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.
@Benzinodog: same. Did you check your IRS account page if there is notice for verification? Some are seeing that after being switched to “still processing” . I haven’t gotten a notice to verify or a letter will be sent .
@TaxSeason24: my top 2 still say n/a .. my transcripts from previous years always update with codes the second week of me filing !! So I’m expecting to update This Friday coming up..
I’m a weekly 05
@Benzinodog: Does your account transcript at least show “2023” from n/a. I noticed a lot of people this year have “still being processed” . Some bc of id or wage verification . But I don’t see anything in my portal requesting that .
@Benzinodog: that’s strange. Maybe whoever didn’t get approved Friday got updated to “still being processed”? Does your account transcript show at least 2023 or n/a? I’ve seen a lot of people in Reddit with “still being processed” . Some received a verification notice others didn’t . I when to account portal and didn’t see a notice request for any verification .
@TaxSeason24: mines changes Saturday morning.. I still have a bar with the still being processed message.. only thing my transcript haven’t updated yet .. I just filed on the 30th..
@Mrs.Navarro: You could try making an appointment at your local tax office to ID verify. I had to do that this year and was able to go in this past Tuesday and my transcripts updated yesterday and WMR updated to PATH this morning.
My husband has to verify his identity like he did last year smh now we are waiting on a letter.
@TaxSeason24: Not necessarily. I think it was last tax season or perhaps the season before that the “still being processed” message popped up for several people on the PATH before updating to the path. It could be an internal issue that the IRS fixes without you needing to do anything. A few years back I had the “still being processed” message and then updated later to the PATH message.
If status changes to “still being processed “ does that mean there is delay or issue? Accepted 1/25. Has anyone had their status change from “being processed” to “still being processed” and received their refund or approved with a date
@Rizaswife: never mind I got it
Out of curiosity because Reddit comments are conflicting ..
If your WMR status changes from “being processed” to “still being processed” does that mean there is an issue. Some are saying no , some yes. Has anyone with status “still being processed” received their refund or approved with DDD?
On the irs site which one do I pick account transcript?
Out of curiosity because Reddit has so many conflicting comments. If a status in WMR changes to “still being processed” does that mean there is an issue and therefore a delay?
@Jocelynn: that’s very true!!
@ Txmomof3girls: it’s very likely that IDV flipped you to weekly. I got switched to weekly when I had the under-reporting thing. This is the first year I updated as a daily with the weeklies with a 05
@jemar707: it’s ok. I figured it got deleted because of a specific word I used in it. No worries. 😊
@Jocelynn and @Txnate: the system is auto moderating some comments.
@RJ: it’s likely about the amount too ;)
@jemar707: I think ID verification pushed me back to weekly, I was daily for the past few years. Maybe I’ll be back to daily next year!
@Txnate: I replied to that one, basically I said I play off the wall video games that no one has heard of, and while some people may consider snowrunner boring sometimes that’s exactly what you need to calm your mind because life is crazy enough..
@Jocelynn: what did it say?
@ RJ: you are correct.
@Jocelynn: if you’re talking about the surprises comment I replied to it but nothing after that one
Thanks for the replies. I’m definitely going to wait to file an amendment, and not 100% sure that I even will. I know the IRS gets copies of the W2, but I remember last time this happened in 2017, I didn’t get the notification from them about the income difference until like October. I think it takes a while for their system to reconcile the difference in income