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.
Weekly path and no path .. if ya transcript process this Friday (1/24) you will see cycle code 2025-0405 on ya transcript meaning the (04) 4th Friday in January .. 05 at the end mean you process on fridays.. next cycle 2025-0505 (5th) Friday in January which is (1/31)
@2blessed: they sent me a email
@Dentonj88: no way to know for sure until you get a cycle date on ya transcript .. for example the first weekly cycle I believe will be 2025-0405 .. the next will be 2025-0505 if it ends in 05 your a weekly .. any other number it mean your daily . Last year I was 2024-0505
The journey has started. Filed this afternoon with Turbotax. Now on pending. Usually do it earlier but had to wait for the 1095-A form.
@@starchild1111: How did you find out they rejected you again? Still nothing on this end. I don’t even know if they rejected me again.
@Queenie88: that’s a id PIN number that the irs gives you if you had identity theft or you request one doesn’t pertain to everyone
Federal accepted at 1:31 PM EST, and CK advance hit at 2:15! I filed with TurboTax on 1/19, and I do have Path credits.
So I went ahead and filed yesterday evening applied for the advance…still pending but says IRS received today. So we shall see
@Dentonj88: advances
Are folks getting their regular refunds or just the advances right now?
Filed 1/15 with TT advance & acceptance JUST HIT
so they rejected me again because this time they want me to actually click that i dont have the 1095 a medical marketplace insurance smh like fr real TT yaw playing games accept already they couldve did this last week get yaw advances out and come on get the ball rolling
@Sheila_33: fingers crossed hun! But even if I go back to weekly, I’m not going to stress it. Just riding the tax season wave! 🤣
@Stephhaze It looks like I actually got the credit karma advance 8 minutes before I got the acceptance email from turbo tax.
@Jocelynn: Not necessarily. I think we may see some transcripts updating in the morning for some dailies.
Filed 1/17 at 7 at night. I am showing pending on TT. I am not getting an advance. Is this normal to still be showing pending. I realize it’s early so definitely not stressing just curious.
Advance received!
Looks like I went back to a weekly this year after the whole cluster last year and the non-verify, verify.. lol
Those who received the advance did you get an approval email for it first?
looks like the advances$$ were geting thru first we should see our reg acceptances soon i hope
@Stephhaze: ☺️
Yesterday it took about 30-45 mins to get the TTA
Never mind just got my advance
I was just accepted 10 mins ago TT. Filed on the 17th after 4 pm. Advance hasn’t came just yet.
@Blueblood91: how long did it take after acceptance for advance to hit?
How long does it take TT to send advance? I got accepted at 1:23 today
Hello, just got accepted, got the advance with credit karma it just hit my bank account. I’m a pather, filed 01/15/2025.
@Sheila_33: just received acceptance email! Yay! I was so nervous. My family needs this advance so bad.
Also if nobody else has said it, thank you for being here to help us year after year! You know we all love you!
Federal was accepted at 12:27 pm EST today and my advance was just deposited. Filed TT on 1/16 with path credits.
@Stephhaze: We can hope so. Fingers crossed for you.
@Sheila_33: so do you think turbo tax will update and I’ll receive my advance today?