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.
@iloveyouguys: My daughter used FreetaxUSA and both credits are showing and added to her refund.
Oh would ya lookie here! Another tax season is upon us! :-)
I am wishing us all a happy, healthy, prosperous, fast, easy tax season.
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.
@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
@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
@Sheila_33: Good Morning Sheila do you have any idea why I didn’t qualify for the child dependent credit?
@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🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
@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🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
@Bobby Bonilla: yes
@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.
@Steven: I think they may be updating the system before processing begins. Mine is the same and I believe it is maintenance.
@Janel120: did you yourself pay for the daycare with no subsidies?
Has anyone else been told they don’t qualify for the child dependent credit. I know I do. I had a child in daycare.
Why caint I view my 2019 and 2020 and 2021 tax account transcripts on my IRS account
@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
@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.
@mnwilliams: yes I got it. It’s at the end where you choose how to get your refund