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 āqueueā 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.
@wade123: Well drat. I was hoping for a 571.
Well hell yeah lol…I haven’t checked won’t or transcripts this entire time until today….got my 846 2/26. Got the CK card but did the advance so I know I won’t get it earlier.
@Monee: that 810 is a freeze, I would watch WMR and transcripts closely. Hopefully it will resolve quickly!
@Sheila_33: Well, after a week of code 570 I finally updated to 971
@Monee: I would say that’s a positive. :)
@batgirlpa: Your actual amount. NOT the amount WITH fees taken out
@Iwantitnow: congrats!me too same
When checking with Santa Barbara Bank to see if they received the funds, what amount do I put in? There’s an offset on mine so not sure if I put what I filed for or the actual amount being refunded and sent to SB
Is anyone with a 2/24 date still waiting on DD ? i’m using CK and got an advance –
@Iwantitnow: same ššš
@Paisley: when i go the view my tax record route im able to see im at one bar and says still processing. No EITC or dependents
846, 2/26 ddd. as of to 3/10,WMR still 1bar path mes.
@Monee: it means you have moved a step further in the process. I assume you have a hold for a debt, and filed Injured Spouse? Just being honest, it can take a while if that’s the case. Filed it myself for about 10 years, and that’s why I assumed the debt. I have been where you are, and I know it’s frustrating. Your best bet is to only go by what the transcripts say, WMR doesn’t always update in those cases. I will say this, in my personal experience with IS filers, whatever the 846 code date is, it usually comes about 12 days earlier than that. ***THIS IS ONLY FOR INJURED SPOUSE FILERS*** I will briefly explain here; Injured Spouse claims take WAY longer to process, so they overestimate the DDD in most of those cases.
@S. Carter: ok. I see you’re locked out. When you are able to access WMR again, choose HOH instead of single and see what happens. This happened to me one year.
@Paisley: no i filed single
Iām so excited I woke up to my 846 ddd 2/26/2025 šššš
@MaryB: i did. Iām locked out now.
@Justgivememymoneyyy: u said deposit date is 2/24 but they don’t know where your money is. If deposit date is 2/24 that’s when u should get it :) hopefully quicker though of course would be nice :)
@New here25: Not 100% on this, but I think it’s Green Dot for H&R block.
@MaryB: it’s a refund freeze code.