For all the people
impatiently waiting
on tax refunds.

A grapevine for taxpayers,
by taxpayers.

Interact with people who have experiences or questions just like you.

All of your tax refund questions, answered.
What Other People Are Saying
49,252 comments

Where’s My Refund?

You have questions, we have answers.

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.

IRS Update Cycle

Use the IRS Update Cycle chart to find the days and times the WMR and transcript update.

Transcripts

This is what your IRS transcript can tell you about your tax refund.

Transaction Codes

Lookup the codes that you see on your tax return transcript and what they mean.

Daily vs. Weekly

Find out if you have a daily or weekly account with the IRS and what it means.

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.

talk to a human

It is often hard to reach someone at the IRS and you might want to talk to a person. It is hard to reach some tax preparation companies too. Use our guide to talk to a human at the IRS.

TAX TOPIC 152

Tax Topic 152 is the most common status when you check the status of your tax refund. It is nothing to worry about.

transcript codes

Transaction Codes (TC) sometimes called transcript codes consist of three digits and may appear on your IRS account transcript. Decipher the codes on your IRS transcripts.

reference codes

Most times the Wherer’s My Refund tool (WMR) will show Tax Topic 152. Other times you may see various error codes. These are called Reference Codes on the WMR.

Join the Conversation

What Others Are Saying

  1. Jaina
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-25
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      0705
    • As of:
      Mar-10
    • Processing Date:
      Mar-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @757vapather: Hey does the “va” in your name mean Virginia? If so, have you gotten your VA refund yet?

    Reply
  2. 757vapather

    @757vapather: @Monee: I mean “can “not “can’t” if the system can update those dates why can’t it just give us the 846

    Reply
    4
  3. 757vapather

    @Monee: I feel the same way ; if the system can’t automatically do that why can’t it just run the return through and give us the 846

    Reply
    2
  4. Jaina

    Yeah like I said, my ‘as of’ date for last year is March 4th even though my refund deposited on the 16th. In 2023, my ‘as of’ date is March 3rd even though my refund deposited the 22nd.

    We can at least say that ‘as of’ dates don’t always matter, if not never.

    Reply
    4
  5. harrya

    no changes on mine

    Reply
  6. Monee
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Varo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    All my dates changed to 3/03 again today. What are they looking for?! You would think if they can keep playing with those dates they could go ahead and process my return. Ok…rant over.

    Reply
    8
  7. Morris

    @Sheila_33: I’m glad they did it, so easier that way.

    Reply
    1
  8. MaryB
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-10
    • Cycle:
      Daily

    @Blue chyna: In my experience, Sunday updates are rare (but have happened).

    Reply
    1
  9. Morris

    @Mama.Bear: Don’t put too much stock into those as of dates. They keep floating around for everyone. As long as you got good codes and no issues you should see your 846 this coming week.

    Reply
    6
  10. MaryB
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-10
    • Cycle:
      Daily

    @Big ben: It did lift but WMR has not updated yet, that will likely be Tuesday-Wednesday before changes are reflected for some and Friday for others…though new filers will never see it of course.

    Reply
  11. NotLoggedIn75

    @Big ben: it did lift but I don’t think it’ll be much movement until Tuesday.

    Reply
  12. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Morris: I think it’s unlimited log in on the tax account and I love that they put the Wmr tool in there.

    Reply
    6
  13. Big ben

    Morning y’all is anyone still getting path message on wmr? Thought it was supposed to lift on the 15

    Reply
    3
  14. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Mama.Bear: A lot of people including myself saw some as of dates changing. I honestly believe it’s just the systemupdating and checking things. No worries. :)

    Reply
    3
  15. Morris

    @Jenny04: One way you can check is to go to your IRS account and click refund status. That’s how I check.

