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.
Hey Hey everyone- finally filed for this year last night. Are there a lot of early acceptances?
Why are refunds substantially smaller this year? I noticed a $1400 decrease in mine although my income has only changed by $5000.
Anyone know??
@2blessed: right lol but since its so many not accepted yet its normal it seems this season smh but generally that never sincs weve always gotten accepted next day regardless ya kno so yea praying for a smooth one this round lol
Good Morning, Filed on 1/9 with Turbo Tax, accepted on 1/16 by IRS ( Turbo Tax email received 1/17 ) One Bar on WMR, filed with a fee to receive the refund 5 days sooner – so we’ll see how accurate that is. Happy Filing!
@Starchild1111: I feel the same way. Still haven’t been accepted. Just trying to figure out what’s issue this year with being accepted. Don’t want to panic yet because the actual opening day is the 27th. But was just hoping I would’ve gotten accepted in the test batch. Being though today is a holiday, I’m not looking for any movement. So I’m praying for some good news tomorrow. 🙏🏾
@Starchild1111: yes…. lol …. I believe we in the same boat goin to the same island, ok took us few seconds gave yaw the PIN now let the ball start rolling they always switching things up right when we started to get a handle on the madness lol
@shelleybeanss: GM Hun, yes im like ….. wuts the hold up guna be a week before ACCEPTANCE is cray right? lol
gm all wuts the issue this year with the delayed ACCEPTANCES? anybody have insight on that? i know IRS be getting sassy on us and change things up a bit when they see we’ve figured the whole algorithm out then it switches lol. we just be wanting to know when we guan get our $ lol
@Sheila_33: Thanks. Also, this year I decided to use Chime instead of Chase. My chase will not release until the date given by the IRS and even then, it’s the next business day. So, I saw here some people get Chime deposits much earlier, so I signed up for one back in December. Got the card already. Is it true Chime drops earlier?
Last year my advance took almost 4 hours after TT updated. This year I’m seeing where TT isn’t updating to even accepted until 1-2 days after IRS shows accepted. I think TT is just taking longer to even acknowledge that the irs has accepted for some
@Sheila_33: Thank you so much!
@Dunbar84: TBH it depends. There have been times you get it instantly, and there are times it takes hours! So you never know. And if you need any further help…look in archives here…over the matter.
@Dunbar84: that advance should be available within a minute after the IRS accepts it I was in the test batch last year got accepted on January 19th and the advance followed right after. It even tells you that available 60 seconds after acceptance
@Chris: No, it shouldn’t. Good luck!
@Dunbar84: I’ve seen a few that received the advance but it did seem to take TT a few days after irs accepted for them to update and then process the advance.
@Mommy05: It should start back up sometime this week and end Friday.
Is early test batch over ?
I walk that long path w many of you. I file same time every yr on my b’day which is early February! Happy 2025 tax season. May it go off without a hitch.
Good luck everyone!
@Sheila_33: yea the turbo tax return has everything thats its supposed to have all my forms and everything! I just didnt know if where the JH one got rejected would mess with the TT one. Lol sry if this is confusing. Im not the best at wording stuff!