It seems crazy to think that the end of the year is approaching fast, and with every new year that comes, tax season rolls around once again. For many, this is a period of stress and uncertainty, and so the more information that can be available, the better. Some of the most frequently asked questions every year are, “When will I get my refund?” or “Where’s the IRS tax refund calendar?” And while these may seem like complicated questions to answer given the complexity of taxes, the truth is that the tax system has evolved a lot over the past few years.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has spent the last few years making changes to its operation sin order to be able to process returns more efficiently, and while some still need to be looked at in great detail, for the vast majority of people, the process is simple and quick. Now, with the IRS’s free e-file system, Direct File, you can get your refund as quickly as eight days after filing, especially if you choose direct deposit.
Although eight days can sound a bit too ambitious, the numbers don’t lie, in 2024, the IRS issued refunds in under 21 days for 9 out of 10 taxpayers once their return was received. There is no reason to believe that 2025 will be any different, especially since Direct File will be available to even more households next tax season.
Filing taxes with the IRS in 2025
Although the official calendar still has not been announced, experts estimate that the IRS will begin accepting e-filed tax returns around January 21, with the deadline for personal tax returns being the usual April 15.
Of course, this is just for online submissions, be it through Direct File or any other online service provider. For those who prefer to mail their returns, the timeline is a bit different. While legally you can mail your tax return as early as January 1, a minimum of 12 weeks of processing time will be added to the timeline. This is because someone will have to process the return manually and delays are common when there is an influx of returns.
Some may believe that filing early may be the answer to the delays, but contrary to this popular belief, in many cases filing early will not help get any refunds or credits sooner. This is not because of changes in the tax code, but because of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act). Because of this Obana-era law, if your return includes the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS is required to hold your entire refund until at least February 15, no matter how early you file.
This rule is meant to prevent fraud, as it gives the IRS time to double-check that no duplicate returns were filed, and that refunds and rebates are going out to their rightful owners.
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The other issue taxpayers run into is refund timings after they have filed an extension on their filing. Since extensions are usually asked for in more complicated filings or those with incomplete documentation, they may be subject to further review and thus take more time. This does not mean that it will always take a long time to process, but you might want to be prepared for further delays. The deadline for submitting your return after filing an extension is October 15, so if everything is correct and there are no further issues, 21 days after that you should have your refunds. If this is not the case, the IRS has a tool called “Get Refund Status” where you can check the progress of your refund.
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