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.
All of my transcripts updated except wage and income. It still says no record of return filed. Should I be worried?
@Frank Garrett – Southpark IRS Agent (aka buckey12): some do allow a limited amount of articles to read. I know I couldnt access it.
@Mary: I don’t subscribe to it. It showed up for me fine. Either way, the general sense of the article gave the frustration facing the IRS as the try to interpret the intent of these payments made by states and whether to tax or not tax.
I’ve seen a few people saying they have both credits and got 846 on their transcript’s. Showing Path on WMR… is accurate ? Mine currently says processing date 2/13 and cycle code 0405. So not sure
@Sheila_33: I was digging around on the IRS and found this nugget going back to Path’s inception: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/oc-path-201.pdf
@Kris: Any movement is good. :)
@Sharon. O: You’re Welcome, hopefully by next week you will get that 571 code which means resolved. I had it back in 2020 which my taxes was reduce by a few hundreds. I think it some type of adjustment being made or double checking your return. I pray it goes fast for you.
Bluebird just dropped for DDD of 02/15. My transcripts updated this morning to a 846 with DDD of 02/15.
@Sheila_33: Hey Sheila you had it right not filing early I will never again I got to get some grey out now worried me to death your the smart one
@Walter Dog I don’t subscribe to the Epoch Times so if you posted a link on here I couldn’t read it.
@Sheila_33: Oh ok. Thank you. That makes sense then. I was hoping 2/27 would be my dd 😅 I’m surprised at how fast my transcripts showed up this year though. Does that at least mean some kind of movement?
@Mary: I get the Epoch times and that’s where I read it
@Frank Garrett – Southpark IRS Agent (aka buckey12): they shouldn’t touch it but government is trying to get more money for their wars
@Frank Garrett – Southpark IRS Agent (aka buckey12): Unless people subscribe to the NY Times or any other newspaper they won’t be able to read any links posted by our users.
@Kris: 4/15 is standard. Last day of the IRS tax year before penalties or interest are applied. The 2/27 is the date to make sure you’re processed by. Once that 846 is placed, that date will change again.
Hey y’all! So I filed 2/2. Got accepted the same day. I haven’t checked anything until this morning. To my surprise my transcripts are there with codes 766 & 768 and cycle code 0605. I believe those are good codes? And a weekly. But as of date has 2 dates, says return due date or return received date (whichever is later) 4/15 & 2/27. So I’m a bit confused ? I know if I remember right last year my dates changed a couple times before deposit. Can anyone help me out with this?
@Walter DOG: I was just reading a few articles on that mess, and a lot of the fault resides at the state level because of how/why they gave the money and identified its program use (i.e. – money to help raise a child, money to combat inflation regardless of kids, etc). At this point, if I were the head of the IRS…cough cough cough…I wouldn’t touch the money. It was distributed by states to help combat respective problems locally, and attempting to tax it after the fact would create an undo hardship on a lot of people who already spent the money.
@Frank Garrett – Southpark IRS Agent (aka buckey12): ohhh ok thank u! I was a lil disappointed for a second 🤣
@Janel120: Massachusetts had a tax rebate last year so we are also one of those states. I didn’t qualify for it. I’m thinking they won’t hold the refunds if you filed already. They will probably have anyone that has received anything amend there return afterwards. What should happen is they should just let it go, but they are greedy mofos. We shall see I guess
@Janel120:my children are all grown so it can’t be that . This is ridiculous though. Thanks so much