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.
@Mlronq: that is what i ultimately concluded as well with filing the amended is that ok they have the correction in their system already so it should speed up the process. i am on the phone with an agent right now and waiting to see if they received my amended and if there are any updates.
@jay yes I did a lot of debating before actually going through with it lol I was like if I amend and then the next week everyone gets refunds ima be pissssed!! Lol but so far everyone who’s been stuck with me is still stuck with 570 no other updates. So I guess I figured either way I’d still be waiting. At least if I amended they’d be forced to take another look at it soon instead of it being on the backburner for another 2 months.
Did the rep happen to say if it was good to see the 971/977 codes? Does it mean it’s back in processing or just that the amended return was received? I know they have to be manually reviewed now at least that’s what I’ve read. I’m just wondering because it says it’s supposed to take what 16 weeks or allow them 16 weeks but it seems positive that it’s on my transcripts already. What do I know lollll
That’s what I was hoping for. I was stuck with 570 so long I figured maybe If someone looked at it they could put it back into processing or however it works lol I never in my life waited this long for a refund and I triple checked my w2 wages all that stuff and it’s exactly as filed. I had a baby last year I figured maybe that could be why but seriously how long does it take to verify that. Def shouldn’t take over 2 months.
@Mlronq: ok, got my 570 last friday, 3/31. Hopefully, thing will move quickly for us. I hope our 570 just needed the amendment to push it along. Let’s remember they are trying to update their systems every year (i know, wishful thinking).
@Mlronq: that is exactly why i was hesitant to file an amended as well in fears it would further delay the process than it should.. lets hope things go quick!
@zhosa oh let me know! Lol I also filed amendment 3/25 showed up today with codes 971/977 but no other changes. I was really hoping I didn’t make things worse by doing the amendment I’m just so tired of waiting I’ve had 570 since feb. And it’s frustrating I don’t want to be stuck waiting a year :(
@zhosa: oh wow! yeah that would be a very very quick turn around for sure. yeah update me when you call again soon.
@Jay: otp with a rep, right now and she claims i am scheduled to receive my DD refund on 4/15 and i’m just not buying it. I just picked up the 570 code last friday and today i got the 971 code, plus my amendment showed up today on my acct, as well. That would be a miracle and the fastest damn turnaround on amendment i have seen….i don’t think she know’s what she’s talking about…..i’m calling again in a few minutes. She claims the 570 was for id verify and i no longer have a hold. Maybe the original missed the amendment, that’s the only ray of hope i can see.
@zhosa: oh ok that is what i thought you had said so only two days prior to me filing so now i am really hoping since yours updated today that mine will update with the tuesday batch..
Been stuck with one bar and the still processing message since January 29th – nothing on transcripts at all and do have an offset… any similar situations? No letters in the mail or anything either.. just ‘processing’
Especially us, the OGs here……the one with the 570 codes and the message attached with the 152 on the bottom of WMR.
Pretty soon everyone here is going to collect an extra 7% on their delayed tax refund.
called irs my husband didn’t use w2 he used last paystub it didn’t match so she said up to 120 days( up to )she said it could be 4 days they have 120 days. So she said keep looking on wmr it could change any time. Since i called hopefully she did something she put me on hold for 10 min.
@Jay: 3/31
@zhosa: anything is better than the 20 weeks! wow that went pretty quick for her. thats good! mine hasnt showed up on my scripts or on wheres my amended return.. when did you say you filed your amended? i did mine this past monday, 4/3.
@spring irs.gov/reply
@Jay: don’t know how long it will sit in this state but that was pretty quick for it to show up. i found a poster (a previous year) that gave her timeline and it took right at 3 weeks for her to even see it. She had an advocate’s assistance from the start and it took almost 3 weeks to show on her return and wmr. my amended tracker is already showing it, as of today. it took all of 8 weeks for her to get her refund (not bad either) after she filed the amendment. Now, of course, we don’t want to wait that long but i guess it’s better than 20 or, maybe, even longer.
@megan it seems to be going pretty quick for late filers
How long does it seem to be taking for the irs to process basic returns at this time of the year? I never file this late but didn’t have any choice this go round.
@Zhosa: oh right yes i recall you saying that. regardless though you filed with wrong figures that the IRS flagged because they didnt match up which is the same as my issue.. im hoping mine updates tuesday..
need to upload documents to irs does anyone no how
@Jay: well I used my last check stub, not my w2, so the system flagged the mismatch.