    Reply
  16. Mama.Bear

    @Sheila_33: please help

    Reply
  17. Mama.Bear

    Help Please!!! All good codes for two to three weeks now. As of date changed from February 10th to March 10th overnight. Pather, TurboTax, fees from refund, no hold bank, cycles 20250504. TC 150 says February 17th. 766 and 768 TCs have dates of April 15th. Can anyone help me? I don’t know why I pushed out a whole month or if that is what it means. Filed and Accepted Jan 27. Thanks Im worried.

    Reply
    2
  18. Mama.Bear

    What does it mean???!!!!
    So my as of date had been Feb 10th for a few weeks. Overnight it changed to March 10th. My filing has Feb 17th listed and other codes (all there except 864) say April 15. I have 150, 768 766 i think so can anyone tell me why my transcript went from Feb 10 to March 10 or what that means?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    1
  19. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    Sundays are scheduled maintenance days so don’t get discouraged if the tax account and wmr are wonky today. :)

    Reply
    7
  20. ErisedMai
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-12
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Chime

    @Jenny04: I dont think its a daily thing, its 24 hours. So if you check it too many time in 24 hours it locks you out. (im not 100% sure, but i seem to remember this)

    Reply
  21. Jenny04

    Well WMR is saying I reached maximum attempts and I haven’t checked it since yesterday. This morning was the first time since yesterday. Is something wrong on my end or is WMR down??

    Reply
  22. ErisedMai
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-12
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Chime

    Good morning y’all.

    Reply
    7
  23. Blue chyna

    This the first time in years that I haven’t seen updates on Sunday yet wtf

    Reply
    2
  24. Random

    @Jessica C.: same

    Reply
    1
  25. Jessica C.

    @Random: mine is working.
    I’m hoping maybe I’ll get an update even tho I’m a weekly, not a daily.

    Reply
    2
  26. Random

    WMR down?

    Reply
    1
  27. Buckey12
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      FNB
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-21
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-26
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-17
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Clos: what does your 2019 transcript have?

    Reply
  28. Clos

    05 weekly Path
    Been on path message since 1/24 all good codes. Last year my processed date was 2/12 and my DDD was 2/22
    This year processed date is 2/10 hoping for 2/20 or 2/21 for DDD it always lands about 10 days later every year for me. Just checked my last 5 years

    Reply
    3
  29. Jaina

    @Jakefromstatefarm1: That’s my exact cycle. I will let you know if I see changes

    Reply
  30. Blue Chyna

    Usually it updates around this time on sundays wait a few more hours then check

    Reply
    2
  31. Enkyfresh

    @Jakefromstatefarm1: When did you file? Because I filed mines over three weeks ago, but I haven’t received a date yet only that it has been accepted.

    Reply
    1
  32. JAYY

    @CaliHeart: I would like to know that as well!

    Reply
  33. Jakefromstatefarm1

    Cycle date 20250705

    Anyone know? I got a date also next to it says March 3rd

    Reply
  34. Cali

    @Honeybee82:
    Yes I do have all the good codes. Just not the 846 yet. Processing date 02/17
    Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
    1
  35. TexasTay

    Oh & to be more specific, my transcript showed as of date 3/05 but wmr app shows 2 bars for ddd of 2/20. Like I said no EIC or any other credits jus filed single n accepted 1/29 here in Texas lol chime bank for anyone who is similar n jus wanted to spread love & info!

    Reply
    2
  36. FAFO

    @hello: ooooo….k

    Reply
  37. California girl83

    @GaMom: ok thanks for the response 😊

    Reply
  38. TexasTay

    I’m new on here have a 05 cycle code and my wmr is 2 bars now! Filed/accepted 1/29 ddd for 2/20! No eitc, etc. bank with chime

    Reply
    10
  39. ErisedMai
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-12
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Chime

    The balance changes to 0 almost every Sunday, then it changes back. It’s just a thing that happens.

    Reply
  40. Walter DOG
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-20
    • I Got My Refund!

    My as of dates changed to 3-3 on my 2024 and previous years also but I’m weekly and I did notice I don’t have ? For balance any longer for 2024 it’s 000 now

    Reply
    4