For all the people
impatiently waiting
on tax refunds.

A grapevine for taxpayers,
by taxpayers.

Interact with people who have experiences or questions just like you.

All of your tax refund questions, answered.
What Other People Are Saying
49,275 comments

Where’s My Refund?

You have questions, we have answers.

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 ā€œqueueā€ 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.

IRS Update Cycle

Use the IRS Update Cycle chart to find the days and times the WMR and transcript update.

Transcripts

This is what your IRS transcript can tell you about your tax refund.

Transaction Codes

Lookup the codes that you see on your tax return transcript and what they mean.

Daily vs. Weekly

Find out if you have a daily or weekly account with the IRS and what it means.

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.

talk to a human

It is often hard to reach someone at the IRS and you might want to talk to a person. It is hard to reach some tax preparation companies too. Use our guide to talk to a human at the IRS.

TAX TOPIC 152

Tax Topic 152 is the most common status when you check the status of your tax refund. It is nothing to worry about.

transcript codes

Transaction Codes (TC) sometimes called transcript codes consist of three digits and may appear on your IRS account transcript. Decipher the codes on your IRS transcripts.

reference codes

Most times the Wherer’s My Refund tool (WMR) will show Tax Topic 152. Other times you may see various error codes. These are called Reference Codes on the WMR.

Join the Conversation

What Others Are Saying

  1. Nikki1212

    My boyfriend did his taxes last Monday 1/23 and was accepted within an hour. (Well I did them for him). He will check WMR daily just to see any updates. Well today it is showing ā€œWE CANNOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR REFUNDā€ and the usual ā€œmake sure the info you entered is correct.ā€ He tried it and I tried and nothing. The info is correct. His transcripts still say N/A. I can see my info pop up when I enter it so I don’t think it’s a WMR issue.

    Anyone else have this issue ?

    Reply
  2. NY_gal

    @Gwen: no fees…. Still no refund

    Reply
  3. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @littles16: Happy Monday! Positive vibes, love it! :)

    Reply
    1
  4. Dewy
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-2
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      BOA
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-2
    • Cycle:
      Weekly

    @804VA: I don’t think that is weird. It just means your return has been accepted but not processed yet. That is what it normally says in that situation.

    Reply
  5. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Monee: I was just thinking the same thing, lol. I’m gonna be more curious to see if you both turned daily. Or if the system is just going “hmmm, let’s torment them a little longer”.

    Reply
  6. Audra
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-13
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Credit Karma
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-21
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Gwen: I did have fees taken out of mine, but the company who takes the fees doesn’t even have the money yet. There have been a few on here who have netspend and chime etc who normally get it that Friday that transcripts update and have not seen anything.

    Reply
  7. littles16
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-29
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      credit union

    Happy Monday PPL! i was re sequenced so i’m here waiting lol

    Reply
    1
  8. BigHen73
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-5
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Lincoln Savings (Cash App)
    • Bars:
      3rd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-16
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-7
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Gwen: I paid my fees upfront.

    Reply
  9. Gwen

    People who haven’t received their dd for 2/1. Did you have fees taken from refund?

    Reply
  10. Audra
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-13
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Credit Karma
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-21
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Ladynightwing81: No unfortunately no one has as of yet. I’m a 2/1 DDD and haven’t seen anything yet.

    Reply
  11. Monee
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Varo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Sheila_33: I’m not checking mine tomorrow until you update about your daughter’s. Lol

    Reply
    1
  12. Ladynightwing81

    Good Morning! Had anyone with a DD of 2/1 gotten their deposit yet?

    Reply
  13. Monee
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-8
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Varo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-15
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    Every time I have lost the bar and had the still processing message it has been idverify. It has always been a pretty easy process and even though they say 8 weeks until refund it never takes that long

    Reply
    2
  14. Russ1000

    I was accepted 19th Wiita my ddd 2/1 2 bars and sbtg still shows my amount but unfounded.
    Oh, TaxSlayer and using my Varo account

    Reply
  15. 804VA

    @Walter DOG: NO BAR

    Reply
  16. Walter DOG
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-20
    • I Got My Refund!

    @RidiculousTaxSeason: did you lose you bar also with still processing

    Reply
  17. Keyisme

    Filed yesterday around noon with freetaxusa still not accepted yet. Hope it doesn’t get rejected for some reason

    Reply
    1
  18. Walter DOG
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-20
    • I Got My Refund!

    @804VA: you still have the bar with still processing

    Reply
  19. Audra
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-13
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Credit Karma
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-21
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Don25: A lot of people are complaining I have a DDD of 2/1 and haven’t seen hide nor hair of s deposit yet. Hopefully we start seeing them today

    Reply
    1
  20. Anxious

    @Shona: I have had that happen to me in the past and received my refund! I believe you are good! Congratulations!!!

