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.
@Sheila_33: My star hasn’t filled in! Thanks for the cookies and pudding, I like mine warm!
@Txnate: sorry for so many questions 😆 what did you say when you called
Asking here since nobody uses the pa state section….anybody hear about a pennsylvania refund? I can’t even find the “where’s my pa state refund” website!
@Txnate: good morning. The hot line is it automated or do you get to talk to a real person?
@Honeybee82: from my experience when this happened to me in 2020 & 2021 My as of date no longer moved because my return was pulled out of the automated system and put into the rejects department where it had to be looked at by a person once it has to be looked at by a person it isn’t in the e-file system anymore and won’t update on there or on Where’s My refund.
Hey all!! Has anyone filed over the weekend but is getting an error message on where’s my refund? Mines is saying “refund status error”. Stating in put in the wrong information, but it’s for sure correct. I usually get accepted pretty fast.
@Fatherof9: I read it said by 02/27 not on or after, on irs.gov
Is anyone else waiting on a letter to verify identity for their 2023 tax return? A irs agent told me she doesn’t know why we are getting that message that it could be a glitch, but that’s bull… on my wmr and irs account they both say I need to verify my 2023 tax return and to type in control number from the letter. Just waiting on the letter so I can proceed. I’m a little annoyed bc I never had to verify my Identity the whole 15 yrs I’ve been filing smh..
This year my Boss said they had to submit our tax information electronically, as to prior years just mailing them in . Would that maybe a reason why we are kinda still in limbo waiting for transcripts to populate? I’m just curious as it seems to me they want to check our w2 amounts to our employers amounts .
@Fatherof9: first path DDDs will be 2/21 & 2/22 like every year
@Different year same place: too new maybe?
@IHATETAXTIME: I know, it’s driving me crazy too! All of my information is the exact same….with the exception of my phone number changing and me using H&R last year and TT this year. That’s why I would be totally ok having to ID verify, but I’ve gotten zero notices indicating that I have to…or will be getting a letter. It’s just like my transcripts and WMR have been frozen in time since I was accepted. It drives me crazy that I have to wait until Friday to find anything out, because Path lifts just a week later. I’d like to know that I’ll be getting my refund shortly after it lifts! 😵💫
Hey all!! Has anyone filed over the weekend but is getting an error message on where’s my refund? Mines is saying “refund status error”.
@Amy19: Good morning hun. No need to stress. New week and hopefully good updates. And there’s pudding and cookies. 😊
@Honeybee82: this is crazy! I pray to never have to go through this again! 17 years of filing and I’ve never had any issues!!!! Nobody else has ever claimed any of my kids. My account has been the same since lord knows when, I moved early last year but made sure to update everything in the system so that no issues would arise. And boom! I’m here n all screwed over 😞
@IHATETAXTIME: It’s a definite possibility, and might explain why there’s no updates on our transcripts…not even having the as of date pushed back. It might also explain why WMR is stuck on “still processing” with no notices. It’s just odd though, because if that’s true….it seems there are A LOT of us under manual review this year. If I don’t update this Friday, I’m definitely calling because I’ll be at my 21 day mark…so they’ll have to tell me something, especially considering the 12th is only a week away. They either have to do something by that date, or push it out further.
@Honeybee82: still no IRS mail in informed delivery. I saw your comment about maybe being taking out of queue for a manual review…do u think this may be it? Trying to fix it internally? Maybe that’s why so many haven’t received their letters?
@Toine: I’ve been stuck on the exact same thing since I was accepted on the 19th…there are quite a few of us in the same boat. 02/12 as of date, all 0’s, WMR has one bar and “still processing”, no notices to ID verify…so confusing! All we can hope is that a big group of us who were accepted in the test batch, never cycled through for processing last week and we’ll see some sort of update this week. I’m hoping for the Path message and a 02/26 as of date this Friday…fingers crossed! 🤞🏼