Millions of taxpayers across the United States will begin receiving their tax refunds as soon as April 2025, according to deadlines established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The agency kicked off the filing season on Jan. 27, with more than 140 million individual returns projected by 2024. These payments sent by the IRS are for those who filed their forms electronically and opted for direct deposit, who could get their funds in about 21 days, as long as there are no pending reviews.
Those who file close to the April 15 deadline will face longer processing windows, which would delay payments until April. The IRS emphasizes that paper returns, which make up less than 10% of the total, typically take four to eight weeks. Additionally, requests for extensions or amended returns could extend deadlines until May 2025.
The IRS delays some payments for a legal issue: here’s why
Under the PATH Act, the IRS cannot issue refunds linked to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. However, delays in data verification or errors in the forms can prolong the wait. The agency clarifies that, in these cases, the entire refund amount is withheld until the reviews are completed, even if only a portion is associated with these credits.
Nearly 90% of American taxpayers who choose electronic processing receive their funds in less than three weeks. However, about 15% of returns require manual adjustments, adding up to 120 additional days. To avoid delays, the IRS recommends verifying Social Security numbers, withheld balances, and bank details before submitting documents. Any mistake, misspelling, wrong number, or whatever compromises the quality of your tax return could cause a severe delay.
Late filers: payment dates for these taxpayers
Those requesting an extension until October 15, 2025 should consider that refunds associated with returns filed after April will begin to be processed from the date of receipt. This means payments could take up to eight weeks, especially if inconsistencies are identified. Amended returns, for their part, have an average resolution time of 20 weeks.
The Where’s My Refund tool, available on IRS.gov, allows you to monitor the status of funds 24 hours after electronic filing. For paper returns, updates appear after four weeks. The platform also notifies if additional action is required, such as identity confirmation or error rectification.
Tax experts recommend not to wait to the deadline, since there might be delays in the systems due to high traffic of late filers delivering their documents. And, you know, the government sites may be kinda old, kind slow.