    Reply
  21. Don25
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-22
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      5th third
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-22
    • Date Approved:
      Jan-22
    • WMR Date:
      Jan-31
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      03
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • I Got My Refund!

    Last year I file on 1-20-22 with a ddd of 1-31-22 and received in my account on 1-28-22
    The same this year but have not received in my account as of this a.m. weird. I hope it is here tomorrow I have in the past always receive the deposit early

    Reply
  22. Jacobmarley

    Hey everyone, my WMR updated from still being processed to Being processed this morning.
    Is this a good sign I hope.
    Accepted 1/24 TaxAct

    Reply
    3
  23. Sheila_33
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-9
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Bluebird
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-16
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      04
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    Today is a big day for daily processing, so hopefully we’ll see some good updates on transcripts tomorrow and Wmr on Wednesday morning.

    Reply
    4
  24. 804VA

    I was accepted on the 21st, I HAD THE NORMAL ONE BAR AND it is BEING PROCESSED…now it says ā€œSTILL BEING PROCESSED ā€œ I still have my refund amount…on my transcripts it’s blank all 0s on balances …BUT AT THE BOTTOM IT SAYS ā€œno record of return being filedā€ WHICH IS WEIRD because I have been accepted (I am EIC and child tax credit), I’m thinking we will update next week

    Reply
    3
  25. RidiculousTaxSeason

    For anyone that changed to still being processed. I have had this happen to me 3 prior tax years in a row. What happened with my return was the IRS couldn’t verify my income so I had to send in copies of my W2 , 1099. Each time I received a letter with instructions on how to send in the info they needed. This however took a long time because a person has to actually look at your return now. The return gets moved to the error or rejects department of the IRS requiring a human to look it over and finish the return. Sometimes this happens because social security doesn’t have your income for the tax year you are filing yet so the IRS can’t use that to match what you claimed as income on your return.

    Reply
  26. Tarheel21
    • Tax Preparer:
      TaxAct
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-28
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Chime
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-29
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-4
    • Processing Date:
      Mar-4
    • I Got My Refund!

    @NY_gal: Yeah this is the latest I’ve ever waited for Chime, always got it after 4 on the day I get the 846 on my transcript — not fooling with them next year lol. They’ve defeated the whole purpose of me using them

    Reply
  27. BigHen73
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-5
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Lincoln Savings (Cash App)
    • Bars:
      3rd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-16
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-7
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    Last year mines hit my Cash App 2 days early. It was after 4pm eastern. So I’m looking for it later today.

    Reply
  28. NY_gal

    Still NO deposit on chime with a DDD of 2/1…. Very weird and concerning… the 1/31 people got theirs last Thursday…

    Reply
    1
  29. Brittany Amador
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-29
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      USAA
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-29
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Shona: yes I have a ddd of 2/1 with dependents. It’s because we only have the standard CTC not EIC or ACTC.

    Reply
    4
  30. Shona

    Just curious has anyone else gotten a dd of 2/1 with dependents? I was not expecting one so soon. I was just checking to see if was approved but to have a date too? Definitely not complaining WOW! 😯

    Reply
    5
  31. mbabyyy

    Jus curious how many of you have already filed, been accepted and 100 percent sure got the refund advance?
    TIAā™„ļø

    Reply
  32. Gators352

    @TNic: for you and my son I got mines last Thursday

    Reply
  33. TNic

    @Gators352: crossing my fingers for the both of us šŸ¤ž

    Reply
    1
  34. DebMom
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-3
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Varo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-3
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-14
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-20
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250705
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-24
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-14
    • I Got My Refund!

    @helpmeeee: means you selected direct deposit

    Reply
  35. helpmeeee

    what is tax topic 152..

    Reply
    1
  36. Gators352

    @TNic: yes it’s the weekend but he sometimes get his paycheck on chime over the weekend weird but hope you have something by morning

    Reply
  37. TNic

    @Gators352: I have Chime and a DD of 2/1. I was hoping it would’ve posted by now based on other posts but last year it posted only one day early to my chime account.

    Reply
  38. Jocelynn
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-15
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250504
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-17
    • I Got My Refund!

    Ugh the waiting game is always the hardest. Transcript filled in, just no 846 code.. WMR updated to path message… now just have to wait for the PATH to lift..

    Reply
    3
  39. Gators352

    @MichelleP$: you already know

    Reply
  40. Gators352

    My son just check his chime card he said No deposit from IRS I say maybe tomorrow morning it’s just weird he has it for February 1st and he thought or assume it would’ve drop by now

    Reply