will get your tax refund.
Where is the IRS refund cycle chart?
The official tax refund cycle chart published by the IRS has been eliminated and replaced with IRS FAQ. Refund cycle charts are now published by independent websites and vary slightly.
A good reference to use is the When To Expect My Refund cycle chart that is published early each year by the College Investor.
tax refund grapevine
This is a user-to-user community of taxpayers. Share experiences and ask questions below in our Live Discussion. We have learned more about tax refunds than we ever wanted to know.
tax refund tools
IRS Update Cycle
Use the IRS Update Cycle chart to find the days and times the WMR and transcript update.
When are Updates?
The IRS has regular mass update cycles.
WHEN DOES WHERES MY REFUND (WMR) UPDATE?
Where’s My Refund can update any day of the week. But there are mass updates on Wednesday and Saturday when a lot of people see an update. Use our calendar to find out what day you can expect to see updates on Where’s My Refund.
WHEN DO transcripts update?
Transcripts can update any day of the week. But there are mass updates on Tuesday and Friday. Use our calendar to find out what day you can expect to see an update on your transcript.
The nerve of the last agent to tell me that me verifying 3/22/24 didn’t work to tell me to call the actual number since doing it online was only 1 part to verifying like wth? I spent days trying to get through to that number at 6:59 am and now I’m waiting for a callback with the protection line! Why only have one number to verify when there’s millions + who going to be calling smh
Report comment
So when I filed amended I didn’t know it was electronically. I mailed in my return and it updated today with 2 amended returns and my As of Date May 16. 😭 my congressman advised me to mail it and put at the top some letters that was to show I was helped by an office. 😕 so idk how long I’ll be waiting now
Report comment
@Iwantitnow: congratulations I’m happy for you. I’m still holding on
Report comment
@Justnotsure: congratulations 🎉 I’m still holding on. I have contact congressman but we will see
Report comment
Day 86 no updates transcript this morning said na for 2023 then was back to same bs
Report comment
@JACKY_FL THANK YOU!
Report comment
@Jacky_FL: Thank you! I thought I was gonna be waiting June/July and beyond!!! We just got to keep up the hope and patience!
Report comment
@Iwantitnow: Congratulations 🎉
Report comment
@Justnotsure: YES!! Congratulations 🎉
Report comment
Good morning everyone, I’m sorry to ask a probably frequently asked question but I couldnt find an exact answer in the transcript information. My transcript updated to 846 with issue date of 5/1/24. Is this my DD date? Tia!
Report comment
HOL A FKN YULA!!!!!! LOL
I GOT A DDD THIS MORNING!!!!!!
Good Morning Yall!!!! Longest journey here EVER!!!! Been coming to this site for years now. My journey started 1/17/24. 570 STUCK! Amended 3/9/24. Contacted Congress a couple weeks back. They said they were having a conference call this Wednesday so I don’t really know if thats did what made this happen, but my DDD is 5/1/!!!!! I never even got a call back from a Tax Advocate! Yall my riders and I hope you get your DDD soon. I will still pop in to emotional support yall like you have for me! 1 ❤️
Report comment
After a year and three months and some day I finally got a 876 now let’s see if ill get my 2023 return in less than 21 days 😅.
Report comment
Jst over it! Not sure I’ll receive a damn thing this yr. I’m out of work, having car trouble, and need to pay for my kids school activities. Pretty sure I won’t receive anything before my kids are gone for the summer..LOST ALL HOPE🤷♂️..Oh, and turbo tax is taking the payment out of my account. So here comes the overdraft fees. Thanks again IRS!!!
Report comment
anyone else get a notice from turbo tax that they are tired of waiting for your refund and want to get paid?
Report comment
@playingthewaitingame: can take up to nine weeks my husband verified today a very nice irs rep told him 9 weeks
Report comment
@TisTheSeasonOfTorture: are letting the tax payers work their own cases as I did or they are just waiting until the cases close themselves with a 4549 form or whatever else is needed. Oh I also didn’t file my 2023 until 4/17 because I was told if I file while my taxes are in review I would have to wait anyways.. hope this helps.
Report comment
@TisTheSeasonOfTorture: I have, (2022) I applied for a advocate in the summer of 2023 July 18th to be exact for the 2022 return. I never got a response until December 4th I randomly get a call back while at work at the time I was grateful to even had answered it since I did not know the number. My advocate introduced themselves and said that he would be working my case. We went over all of the documentation I had already sent in per the information the IRS had requested me to send in. (Which I never got until the middle of July.)
Report comment
@shelleybeanss: I’m in the exact same situation smh…🤦🏻♀️
Report comment
@Gators352: I’m so sorry for your loss. 😔
Report comment
I contacted my congressman office and I had to send a signed copy of my tax return!!! They been responding pretty quick through email so hopefully I’ll hear something before the irs! It’s cray that 1-2 cycles would update your account now it’s 4 plus!!! F/A 1/29/24
Report comment
@Jimmie: Look at the top of the transcript and look at account balance. Does it say 0.00 or there’s a dollar amount? I had similar codes. The penalty and interest codes triggered from an error in my return. Mines were a math error. My dependent ssn was entered incorrectly. I called that following Monday, the rep corrected the ssn and the following Friday, the transcript updated and both, penalty and interest codes were reversed and 846 was added
Report comment
@shelleybeanss: Thanks thats what others have told me this all sucks have a good night
Report comment
@Red Dawn: I hope things go good for you tonight 💵🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽I’ll check back in the morning!!!!
Report comment
Does anyone have experience with TA and their supervisor that you’d care to share? I faxed documents to support hardship this morning right to the TA supervisor but I haven’t heard anything. I’ve called and can never speak to them directly. Guess I’m looking for a glimmer of hope and hoping that maybe their working behind the scenes.
Report comment
@Sheila_33: I’m doing fairly okay my mother passed last month she was 87 but I’m still going through the process stages but I have to keep going thanks for asking how is everyone?
Report comment
@Sheila_33: Thank you
Report comment
How long does it take for gambling winnings to go on SSA? That’s the only thing holding mine up.
Report comment
Hi happy Thursday everyone! I there will be movement for you all.
I filed late (late for me), we usually file in January/February, but this year we did it like 2 weeks ago. So we’re hoping there won’t be a delay for us 🤞🤞🤞
Report comment
@Boogerbaby089: well irs basically told me greendot has stolen my tax refund and wont return it. they admitted to irs they have it. its either that or irs is lying to me.
moderated
@Boogerbaby089: well irs basically told me greendot has stolen my tax refund and wont return it. they admitted to irs they have it. its either that or irs is lying to me. its sad when you cant trust anyone anymore
moderated
i did my tax return thru turbo tax and had fees taken out of refund BIG MISTAKE. refund should have been deposited 3/7/24 but sbtg aka greendot messed up the code when they sent to sofi bank. sofi had to send back to greendot and greendot was supposed to send back to irs. they say they did on 2/15/14. the irs has a different story . they put a trace on the money and traced it to greendot . they say they talke to them and greendot admitted they have the money but dont know where it is, yes i know its nonsense but i guess greendot doesnt. so i never got a refund and greendot wont admit to me they have it or return it. if i hadnt used turbo tax this wouldnt have happened . just venting cause this isnt supposed to happen .
moderated