Millions of taxpayers are already attentive to the arrival of new tax refunds whose funds have already been allocated for this purpose by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), just when the second term of President Donald Trump, known for his generosity at the time, also begins to distribute tax refunds.
The current rules will remain in effect for the process already underway. The IRS will begin accepting electronic returns on January 27, which means you can now prepare your documents and file in advance if you have everything ready.
When will your tax refund arrive?
One of the most common questions each season is: “When will I receive my tax refund?” Although it is not possible to give an exact date due to the multiple influencing variables, there are reliable estimates that can be made to establish a framework of tentative dates.
Generally speaking, taxpayers can expect their refund between 10 and 21 days after the IRS accepts their return, especially if they opt for direct deposit. Those who file their returns early in the process, such as late January, could receive their money in mid-to-late February.
For those taxpayers whose processes are more complex due to income from multiple sources, real estate, digital assets, or family situations such as births, divorces or retirements, the waiting time could be extended. In such cases, it is recommended to seek advice from a tax professional to do things correctly and avoid mistakes.
Simple declarations, fast refunds and dollars in your pocket
On the other hand, most Americans present simple statements. This includes income from one or two jobs (Form W-2), side jobs (Forms 1099 or 1099-NEC), and some basic credits, such as the child tax credit or mortgage deductions. For these people, the wait is usually short if they file their returns electronically and choose direct deposit as their payment method.
The IRS, however, implements additional verification measures for some credits, such as the Earned Income Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), which could delay processing.
This is the example table of dates for the 2025 tax year, and an estimate (for informational purposes only) of when you might receive your tax refund. Please remember that these dates are tentative and could change soon.
- The IRS will begin accepting returns on January 27, 2025.
- If you file on January 27, you could receive your refund between February 7 and 14.
- If you file on February 3, you could receive your refund between February 14 and 21.
- If you file on February 10, you could receive your refund between February 21 and 28
- If you file on February 17, you could receive your refund between February 28 and March 7.
There are two important notes we should mention: the first is that returns with EITC or CTC may have refunds delayed until March to verify credits. The other notation indicates that applying during peak season (late March through April 15) may result in slightly longer waits.
Keep in mind that return filing dates do not always coincide with the date the IRS accepts it. Sometimes a delay of two to three days may be seen between the date of submission of the electronic return and formal acceptance by the agency. Additionally, those who choose to submit their returns on paper should consider an additional delay of three to four weeks due to manual data entry into IRS systems.
