For all the people
impatiently waiting
on tax refunds.

A grapevine for taxpayers,
by taxpayers.

Interact with people who have experiences or questions just like you.

All of your tax refund questions, answered.
What Other People Are Saying
49,350 comments

Where’s My Refund?

You have questions, we have answers.

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.

IRS Update Cycle

Use the IRS Update Cycle chart to find the days and times the WMR and transcript update.

Transcripts

This is what your IRS transcript can tell you about your tax refund.

Transaction Codes

Lookup the codes that you see on your tax return transcript and what they mean.

Daily vs. Weekly

Find out if you have a daily or weekly account with the IRS and what it means.

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.

talk to a human

It is often hard to reach someone at the IRS and you might want to talk to a person. It is hard to reach some tax preparation companies too. Use our guide to talk to a human at the IRS.

TAX TOPIC 152

Tax Topic 152 is the most common status when you check the status of your tax refund. It is nothing to worry about.

transcript codes

Transaction Codes (TC) sometimes called transcript codes consist of three digits and may appear on your IRS account transcript. Decipher the codes on your IRS transcripts.

reference codes

Most times the Wherer’s My Refund tool (WMR) will show Tax Topic 152. Other times you may see various error codes. These are called Reference Codes on the WMR.

Join the Conversation

What Others Are Saying

  1. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @iloveyouguys: My daughter used FreetaxUSA and both credits are showing and added to her refund.

    Reply
    1
  2. IHATETAXTIME2023

    Oh would ya lookie here! Another tax season is upon us! :-)

    I am wishing us all a happy, healthy, prosperous, fast, easy tax season.

    Reply
    7
  3. Chris
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Credit Karma
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-21
    • WMR Date:
      Jan-1
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-17
    • I Got My Refund!

    Hello everyone! Back for my eighth year and now 8 years sober!!! I hope all is well with everyone and heres to hoping for a smooth tax season!
    I haven’t filed yet waiting on my 1099R.

    Reply
    9
  4. Kimikaze

    @Janel120: There are a lot of variables that could be the cause for not qualifying. It depends on your income, out of pocket childcare costs and the number of dependents you have. Last year there was a law that temporarily increased the credit amount in order to help a lot more families during the pandemic. This year the credits and caps have reverted back to the original amount.

    https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc602

    Reply
    1
  5. Janel120
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-31
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-31
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Sheila_33: Good Morning Sheila do you know why im not qualifying for child dependent credit when I had a child in daycare. I’m filing with tt

    Reply
  6. Janel120
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-31
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-31
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Sheila_33: Good Morning Sheila do you have any idea why I didn’t qualify for the child dependent credit?

    Reply
  7. Iloveyouguys

    @Sheila_33: good morning,with TurboTax or somewhere else,thank you for your responses…..and have anyone gotten a actual loan,because the diff ent agents and people keep telling me I may get approved but I might not get it until February or whenever the irs opens🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

    Reply
  8. Iloveyouguys

    @Sheila_33: good morning,with TurboTax or somewhere else,thank you for your responses…..and have anyone gotten a actual loan,because the diff ent agents and people keep telling me I may get approved but I might not get it until February or whenever the irs opens🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

    Reply
  9. Janel120
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-31
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-31
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Bobby Bonilla: yes

    Reply
  10. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @iloveyouguys: You may want to check another tax filing site just to see if it shows up there. I did my daughter’s last Wednesday and the ctc and actc is showing for her.

    Reply
    1
  11. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Steven: I think they may be updating the system before processing begins. Mine is the same and I believe it is maintenance.

    Reply
    1
  12. Bobby Bonilla

    @Janel120: did you yourself pay for the daycare with no subsidies?

    Reply
  13. Janel120
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-31
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-31
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    Has anyone else been told they don’t qualify for the child dependent credit. I know I do. I had a child in daycare.

    Reply
  14. Steven
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      IRS CHECK FROM TREASURY DEPT
    • Bars:
      3rd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-26
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20240605
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-11
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-26
    • I Got My Refund!

    Why caint I view my 2019 and 2020 and 2021 tax account transcripts on my IRS account

    Reply
  15. Iloveyouguys

    @Dee88: thank you for the response,I love turbo tax but I might have to file somewhere…I get changes have bee made but this is crazy and the agent claimed they taxing 500 from the child tax credit so it’s 1500 per child

    Reply
  16. Dee88

    @Iloveyouguys: The child tax credit hasn’t been showing up on TurboTax for FreeTaxUSA for me. So the info about waiting for IRS to open Is probably correct. Thanks for sharing – you’ve eased my nerves a bit lol.

    Reply
    1
  17. Michael

    @mnwilliams: yes I got it. It’s at the end where you choose how to get your refund

    Reply
    1
  18. mnwilliams
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-14
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Credit Karma
    • Bars:
      What Bars?
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    Has anyone applied for or been approved for the Turbo Tax refund advance this year? I don’t see the option at the end.

