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.
@Bebe44: Is 2/19 your processing date or as of date? The info not available yet is because you need the 846 to finish processing. And next week on Friday when your transcripts update again, you should see a refund date of the 21st if you’re a daily, 22nd for a weekly.
@Turbotaxer: I’m in the same boat. I filed the 20th, Accepted the 23rd, and I’m always weekly. My transcripts are blank and wmr just says it’s being processed. I expect to update this Friday or next Friday. Hoping for the Friday for transcripts to fill in and then when the PATH hold lifts, I should be in the first wave of deposits for that filling week. If it doesn’t update this week, it will be next Friday and ddd would happen the last week in Feb./ 1 st week in March. Don’t panic yet. And if you don’t update to the Path message/hold before the 15th, that means when yours does update, it should process fully.
@Txnate: thank u it worked I was able to log in
transcripts, everything is updated all income and refund amount. I am a pather so I know I have to wait till after the 15th just have a quick question. I have codes 150&768
Code 150 says tax return filed then says
Cycle 20240505 then says
Date 02/19/2024
Then has my refund amount for that day
Does this mean I should get my refund on the 19th?
Also I always check to see if I owe anything and under 2023 it says information not available at this time does that mean I owe money or I just haven’t finished processing yet?
@Txnate: 🤣🤣 right???
@Jocelynn: apparently that wish has more of a chance to come true then taxes getting processed lol
@Txnate: unfortunately no. I wish though.
@Jocelynn: do you get the chance to go ridin these days?
@Azluckyfish: clear your browser cache and then try again
@Txnate: oh I remember the long rodeo days when I used to ride.. up at the crack of dawn to make sure everything was in order and in bed well after the sun went down! Surviving on 3-4 hours of sleep a night.
@Txnate: when I logged in it said system update check back Sunday
@Azluckyfish: no
Is any one else having trouble logging in to transcripts 😕