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
49,352 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 “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.

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. 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!

    @Walter DOG: Waiting on a 1099 my husband has coming and it’s still not here lol

    Reply
  2. 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!

    @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

    Reply
    1
  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!

    @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. :(

    Reply
    1
  4. Mike
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Citizens bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-23
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-8
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20230505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-13
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @MoCarr2118: yes mine says it is being processed

    Reply
  5. Rhonda
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-25
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Netspend
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-29
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • Identity Theft
    • I Got My Refund!

    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

    Reply
    3
  6. Mike
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Citizens bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-23
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-8
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20230505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-13
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Dexter Dre…: The test batch already happened and deposits were already sent

    Reply
  7. Dexter Dre...

    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 👀 👀 👀

    Reply
  8. Newman
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-27
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27

    @MoCarr2118: yes. mine says that

    Reply
    1
  9. 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!

    @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

    Reply
  10. Lisa from buffalo

    @MoCarr2118: yes mine says it is being processed

    Reply
    1
  11. MoCarr2118
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • I Got My Refund!

    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.

    Reply
  12. Ohio girl

    @MoCarr2118: i have the same as you

    Reply
  13. 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!

    @Russ H: I think last week we saw them starting to update around midnight est

    Reply
    1
  14. Russ H

    What time do they update transcripts?

    Reply
  15. 1weekinPather

    Mmmmm….i can smell those weekly transcripts cooking.

    Reply
    9
  16. 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!

    @MoCarr2118: 2022 that are blank when opened

    Reply
  17. NY-Khidd
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-7
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      CHIME
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-16
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • I Got My Refund!

    As of 2/13/23 weeklies .. tomorrow is Friday it should be our day for transcripts to fill in . Don’t even have a cycle code so it should be tomorrow

    Reply
    2
  18. 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!

    @Claudia: It’s possible. I’ve just seen so many. I myself have been a weekly for around 10 years so it will interesting to see when I file if it changes.

    Reply
    1
  19. Mike
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Citizens bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-23
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-8
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20230505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-13
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @AW10: same with last year and hopefully this year too

    Reply
  20. Claudia
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Arrowhead Credit Union
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-22
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20240505
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Mar-4
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    I didn’t check until now. My amount is gone and bars but now PATH Act message showed up. But, since Tuesday I’ve had all my transcripts filled with an as of date 02/21

    Reply
    2
  21. Mike
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Citizens bank
    • Bars:
      2nd Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-23
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-3
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-8
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20230505
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-13
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @MoCarr2118: I have same but all zeros inside and as of feb.13

    Reply
    1
  22. Claudia
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-21
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Arrowhead Credit Union
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-22
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20240505
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Mar-4
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-19
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Sheila_33: I was a weekly for nearly 10 years because a soft Audit. But I changed to weekly this year. I finally this year set up Gov ID. Maybe that helped.

    Reply
  23. Newman
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-27
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27

    @MoCarr2118: I’m the same. I have Account and Wage that are blank.

    Reply
    2
  24. MoCarr2118
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • I Got My Refund!

    @newman @monee – When we are talking about blank transcripts, is it the N/A ones or those with 2022 but are blank when opened? I have account and wage with 2022, but blank inside.

    Reply
    1
  25. Newman
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-27
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27

    @Monee: OK. Well, that’s a little better. Thanks!

    Reply
  26. AW10
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-11
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      BOA
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-21

    @Newman: Last year, I had blank transcripts for exactly 1 week. The following week it processed without issue.
    I currently have blank transcripts again. Hoping it doesn’t take longer than a week.

    Reply
  27. 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!

    @Newman: I have been through the blank transcripts before. I wasn’t stuck like that for long. I think 2 weeks was my longest with blank transcripts. It was just resequencing when I went through it in the past.

    Reply
  28. Newman
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-27
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-27

    Did anyone read throught the posts from the post that IGMR put on the FB page a few hours ago|? : https://igotmyrefund.com/forums/topic/n-a-on-transcript/

    I’m trying to be optimistic and send out good vibes, but it looks like this blank transcript has been going on for a few years and it doesn’t resolve that quickly.

    Someone please tell me I’m reading that wrong and that everything will be OK tomorrow

    Reply
  29. 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!

    @AW10: My daughter was a dedicated weekly but her transcript changed 2 Tuesdays ago and then again last Tuesday. She’s a daily now. There are quite a few weeklies changing to daily it seems.

    Reply
    1
  30. 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 honestly don’t think so or that would have pushed out.

    Reply
  31. Benita
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-4
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Chase
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-4
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-19
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-25
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250705
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-3
    • Processing Date:
      Mar-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Ale: That’s amazing, atleast next year I won’t owe them anything.

    Reply
  32. Ale

    @Benita: believe it because whenever I filed one year I got approved two days after! I wouldn’t believe it but it happened

    Reply
  33. Benita
    • Tax Preparer:
      Other
    • Date Filed:
      Feb-4
    • Fees:
      From Refund
    • Bank:
      Chase
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Feb-4
    • Date Approved:
      Feb-19
    • WMR Date:
      Feb-25
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250705
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Mar-3
    • Processing Date:
      Mar-3
    • I Got My Refund!

    @NyBeauty: I had an offset with NYS, filed on 1/29/23 and it already says it’s been applied to an offset…that was fast. If I was getting a refund it wouldn’t have been that fast…lol.

    Reply
    1
  34. 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!

    Could having an amended return last year cause this year not to process? My amended return seems to be finished with a date of 1/16/23. Would that affect the new return?

    Reply
  35. JenInMass

    @Maricela: last year my ddd was 2/23 I got it 5 days early with varo. Pather

    Reply
    1
  36. ElizabethLaurel

    Hey does anybody know if the irs will flag my return because of 1 added letter to my address ?

    Reply
  37. AW10
    • Tax Preparer:
      Turbo Tax
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-11
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      BOA
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-19
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Feb-21

    I thought dailies can process *any* day so is it just a coincidence that…
    2020 Processed on Tuesday night
    2021 Resequenced on Tuesday night – Processed the following Tuesday night
    2022 Seems I resequenced this past Tuesday

    Prior to 2020 I was weekly but now it seems my account only moves on Tuesdays.

    Reply
    1
  38. Honeybee82
    • Tax Preparer:
      H&R Block
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-22
    • Fees:
      Free
    • Bank:
      Spruce
    • Bars:
      No Bars-PATH Act Message
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-24
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      20250603
    • Cycle:
      Daily
    • As of:
      Mar-10
    • Processing Date:
      Feb-24
    • I Got My Refund!

    @Mary: LOL best definition EVER! 😂

    Reply
  39. MoCarr2118
    • Tax Preparer:
      FreeTaxUSA
    • Date Filed:
      Jan-10
    • Fees:
      In Advance
    • Bank:
      Wells Fargo
    • Bars:
      1st Bar
    • Date Accepted:
      Jan-17
    • Transcript:
      Online
    • Cycle Code:
      05
    • Cycle:
      Weekly
    • As of:
      Feb-10
    • I Got My Refund!

    Can WMR change from day to day? Yesterday mine was at “it is being processed”. I haven’t checked today though.

    Reply
  40. 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!

    @justlikestealing: Hey there. I’ve been watching for you. 🤗 That date is showing up on some account transcripts that looked like that they tried to process but didn’t finish.

    Reply