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.
@wade123: I am pretty much in the same situation. That is strange!! They are really doing things different.
Trans 570
As of 2/24
WMR- PATH
Cycle 05
@Sheila_33 I have as of date that just change from 2/17 to 3/3 yesterday then went back to 2/17 and now today 3/10. My transcripts show codes 150 806 766 768 cycle 20250602 processing date 2/24 . My WMR has been showing path act message with topic 152 but no amount since a week now . Am I good to go to see the 846 Tuesday or something is wrong that my as of date changed to 3/10
Hey hey all. Here we go another year. I have officially joined the race. Fingers crossed, as I have received a letter saying I owe sometime last year. However, whenever I go online to try to pay, the balance remains @ 0. Odd. Happy filing!
I filed on the 12th married filing separate. My account transcript populated with Fridays update with no codes, but says filing status married filing joint. Is there something wrong or did it just populate what I did last year and it will fix itself through processing?
@Relief2020: If no issues pop up you should be good to go.
@Sheila_33: ok..I appreciate it..had me worried because I’ve never seen every single year change all to the same date..everything else is good, path message and tt152
@Sheila_33: thank you Sheila, I do have Marketplace Health, had for years without issue, hopefully that’s all they are looking for.
@Amuz1234: I tend to think it’s a system update, since it happened last year around this time.
So if we updated to path message does it mean we’re done processing just waiting for path to lift? Please help
Any idea why all my transcripts would jump to 3/10/2025…not just this year but the last few years all say it
@Please help: My daughter received her letter a week ago about the marketplace insurance she doesn’t have. She got the information uploaded and sent back in so hopefully she’ll see an update next week.
Has anyone received a letter after WMR/IRS portal states “need more information to process your return”? I have not received my letter and it’s going on 3 weeks. I’m trying to figure out what information they could possibly want.
Well my as of date changed through the night. It went from 2/17 to 3/10….so it looks like the freeze lifted, and now I just have to officially process on Tuesday to get my 846 😊
My as of date moved from 2/17/25 to 03/03/25 processing date is still 2/10/25.
@Toni: All good codes and if under the path freeze, you should see an update Wednesday morning, since you’re a daily. Congratulations! You can read more about the cycle dates here:
https://igotmyrefund.com/irs-cycle-code/
Non panther. WMR updated to approved with DDD for 2/20.
I have emerald card and usually comes the night before the ddd. I’m a weekly and everything updated as Sheila called it as usual!
My as of date did change on my transcripts when they update with a code. It was 2/24 then when I got 846 it changed to March something.
@Walter DOG: Nope. The only place I see 570 is on my account transcript not WMR. No 971 anywhere. For WMR there is no review message. I only have the PATH message with TT152.
@Blue Chyna: Thank you
@Sheila_33: yes I have good codes no ddd yet but cycle is 20250801 and as of 3/10/25