    Reply
  19. DrBlute

    What does the star next to transcript mean ?

    Reply
  20. TeeDee44

    Happy new year everyone.
    Haven’t filed yet. Learned my lesson from previous years. Usually use TT. But I have EIC so I’ll wait a few

    Reply
    2
  21. Iloveyouguys

    Good morning,I filled last year early and then then amended my return once I got my refund because I didn’t want to wait my w2s.This I talked to a agent Friday about the child tax credit isn’t showing on my return and she stated is calling about but something about we have to wait until the irs opens or something. This is with turbo tax ,my first year filing with them was last year and my only complaint is not being able to get the advance but everything else worked smoothly ,should I file somewhere else….or I don’t know……

    Reply
  22. AsèAnyway

    Just filed with TT. I always, ALWAYS get accepted for an advance but LO AMD BEHOLD, lucky me didn’t get approved this year. 😒 I’m gonna be waiting two months, I have EIC so….there’s THAT! Happy filing ! 🫠

    Reply
  23. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @BrownBrown30: Filing without the W2 can be risky, because in some cases, they wait for the Social Security site to update the information from the W2 on your income for last year to reconcile what you’ve filed on your return, and the wait can be awhile.

    Reply
  24. Junewessell0107

    Does an injured spouse form hold up your tax return

    Reply
  25. LWBOSS

    @Mary: yes you are are right about that, I didn’t have the money to pay it but I still did anyway 😆 cause I said I better do it, because if I don’t I might go through all the bs again.

    Reply
  26. Walter DOG
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-20
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Mary: thank you Mary ,wanted to make sure

    Reply
  27. DrBlute

    @Mary: isn’t the hold just a couple days difference ? Iv never paid upfront never seem to have any problems

    Reply
  28. MelloDello53
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-5
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Go2bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Date Approved:
      Jan-29
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-3
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • I Got My Refund!

    Got a star next to 2022 return transcripts. Here we go folks. Hope all goes smoothly.

    Reply
    1
  29. Michael

    @Gabi: it’s not really a credit check they’re looking to see if you qualify by certain things on your return. They approved me for $2K in advance

    Reply
    1
  30. Mary

    @WALTER DOG I talked to my daughter, she works in the financial dept at our local college and she said unless your daughter has graduated or has her GED she isnt considered enrolled in college.

    Reply
  31. Mary

    @LWBOSS Yes yes so much better to pay upfront for sure, but I know it is difficult to come up the money sometimes.

    Reply
    2
  32. Walter DOG
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-20
    • I Got My Refund!

    My daughter is 20 and She is enrolled at community college for GED classes and IRS ask if your daughter was a student for at least 5 months of the year does anyone know if that would count or regular college

    Reply
  33. LWBOSS

    Hey everyone, I just filed my federal with TurboTax, paid fees up front because I learned my lesson last year 😆 so I hope this year goes smooth for me and everyone else. So, my advice please pay your fees up front so you don’t have to worry about where your money is and how long it will take to get to you. For example, I rather be broke by paying my fees now then staying broke when my taxes are due later because of the middle man in the door way 😆.

    Reply
    4
  34. Martha Raye

    @Kira: The pause on payments continues until June. I would assume that applies to student loan garnishments..etc.

    Reply
  35. Jacobmos

    @Steven: highly doubt it.

    Reply
  36. BrownBrown30

    Hey, I have a few questions hoping to get answered. First, would it effect the process of my filing if I use my last check stub?(I’m not receiving my W2 until after Jan 31st, smh. And I’m not waiting that long to file my taxes! 😒… Also I’m planning on going to Jackson Hewitt this year, there’s one in my area open on Sundays, is that a good day to file or should I wait another day in the week? Could I receive an advance from them on a Sunday do you guys know? Probably not, since it is Sunday! Lol…. Thanks in advance!! 🥰

    Reply
    1
  37. Steven
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      IRS CHECK FROM TREASURY DEPT
    • Bars:
      3rd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-26
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20240605
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-11
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-26
    • I Got My Refund!

    Just filled last night with my tax lady and already got 6k of my tax refund through there advance now time to sit and wait for the rest 😂 hope everyone has a good tax season

    Reply
    5
  38. MelloDello53
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-5
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Go2bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Date Approved:
      Jan-29
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-3
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • I Got My Refund!

    Just filed return. Also saw test batch dated 17-22 January. Good luck to us all.

    Reply
  39. MaryB
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-10
    • Cycle:
      Daily

    Here is to another year…
    I just filed our returns (federal and state). We have some changes this year as we qualified for the EIC and ACTC so I anticipate delay associated with that. I would have opted out if that were an option (our income was lower because my husband took a voluntary leave of absence so it seems weird to get those credits).

    Reply
  40. Monee
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Varo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    I filed an amended return and the cycle code ends with 01?! Could this be it? Could I finally be a daily!!! Probably not🤣

    Reply