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.
@Walter DOG: Waiting on a 1099 my husband has coming and it’s still not here lol
@Sheila_33: Your Awesome Sheila I wish I would of waited to file but always worried about identity theft,have you not filed yet you usually have already filed
@Walter DOG: I’m not sure if it would keep a return from processing as much as when it did process if would place a hold. Resequencing may be causing a lot of these n/a, and partially updated transcripts. And the only other thing I can think of is ID verify for a few. That’s all I can think of now. Tomorrow, fingers crossed, we’ll have some updates and not another week of resequencing. :(
@MoCarr2118: yes mine says it is being processed
So path will lift in the 15th which is a Wednesday so I went back to my 2017 tax transcript which is also when the 15th fell on a Wednesday. I had an 846 with ddd for 2/22 on my 2017 transcript so hopefully it follows the same pattern this year
@Dexter Dre…: The test batch already happened and deposits were already sent
Got accepted on the 19th still waiting every year for 4 years I’ve been in the test batch I usually get my deposit around the 8th or 9th let’s see 👀 👀 👀
@MoCarr2118: yes. mine says that
@Sheila_33: Good afternoon,If they was looking or worried about income or something from past years would a code pop up on those transcripts or not
@MoCarr2118: yes mine says it is being processed
For those of us with 2022 blank transcripts, does your WMR say “it is being processed”? Mine said that yesterday. I don’t know if those can change daily, but I haven’t checked today.
@MoCarr2118: i have the same as you
@Russ H: I think last week we saw them starting to update around midnight est
What time do they update transcripts?
Mmmmm….i can smell those weekly transcripts cooking.