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.
@It’sbrinaa: I’m hoping we do!!
@Mandie: it ends in a 03
@Justatiredmama: You’d be a weekly if your cycle code ends in 05 but some 05s can be daily so check your transcripts once a day just to be sure. If your transcripts update only on Fridays, though, you are a weekly.
Got 846 lastnight for 2/24 and have chime . Think I will get a deposit today?
I don’t know how accurate this is or if it will help anyone. I just logged into my Jackson Hewitt account and was chatting with the robot to see if it could show any updates as far as when my DD would hit. This is the reply I received
“Please be aware that the IRS has begun releasing Path-related Refunds, and we expect that our clients who elected to have their refunds deposited on the Amex Serve card will see them available within a few hours.”
Please don’t beat me up if the robot lied yall.
I finally updated to code 806. That’s good right? Next step is 846 right? How do I see if I’m a daily or weekly? I forget lol
I was curious what crossover bank would tell me so I just called and picked the option for a TurboTax. Customer inquiring on deposit and it redirected me to TurboTax offices
If we received 846 2/24 Last night with a traditional bank and paid fees up front, do you guys Friday or next week on the actual date?
Hey, all. Hope everyone is doing OK. I wanted to ask, has anyone received their refund with the 570 code on their transcript? I’m just curious. Thank you! :)
Has anyone used venmo for their tax refund before and how was it?
@Jenny04: it sounds like to me she was trying to allude to the PATH and mid february. Like a convenient excuse…idk all the details though
Got 846 lastnight for 2/24 and have chime . Think I will get a deposit today ?
@Michelle P: an agent with who? So if WMR doesn’t update until the March like normal they just keep my $$. I have a DDD of the 24th. I am not trying to be argumentative ( sorry if it seems like that) I think they may not be accurate in the response they gave. That is my opinion.
I think that it releases the money to the banks maybe in batches and deposits will start trickling in.
Also Cross River needs a website if it is a CSR rep there and all these people are calling I would say the same sentence over and over again.
@Sheila_33: I figured that. Thank you.
@Jenny04: I’ve got a list of phone numbers but unsure if it will help.
https://igotmyrefund.com/talk-to-human-at-irs/
Sheila_33: did u see my question at all???
@Disbelief: I did that too! LOL
@Miamor capree: mine is still showing the path message and I updated with the 846 last night.
@wade123: Let’s see what tomorrow brings. My daughters an 04 too and she’s in Errs. Hoping they update her tomorrow.
@Michelle P: The last 2 years I have gotten my DD well before my WMR updated. I have to go odd transcripts. WMR is slow.
I’m starting to see deposits coming in on the Facebook groups….so far from Varo and Chime. I’ll update when my Spruce hits! 💵
@FrasierGurl: It’s possible but I wouldn’t bank too much on it.
Congrats to all with the 846! I’m a weekly 05, and have been since 2017. My transcripts (except wage) have been filled out for 2 weeks. Around 2 am my as of went from 3/3 to 2/24. They are back at 3/3 with a 2/17 processing. I’ve never paid any mind to previous years but all the way back to 2019 as of all say 3/3/25, hopefully, that’s normal. Historically, I’ll see 846 late Thursday/early Friday for the Wednesday Deposit. Tried out the 5 days early and using chime so who knows, might see something this weekend. Hang in there guys, catch up on sleep. 2 more wake-ups lol.
For a minute my heart skipped a beat! Logged in to my transcripts and saw that 846 I’ve been waiting for …
Reality check hits and I realize it’s my 2023 transcripts 🤣🤣🤣
@Mom@3: Cross River Contract
im 0705 should i see 846 overnight on transcripts? i am a pather and i worried bout WMR they always update later lol
I looked at the Cross River Contrat with TT. They use them for the 5 day early ACH_DD, according to their site.
How does Cross River process standard ACH vs. same-day ACH or later settlement?
Same-day ACH is processed in 2-3 hours while a standard ACH payment may take 1 to 3 business days before posting to the receiver’s account.
NACHA’s settlement windows are a morning submission deadline at 10:30 AM ET, with settlement occurring at 1:00 PM, an afternoon submission deadline at 2:45 PM ET, with settlement occurring at 5:00 PM ET, and an evening submission deadline at 4:45 PM ET, with settlement at 6:00pm ET.