April 15, 2026, 8:18 a.m. ET
The Internal Revenue Service has begun accepting and processing federal tax returns for the 2025 submitting season, with most refunds for electronically filed returns issued inside about three weeks, the company stated.
The deadline to file has arrived, so this is what you want to know should you already submitted your return.
When do IRS refunds begin going out?
Refunds sometimes begin going out in late January or early February. Taxpayers who e-file and select direct deposit often obtain their cash inside 21 days, whereas those that mail paper returns and request checks can wait six to eight weeks or longer.
Some refunds will take extra time. Under the PATH Act, refunds that embody the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit can’t be issued till mid-February, no matter when a return is filed.
How are you able to track your IRS refund?
Taxpayers can track the standing of a refund starting 24 hours after e-filing by utilizing the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go cellular app, in accordance to the Internal Revenue Service.
To test a refund, filers want their Social Security quantity or ITIN, submitting standing and the precise refund quantity claimed on the return. The monitoring tool updates as soon as a day, sometimes in a single day. It is mostly accessible across the clock however is briefly offline for upkeep between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Eastern time and through restricted weekend home windows.
Why do delays happen for tax returns?
Delays can happen if a return has errors, lacking info or is flagged for id verification or fraud evaluate. In these instances, the IRS stated, taxpayers shall be contacted by mail if extra info is required.
When is tax day?
Wednesday, April 15 is historically referred to as “Tax Day” because the deadline to file earnings taxes. However, you possibly can nonetheless request an extension on the IRS website.
