Since the beginning of the 2025 tax season, which kicked off on January 27, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been accepting, processing and paying tax refunds for 2024 individual returns. Refunds are typically issued within 21 days for electronically filed returns, although they may be delayed due to errors, specific credits or filing methods.
Since we are in the last days of the month of March, some who filed their tax returns at the beginning of the season are already anxiously waiting for their direct deposits or paper checks to arrive: but the first on the list in the coming days are the group that met an additional requirement: they used the “e-filling” system, that is, they filed their taxes electronically and not on paper.
Where’s My Refund? Millions of dollars arrive next week in tax refunds
Based on the 2025 refund schedule, taxpayers who e-filed between February 24 and March 2, 2025, will receive their refunds between March 22 and March 31. The table below details the estimated dates:
- Electronic filing date range: February 24 to March 2, 2025
- Direct deposit refund date: March 22, 2025
- Mailed check refund date: March 29, 2025
Filers include those who filed early in the season, possibly waiting for forms like the W-2, or those who prefer to file close to the start but before the peak of late March and April.
Remember that refunds sent to taxpayers before mid-February do not include tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), which may affect averages in later periods.
The average tax refunds in 2025 has increased
To determine the exact average refunds for 2025, we should have much more up-to-date data, and for now, the IRS has not released new statistics. But we can make a prediction as a reference with numbers that go until March 7, 2025: the numbers indicate that, until that date, the average refund was $3,324.
This average reflects the sixth week of tax season and shows a 7.2% increase in total refunds issued ($145 billion) compared to the same period in 2024.
However, the initial averages were lower; For example, as of February 14, 2025, the average was $2,169. This increase in the average occurs because the initial refunds did not include tax credits such as the EITC or ACTC, which are issued after mid-February of each year.
For the period March 22-31, it is reasonable to assume that the average of $3,324 is representative, as it includes a greater number of returns processed. There is some history that will indicate that the average refund could increase in the upcoming weeks.