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.
Now it says service outage February 19th
@Starchild1111: Hi Starchild! I get what you mean. My husband got into an accident (slid on black ice) and practically ruined one of our cars 😩🤦🏻♀️ I’m glad he came out unscathed (that’s all that matters) but it’s crazy how car issues and house issues happen during tax season. 😂
@Michelle P: yeah that’s what I was thinking too! Prayers for everyone waiting on an 846 it’s coming! I switched to 05 daily this year and I can say it was honestly very fast process this year. It’s coming yall have a blessed day!
@lori1985: I just logged in without issue, and no 846. We wait….
@MH: You’re most likely a weekly, so you won’t see a change until Friday.
@WASTATEGIRL24: Not sure when. I just checked when I posted my comment.
It took me 3 hours last night to get into my transcripts, just to see I’m one of the cursed 0505ers who have to wait til Friday, except right now transcripts aren’t working again-could they still be updating them for 05ers on a Wednesday?
I’m reminded every year why being a weekly sucks.
@MH: weekly…..so, we will see an update to transcripts Friday
Will an offset show up on tax transcripts or only on wmr?
Hi guys ! First time posting here I believe . Been following IGMR for years now ! But I’ve never seen this on my transcript or maybe I’ve overlooked it . I don’t have code 846 but I have the date next to my cycle code , does anyone know what that means ? I thought this would let me upload my screenshot but I’m not seeing the option.
@Ms. Erikka: it is but I think once WMR updates tomorrow we might see some deposits for those who paid the 25 extra with TT
Good morning, congrats to everyone who received the famous 846 code. I’m just waiting on Friday because I’m weekly. I’m normally in the back looking this year. I ask questions but I have not been getting response often, but all is well. Others normally ask the same question which works for me. I just wanted the ones with chime to know deposits comes the same day of the 846-refund issue. chime does not hold deposits They are no hold banks unless you have fees coming out sometimes it’s a day later. I have learned to pay mine ahead of time if you can. I have used them for 10 yrs and my deposits always hit between 11 & so forth including it has hit @ 4:00pm. Chime is great. I hope this helps. Have a bless day
It seems to me that most people with 05 cycle code and as of date of March 3rd are the ones who did NOT update last night? What is going on? Yes i fall under this category too. Does anyone know?
@Montana.NotSignedIn: Have you logged into your IRS account, no movement could mean you just haven’t process or it could be ID verification holding you up. It may tell you if you log into your IRS account, someone on here a few weeks back posted that they saw the notification in their IRS account that they needed to ID verify but they had not received a notice but their transcripts had not populated.
My friend is almost 70 in LA is old school. She likes paper checks etc. She filed her taxes Jan 27th. She received her State Refund 1 week later, And yesterday 2-18, she received her Federal Refund BY CHECK. Some of you are around the same time or earlier, even with the Path, it’s interesting that you don’t have your refund by now
@Jennthepen: when just this morning but you were not updated last night? Cycle code?
So question all of us that opt in the 5 days earlier, if we have a direct deposit date for 2/24 wouldn’t today be the 5th day earlier??
Is anyone else having the account balance on transcript go back and forth? Mine is 0 the goes to say theirs a partial outage.
Hey everyone, I just checked my transcript and I’m excited to share that I’m part of the 846 crew for 2/24/2025! 😊 I know waiting for updates can be a bit stressful, but I’ll keep you all informed as soon as I find out when my payment arrives.
pATH msg still on wmr so yea looks like wmr laggn this year and im a weekly i suppose last yr my 846 ddd was 2/22 so yea that 24th theory may b on pt lol and with early bank deposit i still may c it the 22 hopefully
@ImpatientlyWaiting2024: Sorry I missed your question, I’m just now logging in for the morning 😊. I didn’t notice anyone saying they verified last week and updated with their 846, but it could have happened! Last year I verified late in the day on a Tuesday, so since I missed the cutoff that day by just a few hours…I was placed back into processing the next week and got my 846 that same Friday. So it took me about a week and a half to get my 846 after verifying. Since you verified on Thursday of last week, you could be just like me and update by tomorrow night/Friday 😊
@TheMadness21: I wouldn’t see a reason to worry. We still have another big update coming Friday.
@4boysMeemaw: just seeing this yeeeees if your transcripts are already updated with good codes tomorrow night is our night 🎉 also check again online for Nj state i started processing Friday that was quick this year…hopefully we will be in first batch of refunds because Nj is known to be slow😏
Congrats on the daily 846 codes! Weekly just hold one! Also please once you get ur 846. Sit back and wait for the deposit and let us know! Don’t ask when ur money will drop we don’t know! Plus! It’s not even the 24th yet. lol.
no 846 yet must b a weekly im a Pather as well n my car always wana act dumb during tax time omg like who WONT planning on fixin they whip wit they $ shooooot me. smh
Dizzygator: relax it’s just been two weeks since you filed. That is perfectly normal and you should not be the least bit concerned right now. I filed 2/1 accepted 2/3. Account transcript shows info from last year (filling status and address this year is different is how I know that) But No codes and only 0s . Still got the Non Filling under return. I’m usually a weekly and I expect this to change transcripts overnight Thursday into Friday with a wmr update Saturday morning. At least that’s the way it has been for several years now. Good luck and don’t spend your money before you get it ;)
@DizzyGator: just means it hasn’t been processed. @DizzyGator: I think it just means we haven’t been processed. Mine is the same. The date went from 3/10 to 3/3
I have Credit Karma account State went in a day early hope today DD 2/24