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 âqueueâ 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.
@YourNameHere_5thYear: yes
@Reality Lives: thank you so much.
Anyone else file with Turbotax has a fast cash advance interest repayment charge of $68.00 with fees? I didn’t request fast cash advance interest repayment anything? I used Chime for DD I filed 2/14 got accepted some day and no fees haven’t been taken out yet.
@Itsthattimeagaincyn: I have Navy Fed and my refund is pending already on the NFCU online banking portal. I actually called today on the 888 number and was told by the NFCU customer service representative that if I call the day before the DDD of 2/23, they will release the pending deposit. If you call them, they can tell if you have a pending deposit or on your online acct info.
I file myself through HR Block on 2/5 and had the topic 152 then update to 2 bars this past Thursday with a DDD of 2/23!
@Jessica: i used credit karma last yeR and sbbt got the money the day before in the afternoon sometime and released it the night before around 7 or so .
@YourNameHere_5thYear: I would say yes your audit is done tho and your refund is going to be released. How long did that process take you
@Scallywags: I experienced the same thing last year. For whatever reason I didnât get processed till the last Friday in Feb and got my money the following Wed. This year once again I filed 2/1 accepted within mins and still I am N/A. I am weekly. I would check the section under notices in your online account. I have nothing so unfortunately itâs a waiting game.
@YourNameHere_5thYear: Iâm under review hoping it doesnât turn into audit ⊠itâs starting to scare me seeing so many people saying they took money they didnât owe Iâve seen it lots. I owe them money itâs off my account now it doesnât show but luckily I screenshot it . Itâs like they are making stuff up to take back money I hope people are questioning it lol just seen this way too
Much this year
I would like some help understanding.
Recently had an audit letter and sent in all the documents needed. I have an 846 for 2/23 with X amount that is way less than the expected amount. However, it shows a -X amount where it says ACCOUNT BALANCE for the remaining of the amount due to me and a REMOVE REFUND FREEZE at the very bottom of tranny. Does this mean my audit is complete and that they will credit me the balance owed soon?
Thank you in advance.
@Scallywags: Its possible it is just a delay, but you might want to check the ID verify and see if it will let you. We’ve seen people stuck for one or two weeks and they were resequenced. And then update on the next cycle thru to a refund date.
@SLG: best I can remember 1 day MAYBE 2.
@Tigerlili_1: when does SBTPG release for Credit Karma? Probably the day of? If they have our returns why doesnât it say funded? This my first year using TT and I donât know how all this works.
I am filing bankruptcy this year. Will the IRS take my tax refund for 2023? Is this something that is not negotiable? Iâm just wondering what Iâm in for next year.
@Angeel: u
@meandmydogs: how did i get , i cant get
@Matt H: how early just curious because i used hr block also
@Tigerlili_1: @Tigerlili_1: thanks đ
Hey, gang. I am literally sick to my stomach from worrying. Can anyone help me out?
I filed through TT and was accepted by IRS on Feb 1. My return includes Earned Income and Child Tax credits.
My estimated DDD (according to TT) is 2/23.
I have not seen any updates on WMR since being accepted. Finally, this morning (Sunday 2/19) I am seeing an update. It says:
“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 return as quickly as possible.”
I still have 1 bar and Tax Topic 152.
I logged into my account through id.me and downloaded my tax transcripts, but they are still blank?? I have no cycle code or anything.
Can someone please give me some idea as to what’s going on? I feel like I’m going to throw up from nervousness because I am supposed to pay back urgent debts with this money.
@MOE: I have 570 with 3/6 date. And received a letter saying 60 day review
@Thequeenofbee: 810 is not a PATH thing, and PATH lifted on the 15th. Look in your account for notices issued. Otherwise, I’m not sure about the rest of it. The only reason I’d say yes, to receiving a notice about credit eligibility, is if I had. IRS is not the ones I mess with. The tax software doesn’t know the truth, but IRS does.
@Itsthattimeagaincyn: It depends on what time of day SBTPG notifies them. Usually day of with Nav Fed from SBTPG
@Ank: I pressed 2 and it gave me the amount of my offset paid
@meandmydogs: So I can see why she is confused. After pressing 2 for other questions about federal payments the options are:
1 for information about your refund
2 for injured spouse
3 for bankruptcy
4 for notices of offsets
5 for something else I forget but they all just ask you to call the IRS Directly after that. So confusing @Angeel so sorry I couldn’t find a way to help either
Hey everyone. Is there anyone who banks with navy federal and is familiar with when funds will be recieved if you paid you tt fees through your refund? Will it be same as ddd or the day before?
@Angeel: yes
@Christi86: Iâve use HRB for the past 3 years with fees taken out and have always gotten my refund early. Definitely not 5 days early like some, but nonetheless still early.
@meandmydogs: other questions about federal payment
Hi everyone. Quick question and probably a dumb one. Sitting here overthinking. But when wmr says your refund is scheduled to mailed by 2-24. Does that mean it will be mailed before that date? Thank you
So Iâm under review and I think I know exactly why ⊠irs was rejecting me saying something if you have ever been disqualified and got a letter from the earned income credit you must reapply or something I never got a letter never was disqualified claimed it last year but it would not accept my return so Iâm like ok maybe this is them informing me now so I go back to deductions and click yes i recieved a letter cuz I read online that they will usually see the error and fix it and then it asked me if I was only disqualified for not reporting my income correctly or something else and I click no and then asked me a couple questions about can ur kids be claimed by any other person and I said no cuz my fiancĂ© wonât claim cuz I did ⊠so I thought that was gonna be an issue and almost sure thatâs more than likely what itâs about I have the 424 code and a 971 notice issued and a 810 refund freeze which I was told thatâs because Iâm on path and itâs not lifted till the 22nd ⊠my whereâs my refund says take action and then says the whole spiel about how you may not receive part or All of your refund until you respond to the notice sent to you within the next 30 days and to send in the information we requested and to not call till u get the notice blah blah and I have tax topic 151 ( which I read is going to be Because you owe the irs money and they may be taking all or part of your refund ) which is true they took most of what I owed last year but missed some of it a little over 1k iâŠ..
So really just asking for thoughts of anyone else that maybe has gone through this âŠ. Do we think itâs possible when they review it they can fix it and see the issue and stop the review etc if it is what I think ? Or generally If ur under review and they say they sent a letter requesting more info that I have to fill that out before anything is done whatever it may be which I canât imagine it being anything else . I am self employed run a small boutique I didnât write anything extra off or deductions just the eic and ctc so not a complicated return . I was hoping to be able to call them Tuesday and just explain I know I have a letter coming but if itâs the eic that is what is triggering a review this is what happened it wouldnât accept me and I put I got a letter when I didnât and hope If that is it they can see that and fix it . I donât please someone give me their thoughts . Sorry for the longer post but kinda relevant to my question since everyoneâs situation is different when it comes to this stuff . Thanks in advance really hoping some people can give me some light and hope here . I know most are just worried about if they will get their refund early but I thought this page was mainly intended for helping people with stuff and questions like this so hoping I can get some answers this time around
@Angeel: dont press 1 for offset wait until it gives you the next message and press 2
@NyBeauty (not signed in): after i put my ssi it tells me to wait while search records then it tells me there are no debts or offsets with this information. After i put social i press two but it doesnât . I enter 7 continue 1 for english , then offset information then 1 i have ssi . Im sorry im just trying to figure out , i only had state on offset when i would called last week. It got paid through state refund