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.
@Tigerlili_1: when I check the republic website it says a refund has not been received yet
@Steve: If your DDD us 22nd or 23rd, it was already sent to Republic.
Does the payments start getting sent to republic at 1200am tonight?
@Scrantonjoe: Congrats! Your transcript probably updated Friday, making you daily, 01 this season, WMR lags behind a day or two. What a fast turn around, congratulations!
@Tbear: it might be in some situations. She did ask me some personal questions. And my expected refund amount. ….🤷🏽♀️so really not sure . I will be calling. Again tomorrow
@Guera :
Also the info on the website is based off of ACH notification to expect the funds. They’ve acknowledged and recieved, but not settled.
When they settle, it will release to you.
@Guera: I’ve figured it out…Well, some co-eorkers and I. When you call EPS the automated service is giving the generic info based off WMR.
So I filed on Feb 13th thru TT paid fees upfront, was a pather along with 1099s for interest and one for dividends. Also had capital gains. I checked wmr on Saturday and still had generic message and one bar saying accepted. I checked today on my lunch break and couldn’t believe I have a ddd for 2/24. I can’t say for sure when it updated but it was sometime between Saturday at 6pm est and 12 noon today. So maybe there is some movement happening still for a few of us. Hope this brings a little relief to someone. It’s coming folks!
@Starr: Somebody told me it was because of identity verification
@Tbear: no she had no idea why.
@Askingagain: USAA does not send them out, IRS does. However, USAA posts a day early.
@Starr: Did she say why they sent yours to the error center
@Andrea not logged in: If your transcripts are NA you’ve just not started processing yet.
@Starr: 2/2/2023 accepted the same day
@basketcasemomma: I’ll post if I get mine early too, fingers crossed!
I know I won’t pay my fees out of refund again, I say that every year and yet I still do! Lol
@Irrationalrae: I’ll keep it updated on here on 22nd.
@Tbear: when did you file . I filed 1/28 and accepted 1/28
Being a weekly on a Monday is mentally challenging lol.
Is it Friday yet?
@basketcasemomma: chime last year and year before. I was definitely hoping for a day early but now idk
Also past couple of years has been chime and I even filed later last year because of waiting for certain forms and my ddd was March 22nd and I didn’t have eitc or anything that would’ve put me on path had I filed earlier
@Irrationalrae: who do you bank with? I use chime and someone said it may come on 2/22 but that’s just maybe lol
@Tbear: mines is also the same way .. I called the irs and they told me that I was inthe Error resolution department and It could take up to 120 days to fix .I was mad of course. So I called again and the next lady told that she sees a date for march 28th and if I don’t hear from them meaning a letter or my wmr doesn’t update with a ddd then I should call them back around then .
Someone else mentioned they looked at their deposit from last year and it was day of. Well I went and looked from last year and it was exactly on the day for my ddd, used TurboTax, fees taken out and deposited on ddd at 3:54am😭. I was hoping for at least a day early. Double checked my previous years and they were on the ddd also going through sbtpg, even with different early deposit cards such as when TurboTax did their own greendot card.
I’m worried I filed and was accepted same day 2/14 and I have one bar still n/a in transcripts for this year but last year I filed 2/16 and for my approval fast and deposit on 2/22 with deposit day 2/25 could something be wrong this year?
@Ank: ohhh maybe I’ll try this cuz my wmr says not to call until I received the notice as they won’t be able to help me lol only problem is what if they haven’t actually sent it yet lol. My transcript Thursday updated to notice issued and wmr Friday I think it was maybe Saturday to say a letter has been sent so wonder how long it takes to send since that lol
@Crying 😭: yep first year ever for me too refund is on freeze and a hold for examination code and notice issues . Where’s my refund informed me I had a letter coming tho and to respond to it giving the information I need and that I may not receive all or part of my refund until then which tells me it’s prolly a credit thing and I have tax topic 151 which is prolly cuz I owe them money that they didn’t take last year for whatever reason atleast jm hoping and it’s not something else I need my refund ! Wish they were open today to call but point is your where’s my refund should give u more Info like mine ! Or no ? And pretty much I think we just have to check and contact them
@Cendi: Just an idea to try an bypass waiting for the letter to actually arrive, when you call tomorrow tell them that you have some sort of notice from IRS but that it’s been raining like crazy and all your mail got wet so you can’t make out what is says. Have your past few years returns at hand to easily access AGI, DEPENDENT SSN, ADDRESSES, EMPLOYERS, ETC. and it should go smoothly. All their questions will be things that are listed on past returns so it’s not as complicated as it may seem. They will say something along the lines of give it 9 weeks to process but mine was deposited about 8 days after verification so it may not be too long. Best of luck!
Anyone know if USAA is sending out refunds early???Anyone???
@Vanny: Honestly, hard to say but it may be.
@Sickoftheirs: Topic 203 doesn’t necessarily show a code on transcript until a week or two later.