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.
@Honeybee82: don’t worry about that as of Date mine is 3/10/25 as well.. mind you it was 2/10/25 for a long time..but the processing Date still says 2/17/25 Honeybee82 we Got this our 846 is coming lol
@Honeybee82: my as of date changed to 3/10 also 😐
If anyone did the up to 5 days early for $25 and you don’t get it up to five days early, they are automatically refunding that charge. Don’t worry about it
@papamickey: yes mine did. It keeps changing
@Tykillaa28: 3 more days….3 more days!! 😄 The only thing I’m remotely nervous about, is that my as of date changed to 3/10….and I see a lot of people with 3/3. I hope that doesn’t mean I’m pushed out a week later than a lot of people….even though I know we shouldn’t hold too much stock into the as of dates. I think I’m just psyching myself out because this tax year has actually gone really smoothly for me, and last year was a nightmare with the ID Verify thing 😂
@Tykillaa28: thanks! I got my 846 on the 2/17 last year and had it in my account that night. I was weekly last year thought. This year I’m daily. 💕.
@Honeybee82: thank you!
@Honeybee82: and you’re right! I just said the same thing in reply to his message I have chime card and I looked back at my transcripts for 2024 and yes!! We got this .. 846 will be coming
@Waterbottle: I use Chime as well and a pather.. last year processing date was the 19th Presidents Day! DD 2/22/24 received DD 2/21/24 to my chime card..
Right now 2025 my Processing Date 2/17/25 Monday so im looking for it to be Wednesday 2/19/25 DD on Chime for DD 2/20/25 fingers Crossed!! Do you remember when you got yours last year?
@Waterbottle: I’m definitely counting on us updating with our 846 Tuesday night into Wednesday morning! I’m banking with Spruce (through H&R) for the first time this year, and my state was deposited early….so I think we’ll get our deposits on Wednesday! 🤞🏼
@Valentine M: This is actually my first time using a tax preparer and thnx for the info good vibes only😊
@Help Please: i have heard that for some people the letters were asking for 1095-a, some people needed to id verify, some people needed to verify w2 bc irs didn’t have it yet. Those are the main scenarios I have seen.
I posted this a little bit ago however, I never saw it show up so if it post twice I am sorry! Has anyone ever ID verified with Credit Karma? It keeps wanting to send a text to my husband’s old number. We have tried every other authentication and it will not allow it. Customer service verified ID with his DL but sad it has to go now to an identity team. Turbo is supposed to deposit our refund there and we currently have no access to the account.
@papamickey: Started at 2/17 went to 2/24 for a couple of weeks now. Today it is 3/10.
@papamickey: mine did and others said theirs had done the same thing.
Has anyone ever had to verify through Credit Karma? It keeps wanting to send my husband a text to an old number. We tried all other ways to verify and it will not allow it. When we talked to customer service we verified with his DL now they said it has to go to the identity team or something like that. I tried to call the number on the back of his card to check the balance and see if there were any pending transactions and it will not tell you any information just to download the app. We are pretty much sitting in the dark until his access to the CK app is fixed.
Has anybody elses as of date moved all the way to 3/10/2025? it started at 2/24
@Honeybee82: we have the same cycle code. Do you expect we will have 846 on Tuesday or Wednesday? I use chime and they never hold. I always get my deposit that aftrnoon/evening.
@Falysha Lynn: last year my DDD was on 2/22 but it was deposited onto the serve card on 2/16. I also had fees removed from my return through republic Bank. I was surprised especially since it was the first time in years I’d even used a tax preparer.
@Honeybee82: and I believe US Bank is a NHB as well….
@Falysha Lynn: I just double checked and when I had fees taken through Republic Bank last year, I got my deposit one day early. The DDD on my transcripts was 3/6 and my deposit hit on my Credit Karma (NHB) on the 5th. Hope this helps! 😊
@RefundLurker: Okay, I just updated this Friday. My transcript and codes look good, just waiting on the 846.
Any Help would be greatly appreciated if I have my refund going to Republic Bank so they can take their fees and then sent to my bank account at US Bank should I have to wait till the day of ddd or are they no hold banks jw
@JaynSyncere: Because the five days early will be from your DDD…if you have a no hold bank you will get it that fast anyway without paying extra.
@Sheila_33: I had the message we have received your tax return, and it is being processed up until Friday night. I got the PATH message overnight Friday night into Saturday morning. So, I actually moved to the PATH message on Saturday.
@WorriedTX: I wonder how many lawsuits TT plans to collect for charging people these Ridiculous fees when filing taxes is free to begin with 😅 just use no hold banks
@Sheila_33: that falls in line with what the one IRS agent told me last week when i asked about PATH being on a Saturday. he told me that whats showing in the system is that yes it lifts on the 15th but nothing will start processing until the 17th which might be why WMR didnt do that message change to “being processed”.
@Sheila_33: thank you for your reply