The IRS 2025 season is approaching fast, and the IRS encourages taxpayers to prepare for the tax season to file the 2024 tax returns. The taxpayers preparing to file the taxes must know the Tax refund timeline to know when they will receive the refund.
The IRS tax refund is processed based on the timeline when you filed the tax return and the payment method you have selected, hence it is essential to know while preparing tax returns. Taxpayers can check the tax refund schedule and other details here.
2025 Tax Refund Timelines
The 2024 year is going to end in a few days, the 2025 tax season is expected to begin in Jan 2025, hence the taxpayers should prepare well for completing their tax responsibilities. Taxpayers receive the tax refund when they overpaid the taxes or the refundable credits that they qualify for, the payment date of the tax refund depends on many factors.
As we have mentioned, the tax refund payment date depends on the way and when you have filed your tax returns and the method you have chosen to receive the tax refund. For instance, early filers can expect the tax refund earlier if they have filed the return electronically.
Based on these IRS tax refund rules, taxpayers can note down the following IRS 2025 tax refund timeline:
- If you have e-filed your IRS tax return and opted for direct deposit, you can expect the tax refund within 3 weeks of the tax return being accepted.
- If you have e-filed the tax return but opted for physical checks, you will receive your tax refund in five to six weeks.
- If you have filed the IRs tax return and opted for direct deposit can expect the IRs refund within 3 weeks of the tax return being accepted.
- If you have paper-filed the tax return and opted for a paper check to receive the refund, you will receive the tax refund two months after the return is accepted.
- Taxpayers who have claimed the credits, such as ACTC/ EITC with their tax returns, will have to wait till 15 Feb 2025 to receive their refund due to the PATH Act restriction.
2025 Tax Refund Full Schedule
The taxpayers preparing for the 2025 tax season can check the full schedule of the IRS tax refund based on the timeline of their tax return accepted and the payment method:
| IRS Tax Return Accepted | Direct Deposit | Paper Check Mailed |
| 15 Jan – 31 Jan 2025 | 10 Feb 2025 | 18 Feb 2025 |
| 02 Feb- 11 Feb 2025 | 24 Feb 2025 | 04 Mar 2025 |
| 12 Feb – 21 Feb 2025 | 04 Mar 2025 | 10 Mar 2025 |
| 22 Feb – 28 Feb 2025 | 10 Mar 2025 | 18 Mar 2025 |
| 01 Mar – 10 Mar 2025 | 18 Mar 2025 | 24 Mar 2025 |
| 11 Mar – 20 Mar 2025 | 24 Mar 2025 | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 21 Mar – 28 Mar 2025 | 02 Apr 2025 | 09 Apr 2025 |
| 29 Mar – 04 Apr 2025 | 11 Apr 2025 | 18 April 2025 |
| 05 Apr – 11 Apr 2025 | 21 Apr 2025 | 28 Apr 2025 |
| 12 Mar – 15 Apr 2025 | 28 Apr 2025 | 04 May 2025 |
Taxpayers with ACTC/ EITC claims can expect their tax refund after 15 Feb by the end of Feb 2025 when they have gone for the direct deposit, whereas the paper check ones can expect the tax refund in the first week of March 2025.
Possible Reasons that Can Delay Your 2025 Tax Refund
The taxpayers preparing for the 2025 tax season should be aware of the possible reasons that could delay their tax refund to avoid delays. Here are the possible reasons that delay the IRS tax refund for taxpayers:
- Your bank information is not correct in the IRS tax form 1040 or your bank account is not active or valid to process your tax refund.
- You have entered the wrong mailing address or you have moved to some other place and failed to inform the agency which could lead to missing the tax refund or losing the refund.
- You have previous tax debt that the agency would recover from your tax refund, so you may not receive or receive the reduced tax refund. However, the IRS will send you the notice of using your tax refund for recovering your tax debt or balance, which you can decline or appeal.
- You have claimed the ACTC/ EITC credits with your tax returns that offer a tax break, this could make your tax refund too late till 15 Feb as per the PATH Act obligation. According to the PATH Act, the IRS cannot process the tax refund with an EITC/ACTC claim to stop the fraud and give the agency time to review the credit claims calmly.
- Your tax information entered in the IRS tax form 1040 is incomplete or invalid, which can take the agency time to review your tax return and accept it, hence the delay.
IRS Initiative to stop the tax refund delays
This year, the agency took the initiative to avoid tax refund delays through the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). The IP PIN is a six-digit number that taxpayers can generate and use the code to accelerate their tax return process.
According to the IRS, taxpayers who have the same dependent that they have claimed in the previous tax return can claim them again on the second return, which the agency does not need to review. Hence, the tax refund process will be accelerated for the taxpayers and they can get their refund early.
Taxpayers can sign for the IP PIN and generate it on the IRS online account through their SSN or tax identification number to use the PIN.
How can you track your 2025 IRS Tax refund?
Taxpayers who wonder about their tax refund or wish to know the status of their tax refund can use the IRS Where’s My Refund tool. The tool is easy to use and convenient for taxpayers as it tells the same real-time status shown in the IRS records.
Taxpayers can find the tool on the official website or the mobile app and use the app after they file the return – 24 hrs after e-filing, 3 to 4 weeks after the paper return, and 3 to four days if they have filed prior year tax returns.
Taxpayers can get the status in three stages – Return accepted, Refund approved, and Refund sent, which helps you estimate your payment dates based on the given schedule.
The IRS will soon announce the 2025 tax season starting date. Taxpayers should prepare well for the tax return, and gather their tax information, credits, deduction, and other details to comply with tax rules.