IRS Refund Update 2026: The Internal Revenue Service has begun releasing refunds for the 2025 tax year. Many people have already started receiving their tax refunds since January 21, 2026, and others will receive theirs very soon. If you have filed your return, you will also receive your refund shortly.
After filing electronically, it is taking a maximum of four weeks to receive a refund. Those who filed on paper will have to wait at least eight weeks to receive their refund. When you will receive your refund for the 2025 tax season depends on how and when you filed.
IRS Refund Update 2026
When a refund is e-filed, it takes 18 to 20 days for approval, and the refund is received within 5 days after approval. However, in the case of paper filing, the approval time is approximately 6 to 7 weeks. If you have filed your return electronically, you will definitely receive your refund within four weeks.
Those who have claimed refundable tax credits in their tax returns, such as the earned income tax credit or the additional child tax credit, have to wait a little longer because there is a law that prevents the Internal Revenue Service from processing tax returns that claim either or both of these credits before February 15th.
When to expect the 2026 IRS Tax Refund?
The IRS began the tax return filing process on January 9, 2026, and started processing returns on January 26, 2026. Those whose tax returns were approved on this date received their refunds on January 31, 2026. We have provided an estimated refund schedule to help you determine your refund date.
| E-Filed by You | Approved by IRS | Sent by IRS |
| January 9 – 15 | January 26 – February 1 | January 31 – February 6 |
| January 16 – 22 | February 2 – February 8 | February 7 – February 13 |
| January 23 – 29 | February 9 – February 15 | February 14 – February 20 |
| January 30 – February 5 | February 16 – February 22 | February 21 – February 27 |
| February 6 – 12 | February 23 – March 1 | February 28 – March 6 |
| February 13 – 19 | March 2 – March 8 | March 7 – March 13 |
| February 20 – 26 | March 9 – March 15 | March 14 – March 20 |
What about the 2026 IRS EITC/ACTC Refund?
For those who have filed their tax returns electronically and claimed the EITC and/or ACTC, their refunds will begin to be released from March 2, 2026. The processing of these returns will start on February 21, 2026, which means after the approval of the EITC and/or ACTC return, there will be a 10 day waiting period before receiving the refund.
On February 21, 2026, only tax returns filed by February 4, 2026, will be approved. Those who file after this date may have to wait longer for their tax return to be approved. We have also shared an estimated refund schedule in the table below.
| E-Filed by You | Approved by IRS | Sent by IRS |
| January 9 to February 3 | February 21 | March 2 |
| February 5 to 11 | February 22 to February 28 | March 3 to 9 |
| February 12 to 18 | March 1 to March 5 | March 10 to 16 |
| February 19 to 25 | March 6 to March 10 | March 17 to 23 |
| February 26 to March 3 | March 11 to March 15 | March 24 to 30 |
| March 4 to March 10 | March 16 to March 20 | March 31 to April 6 |
| March 11 to March 17 | March 21 to March 25 | April 7 to 13 |
| March 18 to March 24 | March 26 to March 30 | April 14 to 20 |
| March 25 to March 31 | March 31 to April 4 | April 21 to 27 |
| April 1 to April 7 | April 5 to April 9 | April 28 to May 4 |
Once the Internal Revenue Service releases the direct deposit, it is usually received within a few hours, but in some cases, it can take up to 7 days. If you do not receive your refund within 7 days of it being sent, first contact your bank and then the IRS.