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.
@Valtnc: https://igotmyrefund.com/irs-update-calendar-for-transcripts-and-wmr/
Hey all! So my transcript is visible now and I just wondered what is the difference between the as of date and the processing date? My as of date shows Feb 13th and processing date shows Feb 20th.
@Valtnc: and further up is the ‘tax refund update calendar’
@Valtnc: it will show who updates each day of the week
@Valtnc: I just scroll up to the “when are updates” above this thread and it explains 🙂
Do the transcripts update daily? Can someone please copy and paste the calendar; I cannot pull it up.
@Mitty: There’s a chance it could be earlier. This is the first year I didn’t have fees taken from my refund but when I did there were some years it was a day or two early and some years it deposited the day of.
@Sheila_33: How long does that take to get the refund code? When can I see the date
@Tabby: I just saw this. I am getting fees taken out so probably will be DD Wednesday.
Just want yall to know that path and child tax credit are not the same. I just checked wmr and said it was already sent to our bank…checked and it’s there. We claimed our oldest and our baby this year, guess this year we didn’t have the eitc so we weren’t put on path
@Esmeralda: When the freeze lifts, your return will process again and place the refund code.
@Tabby: I also have a DD of 2-8. That is awesome that you got yours early. Do you have a traditional bank or did you put it on like one of those cards where you get it early?
@Kara: how is that possible if your on path you can’t see a deposit date til after the 15th
@Sheila_33: Am I done processing or will they have to process again?
@Waitinggg: I used moneylion for the deposit with no fees
@Waitinggg: I did not
@Tabby: Did you have fees taken out? What bank do you have? I am waiting on my deposit.
Dont know if this will help anyone but I filed and was accepted on 1-23. My transcripts were NA or showing no return filed for atleast a week. When they updated, it was pretty much all at once and I had a ddd of 2-8. I received my dd this morning. I let my anxiety get the best of me couple times, but once everything moved, it moved fast. And fyi the transcript and WMR update calendar, as well as the information provided on this site, was completely on point. Thanks so much!
@WAstategirl84: I am in the process of creating an irs account. I have never had to look at them before.
@Bulldog30: are your transcripts filled in? What is you as of date?
@Itsthattimeagaincyn: mine still says it and so does my son’s if the time is the same as last year I should get it later this week I’ll post an update if any changes again I’m in Ms
@Brit83: I don’t but you could possibly check the state forums.
Hey hey. Path filed on opening morning TT with advance. Just checked transcripts, I am filled out all the way minus 846. As of date 2-20.
@Sheila_33: I’m in Wisconsin and was wondering if you happen to know long it take to process or when their system updates? I can see the portal saying processed; however, still no update to the WMR Wisconsin site.
Any other Wisconsinites waiting on their refund?
Been a few yrs since my taxes flew this quick. Wife, self and, little lotto win 25K. Filed TT, Jan 31st. accepeted super fast both fed and VT state. One bar friday. Signed on this morning to IRS app on my phone 2 bars DDD 10th sending to my bank 8th. My bank drops nothing early so the 10th. hope everyone gets lucky as I did last yr. Heat wave this morning 35 degrees after that brutal weekend of -34 degree windchills lol.
@justlikestealing: Happened to a bunch of us a few years ago in between the path lifting and weekly processing. I think it’s a delay message so we’ll see how it goes this week. :)
@theresa: thanks. I had reached out to my state dept and they said that they didn’t see anything to cause it to be held or reviewed but my message definitely tell me it’s being reviewed. I normally would’ve gotten my state by now.
Hello all. So I’m still here with no more updates on transcripts. One has only our names, address and as of date but the others are still N/A. WMR is still on one bar with the same message. Nothing has updated for us at all. I hate being a weekly. If it doesn’t update Friday ill flip out.
@WAstategirl84: yes mine is. On Friday it started to tell me info is incorrect on app and website. I hope it is just a system thing and will fix with next update. 🤞
Is anybody else’s information missing? I haven’t checked mine in a few days but was on path and transcripts I think are completely filled in but today I checked and it says I have the wrong information. But checked several times and I put in all correct info
@TeeDee44:
According to the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, the IRS cannot issue refunds before mid-February for tax returns that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit. This applies to the entire refund, even the portion not associated with these credits.
Check Where’s My Refund in mid- to late February for your personalized refund status. It’s updated once a day and remains the best way to check the status of your refund.
Please read the following information related to your tax situation:
Tax Topic 152, Refund Information
Please Note:
For refund information, please continue to check here, or use our free mobile app, IRS2Go. Updates to refund status are made no more than once a day.
@Shelia_33….. Gm my friend, Just wondering if you, or any Mods are seeing those of us re-sequenced, weeklies that still have the amt of the refund and 1 bar but losing the 152 code and now saying “still being processed. I believe in previous yrs, this happened to many of us and we updated the same week on Friday….
@Sheila_33: I tried the app as well. I had one bar until Friday. So I am hoping when everything updates again it will fix itself.
@Esmeralda: No need to be nervous. :)
@Bulldog30: You might try on the mobile app. It’s also possible it’s just glitching. Wmr can get glitchy sometimes.