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 on January 26, 2026.
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 IRS no longer publishes an official tax refund cycle chart. It has been eliminated and replaced with IRS FAQ. Since then, dozens of versions have popped up, some better than others.
That’s where we step in.
Get the dates, skip the guessing.
Each year, we compile the most accurate Refund Cycle Chart, built from IRS manuals, payout trends, PATH Act release dates, holidays, and real user updates, so you don’t have to guess when your refund will hit.
Check the IGMR Refund Cycle Chart and see when your money’s coming.
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.
Filed 1/15
Accepted 1/16
Weekly 05
Path just see 00000 and as of date 2/16 and thats it. Can only see my 2021 transcript looks like many of us weeklies are just stuck in processing till next week.
Just noticed my actual w2 is on IRS site already I’ve never seen that before or maybe never noticed.. anyone else?
Just curious and wanna ease my mind a bit, filed my taxes on 1/26 used Chime, 2 W-2s HOH and claimed 3 kids with EIC. No advance or anything but when I went to file, it was rejected the first time due to an incorrect 5 digit PIN, which I know by heart but could have possibly entered it in wrong the first time so I reentered all the info, sent it back and was immediately accepted. My transcripts are showing up for wages&income with no record, and account transcripts say no record but an as of date 2/16. I was worried I might get audited for getting that number wrong and just overthinking it.
I don’t know if you all believe in superstitions but my palm has been itchy 3 times tonight. So all I have to say is Show me the money. Here’s hoping for a DDD this week
@RuthBaby: thank you. Happy early birthday to you.
@Momof2girls1boy77: Happy Birthday!! My bday is 2/12. Aquarius season baby! ♒️
Is turbo tax offering advances through CK this years?
@Bossnikki: it’s doing that for a lot of us. They’re mid processing us all. Gotta resequence back in next week
@Michigander80: 2/20 will be the big one for weeklies
@Tati: assuming you meant get on Feb 23rd. Are you path?
@Beth: Did you answer the health savings account questions? I saw similar posts elsewhere with part of that same code: FD-31-FMT-8042. The rest was different, but that might be a unique code for you versus someone else for internal records.
Last year I got my taxes February 28th and I filed January 27th. Do you guys think this year I file on January 23rd? Do you guys think I’ll get it on January 23rd?
@Sheila_33
Happy Tax season. Can you give me insight on why 2021 tax year is showing on my irs account and no other tax year is
Thanks
@Sheila_33: Thank you. If it was an error with income being reported they can fix that correct?
@Beth: previous year’s AGI?
@Starvin Marvin: Its possible its a review of your income or credits. If they can get the information they need from another agency, like social security, then they’ll resolve it and finish processing your return. If not, they’ll send a request for more information.
@[email protected]: its weird to me cus this year i got the PATH message in my email but it came from TT and it was the EXACT message we would see in our WMR screens so no telling
@Trinitydestany1: if you have a pin and it wasn’t put on your return it will be rejected and need to be submitted again
@[email protected]: Nope, he said he was not a pather as well. We’re just…stuck. Gotta wait until Friday, I guess.
Must a pather get the path message?
@mc559672: ya I just don’t understand the has been delayed beyond the normal time frame when it has only been 6 days lol
Hello everyone! What are your predictions when we will see the first round of 846 codes on transcripts for pathers?
@Matt7650: Mine is the same. The only difference is my WMR says “We have received your tax return and it is being processed.
If you filed a complete and accurate tax return, your refund should be issued within 21 days of the received date. However, processing may take longer under certain circumstances. No further action is needed from you at this time.”
Non-path, accepted 1-15. Account trans is 00-00-0000 and wage trans is blank. Ugh.
@mc559672: I have an acct and redundancies @mc559672: acct transcript shows 00-00-000 and wage transcript is blank.
What does this mean?
Do I need to verify something?
We received your tax return and are reviewing it. If we need additional information, we’ll mail a notice with further instructions.
If you’ve already received a notice, please follow the instructions.
If we determine no additional information is needed, we’ll continue to process your refund.
@Matt7650: Does your 2025 account transcript say anything?
Anyone have any opinions about this?
I have them message- we apologize, but your return processing has been delayed beyond the normal timeframe. You can continue to check back here for the most up-to-date information regarding your refund. We understand your tax refund is very important and we are working to process your refund as quickly as possible.
Non pather…..odd since hasn’t even been 21 day just filed the 26th.
@LifeofaWeekly:
I filed 1/15 and accepted 1/16 and Friday I had the transcript show but it’s blank :(
Does anyone know about rejection codes? They have rejected my efile twice and I cant figure out why.
FD-31-FMT-8042-7c561cs317082801a
I tried to google but couldnt find anything.
TIA!
@ErisedMai: That makes sense. I retract my ill-advised advice!
@mc559672: I know in my experience it’s been because I owe state taxes, and don’t get a refund. So I just let them take from my federal taxes next year.
@Matt H: you have PATH credits so it’s basically an automatic hold that you can’t finish processing until after 2/15 and it simply means you’ve hit a time mark and are waiting
@ErisedMai: I wonder why the state wouldn’t just intervene and keep it within their system. Maybe the state refund isn’t enough to cover the balance owed and it moves on to the IRS to intercept the rest?
@ErisedMai: I didn’t know that. I suppose it depends on your state. I’ve never had an IRS offset from my CA taxes, they’ve always been separate. That’s why I said “shouldn’t affect” — I’m just going off of my anecdotal experience. Taxes are a weird mix of ubiquitous and relative to the individual.
@mc559672: States can 1000% offset federal tax returns for past due debts. Not every state does, but they can.