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 will begin accepting tax returns in 2025 on January 27th.
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.
@2023Kat: Awesome. I will give them a call. Thank you!
@Bubba: as long as all of your scripts are updated with good codes (150, 806, 766, 768, etc)….and you have an as of date for 02/20, then that means you’re processed and just waiting for the freeze to lift. 😊 Did your WMR update to the PATH message this morning?
@Jay: 203 in your case, likely means you used your refund to pay for your tax preparation fees. Like if you used TurboTax and said to use your refund to pay for the process. That means your refund will go through that Santa Barbara bank of theirs first. May delay it by 24 hours. Hope that helps.
I will never ever file early again the only reason I did is so many people now getting tax returns filed in their name but this year has been a nightmare accepted on 19 still not processed and have one bar refund date when available tax topic 152 my account trans did fill out with my name address and filing status yesterday with as of Feb 20 20/23
Hi I got a DDD 2/08 Accepted 1/25: I just updated on WMR with tax topic 203. Do u know if it’ll delay my refund date of 2/08?
@Honeybee82: didn’t know if they were fully done and processed beins their showing 2022 and I’m just waiting for 846. Thank you so much for your help
@Honeybee82: even though there’s a freeze due to path will irs still update with codes etc before the freeze is lifted? All my scripts are all showing 2022
@Honeybee82: Sorry…I meant “02/22” for a DDD
@Bubba: hey! Unfortunately, PATHers won’t update with a DDD until the freeze lifts on the 15th. So Friday the 17th is more than likely when we’ll see the 846 with a DDD for 02/20. Hope that helps a little 😊
My theory is that returns with bottom 2022 and n/a for top 2 were done. Next Friday these scripts will update and Saturday those who are walking path will get the message for a few days until it lifts, Friday 2/17 will be DDD 2/22/23 🤞🏾 I really think the system is jacked up. We shall see!
@Sarah Dyer: sorry it’s 18003043107
Anyone know what this error means when searching for transcripts? eauth/eauth/pub/error/technical_difficulty.jsp
@Sarah Dyer: you could call the treasury offset line to find out if he has an offset for support. 18004043107
Hey everyone hope everything is good. He’s anyl pathers updated today with a ddd? My transcripts still say codes 150 806 and 766 but no 846 and it still has the processing numbers 20230405 with a processing date of 2/13. Any help would be appreciated
I hope someone can help with this question. Last year our tax return was taken because my husband owed back child support. His checks were also being garnished for the back owed child support but once the refund was taken, they stopped garnishing his checks. To me would mean we paid off the arrear child support but now I have the same message on WMR that I did last year when they took our refund. I’m wondering…since the order was sent last year that the message is still going to pop up on WMR even though we don’t owe anything anymore? Like it just rolls over just in case? I’m so confused. Any advice is much appreciated. I checked our transcripts and nothing reflects a refund reduction code.
@NY-Khidd: that’s EXACTLY how I think it will play out as well for us weeklies and PATHers. Once PATH lifts on the 15th we’ll see the 846 on Friday the 17th, with a DDD for 02/22. I have an early card, so mine almost always hits on the same Friday that I get my 846. So I’m hoping for a deposit on the 17th!
IGMR has an update calendar with projections for refunds for dailies/weeklies. Keep in mind the 20th is a holiday.
https://igotmyrefund.com/irs-e-file-refund-cycle-chart-2023/