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.
@Spring The IRS sends Letter 2645C to let you know they are waiting on information or need more time to review the information you or your representative sent.
2645 c what does it mean
@ Keyz23 check you transcript. That will give you a more accurate idea of what’s going on. See if you have any codes on there.
@Deano: Thanks i hope so 🙏🏿,🙌🏿🤗
Letter LTR 2645 C WHAT DOES IT MEAN HELP IT SAYS JUST WAIT.
@Keyz23: That’s a great message to have your fine not to worry 🙂
My refund status say being processed what does that mean with a topic152 this is crazy my 21 days is Friday 😭 should i be concerned 😭
@Sheila_33: thanks you I’ve got 2etters from IRS both saying do nothing
@Me: Wage account sometimes doesn’t fill in for some until much later in the year. If your husband’s wages haven’t updated on the SSA site, then he may need to call the employer to ask when they were submitted to SSA. In the past, a lot of the holds on returns have been because w2’s weren’t sent in for the IRS to reconcile with the return. As far as an advocate, you might consider submitting a 911 request advocate form for an expedited hardship, especially since you are dealing with health issues. Fax that request to the local advocates office in your state.
In some cases, advocates won’t take cases if they can see that there is nothing they can do. For example, if they see that a return is just waiting in que to cycle through and finish up or if there is no information required from the taxpayer that needs to be submitted, and its just pending for manually being put back into the system to finish. In your case, since your husbands w2 is not showing on the SSA site, its possible that more information is going to be needed to finish the processing.
@Mironq: If they are w2’s reported by your employer and they’re still not showing up on SSA, I would contact my employer and find out when they were sent it. Employers are required to have w2’s sent in by the end of January, and since we’re now into April, then that may be the issue with your return taking so long to finish processing if they’re trying to verify the income. W2’s are sent directly to SSA, and that is the source the IRS uses for reconcilation with what has been submitted on the filers return.
@570 Go Away: still nothing as well. Haven’t called in about 2 weeks now. I’m determined our refunds ain’t happening and they are hiding some theft
@NVDIV: Anything yet friend? I got that letter saying to wait 60 days and do nothing back in February, filed late January and have had zero updates or anything. Have you called? Did they say anything?
Getting a letter tomorrow fron IRS Kansas City does anyone no what it would be ?
Why when I check wage transcript on IRS it says my name like it’s waiting on mine but I have not worked for over 10 years only my husband what in the world could that me thaanks
@zhosa: did anything on your transcripts update showing any indication of the amended return or try and do the wheres my amended return to see if its in there yet?
@zhosa: oh excellent thats good! yeah i filed mine yesterday because after thinking it over and being told to do it that it would speed things up, i did it. i will call them tomorrow and see if they see my amended return.. i hope its not 16-20 weeks..
@Mlronq: thanks so much. It’s crazy how when I look at wage transcript it has my name not my husbands and I haven’t even work in 10 years only is one w2 it’s just wild to me. But your seet thanks.
@Jay: I see you went ahead and filed your amended so, hopefully, we will update to an 846 code soon (friday). Yes i did get the 20-week spiel. When i called the irs yesterday she could see my amendment and i hope it will, immediately, X out the original this friday (wishful thinking).
@Mlronq: well i filed my amended return yesterday so we are both taking them for the team.. i swear i hope its not the full 20 week waiting period.. the rep i was talkin to yesterday brought up a good point though.. she said when our accounts start accumulating interest, thats usually when the IRS starts acting because she told me they hate havin to pay that out and do everythin possible to avoid it.. i got my official TAS rejection letter in the mail yesterday sayin they cant help me until June 30..
@Sheila_33 maybe you can help me do you know anything about ssa?
I was wondering something about my wages being reported also…I don’t see anything reported on SSA for 2022, it says on the website that it takes a while to show up but I see other peoples are showing so does this mean my employer didn’t report mine?
I was wondering something about my wages being reported also…I don’t see anything reported on SSA for 2022, it says on the website that it takes a while to show up but I see other peoples are showing so does this mean my employer didn’t report mine?
@ME
so sorry you’re going through this! Unfortunately we are all stuck in similar positions and just keep being told to wait, the only think I can recommend is to contact your congressman and see if they’ll get in touch with the irs on your behalf. I’ve heard a few people do this to try and get some answers. Wish there was more we could do :(
Ok so everything on my account transcript says 4/15 like for all my credits with a negative and the code 570 and 971 already received letter a month ago saying I need to do nothing 1040 paper and my as of date is 3/6 can some one please help. My husband is the only one that works and when I looked on wage account he it my name with no w2 on file well I didn’t have one to file on ssa my husbands hasn’t updated yet this year. What is going on I have so many health issues and I really need that money badly and can’t get an advocate because they can’t tell us anything about 2022 taxes
Is it possible that my refund is delayed because my employer hasn’t filed their taxes as of today? I have no wages listed and filed on 2/23/23. I have no transcript available for this year