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 on January 26, 2026.
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 IRS no longer publishes an official tax refund cycle chart. It has been eliminated and replaced with IRS FAQ. Since then, dozens of versions have popped up, some better than others.
That’s where we step in.
Get the dates, skip the guessing.
Each year, we compile the most accurate Refund Cycle Chart, built from IRS manuals, payout trends, PATH Act release dates, holidays, and real user updates, so you don’t have to guess when your refund will hit.
Check the IGMR Refund Cycle Chart and see when your money’s coming.
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.
Seems to be back up for the most part. As of bounced back to 02/24 and still sitting with 150, 806, 766 and 768. I’ll be back next week to stalk the Daily’s update. Good luck everyone.
sbtpg is not locating me with my info. used TT with deposit into WF with a 846 of 2/14 – anyone else having issues with sbtpg? i’m worried cause no DD as of yet
usually get it a day early
IRS page seems to be back up and running
@Beenpatientallmylifetillnow: Thanks for responding, did you receive a letter yet? Did you have this exact message. The only thing that I have on transcripts is a as of date of 2/17
Good morning all and a Happy Valentine’s Day I suspect it’ll get real happy between the 18th and 21st 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
@Tax25: you’ll probably need to verify, i think more people have to this year. I’ve never had to do it now all of a sudden this year I do.
Anyone else have this issue or has gone through this in the past?
Action Required
***Please read the following information related to your tax situation. You may need to provide additional information to receive your full refund.
We received your tax return and are reviewing it. If we need additional information, we’ll mail a notice with further instructions.
If you’ve already received a notice, please follow the instructions.
If we determine no additional information is needed, we’ll continue to process your refund.***
I finally have some movement on WMR… Anyone else have this or gone through this… Still no record of a letter that has gone out.
Good morning everyone!! Its 10:09am im from NJ I just tried to check my transcript and it says service outage February 14th lol and it was in Bold big as hell lol message hopefully that’s good .. I got my refund on the21st last year so im looking for the same this year.. path and test batch always
I can’t check my transcripts either. It says outage. they must be doing a lot of transcripts today for a lot of people. my WMR still says its still being processed with the 152 message, so who knows.
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I was able to view my transcript before y’all broke it. Good codes appear to have stayed and As Of changed to 03/03 again. I’ll check later but everything seems to be going as suspected still.
We’re inching closer everyday!
@Please help:
Okay, your welcome, hopefully it’s nothing and you will just receive a ddd.
IRS
Oh no , the table- it’s broken!!
@Mkate04: Are you sure you qualify? Not everyone does.
@texasmomof3: Thank you for responding. I’m not a pather.
@dj zizi 23: Let us pray!!! lol
It tis broken broken today.
well, went to check my transcripts and irs website has an outage. We done broke it yall! lol :)
@DAL: its going to be a good day for some of us hopefully :)
@WL: ok thank you
@Please help:
My daughter friend had the same message on WMR, before that message. She had the path message on WMR, then she updated again and the message about the letter went away and she was back in the path Message again. She never received a letter.
but i also just checked turbo tax and it went back to “pending” but two days ago it said approved so now im
worried
@Mkate04: too much income or if you accidentally said yes to if someone else helps provide for more than half their support.
@Eagerlywaiting: i hope so 😪
WMR states refund information is unavailable for me just now maybe updating soon!!!
@shelleybeanss: yes and it says we couldn’t it couldn’t find my account. but on where’s my refund it says it’s depositing 2-14-2025 so i’m not sure what’s going on
went to check “where’s my refund” for the heck of it and it says…..Due to high volumes our systems is unavailable, but that path message is gone and now my amount is there!
Congrats anyone that had a 570 .. a lot of em updated to 571 and 846s .. HAPPY TAXMAS everybody .. unfortunately I’m on path so I’m waiting til next Friday accepted 1/15 all good codes . As of date been 2/24 since last week
@ya tx: did you check with sbtpg, if you had your fees taken out of your refund, or an advance?
Just for anyone who wonders because it seems like there’s some confusion here and there:
The child tax credit (CTC) and the additional child tax credit (ACTC) are two different things. Just because you got one doesn’t mean you’ll get the other. The CTC is not affected by PATH. The ACTC is affected by PATH.
More importantly, the “additional” part does not refer to an additional child, it refers to an additional credit. It does not matter how many children you have or how old they are. What matters is your income.
@ya tx: they will deposit today after 12
I have DDD of 2/14 with WF and still have not received my deposit. anyone else? ☹️
@batgirlpa: You should update tomorrow with a DDD for 2/18
@batgirlpa: It usually comes in through out the day, if you are path they usually won’t tell you anything til after the 15th and after 21 days
Filed/accepted 1/31 – WMR We received your return and sent you a letter requesting more information. Please respond by following the instructions in the letter. If you don’t respond, your refund amount could be changed. It may take 2-3 weeks for you to receive the letter.
Please read the following information related to your tax situation:
Tax Topic 152, Refund Information
Still have not received a letter.
Well nothing has updated for me in WMR or transcript. Been 2 weeks now since my topic 152 disappeared and still on one bar
accepted 1/27
codes on transcript are 150 and 806 and nothing else for past 2 weeks
process date and as of date 2/24/25
cycle code 20250605
I guess I will need to call the IRS . Was hoping for movement today as now there would not be movement for another week which is 3 weeks. Not a pather.
Well my script is there now, it hasn’t filled in yet, hopefully it will later today
@Monee: not sure if your on at the moment
Did you have any updates today.ilooked back through the comments I don’t think I seen you say anything about you updating.
Does anyone know what would disqualify me for ACTC? I can’t for the life of me figure out why turbotax wouldn’t have added that credit for me but they didn’t.
@Tgtab02: are you doing it yourself and which program are you using
@Big ben: I tried to login as well and got an error message and for me to try again later.
@Big ben: yes I just tried. Hopefully it’s updating with good news
Good morning! Transcript finally updated with all good codes. As of date changed from 2/17 to March 3!!
Is irs site down
@Morris: NO! Two children foes not mean PATH credits. I have claimed four and not been PATH.
There is a child tax credit (CTC), and there is an ADDITIONAL child tax credit (ACTC). Only ACTC is PATH, and it does not mean additional as in more than one. It means additional as another credit, which some qualify for.
@Mkate04:
When did you file and accepted ?
Are you 0505 cycle
@Morris: it’s been like that for me since midnight my time. And when it does go through, it takes forever to load
Just tried to check my transcripts, says the site is updating please check later
It looks like they’re still updating. It’s page shows a temporary outage
@MaryB: any idea to when pathers will see movement
I can’t get into my transcripts again to check. It crashed to many people logging on.
My transcripts are down hopefully thats good news!
@Mkate04: ACTC is so confusing. I don’t see why you weren’t in the PATH, but anyway Congrats!!! It was giving me some hope that I would get my 846 early but someone said you weren’t in the path.
@Tab: Thank you for being so kind. I really thought I was on path all these years lol.
Can someone help me?
The IRS is rejecting the return because their records show the Child Tax Credit (CTC), Credit for Other Dependents (ODC), or Additional Child Tax Credit(ACTC) has been disallowed for the 2024 tax
It keeps getting rejected
@Morris: my kids are 6 and 8
@Smallerthanpaycheck: it’s automatically 21 days from day of acceptance. Hrb and TT both give dates 21 days from acceptance. It’s a generic estimate. If you were accepted on the 29/30 of Jan, that’s how they estimated feb 20. That’s 21 days
@mickey m: mine hasn’t even moved from processing lol . 17 days so far