The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been distributing deposits and paper checks for tax refunds for some weeks now, since millions of Americans have managed to prove, through their tax returns, that the government has to return some money they overpaid.
The IRS set a deadline of April 15, 2025 to file tax returns. Those who submitted their forms electronically before that date could receive refunds by April 27, depending on the delivery method and complexity of the return.
How long does it take for the IRS to send tax refunds to taxpayers?
Standard processing takes up to 21 days for error-free electronic returns. Those who opted for direct deposit and filed by April 6, 2025 are most likely to receive payments by April 27, according to official IRS data.
Electronic filing reduces time compared to paper declarations. “Those sent by mail can take between 4 and 8 weeks,” according to IRS sources. Direct deposit speeds up receipt, while checks by mail add business days. Errors in forms or credits such as the EITC delay the process.
Returns with incomplete information or subject to additional review can extend the deadline beyond 21 days, and even a few months if the taxpayer has some difficulty in resolving or amending those errors, or proving that they are not errors.
“The IRS notifies by mail if it requires additional documentation,” indicates the same source from the IRS. Bank account problems also affect delivery, and that is something that the taxpayer has to solve, not the agency.
How to track my tax refund in 2025?
The IRS offers the “Where’s My Refund?” tool. to check the status of refunds. It is available online and in the IRS2Go app, updating every 24 hours. Those who filed electronically before April 15 and chose direct deposit can check their status as early as April 23, 2025.
The “Where’s My Refund?” tool includes improvements for 2025, allowing real-time tracking. Paper returns follow a manual flow, with a greater risk of delays due to physical processing.
According to calculations, a return submitted on April 1 could be processed in 15 days, with a refund on April 25. Submissions from April 10, in 12 days, would receive funds on April 27. Complex cases or cases submitted close to the deadline may be extended until May.
Example cases of tax refund delivery times
An electronic return filed on April 1, 2025 could receive a refund on April 22, within the standard 21-day time frame. Those who sent on April 10 would have a deadline of May 1, but accelerated processes could advance it to April 25.
For submissions on April 15, the deadline is May 6. However, “some simple cases are resolved within 12 days,” according to CPA Practice Advisor, which would allow for refunds on April 27.
