The IRS has begun accepting tax returns for the 2025 tax year, and if you are planning to claim or have already claimed the EITC/ACTC refundable tax credit, you must know it is restricted under the PATH Act. That will delay your tax refund; you must know your PATH Refund dates.
PATH Act Refund Dates 2026
The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act restricts the IRS from processing the returns with EITC/ACTC claims before mid-February of the tax season. The act was passed in 2015 and affects many US citizens to protect them from fraud.
The law gives the IRS enough time to verify and review the claims and identify false claims to stop fraud. Due to this act, the early filers claiming EITC/ACTC with their return have to experience a delayed refund. According to the IRS, if you claimed EITC or ACTC in the 2026 tax season, you can expect your refund by 03 March 2026, if you meet the following conditions:
- E-filed your return
- E-filed return with direct deposit
- No issue with your tax return
Based on the PATH Act restriction, you can expect your PATH refund to be processed on the following dates, based on your filing:
| Return Accepted By | PATH Act Direct Deposit |
| 21 Feb 2026 | 03 March 2026 |
| 22 Feb – 28 Feb 2026 | 08 Mar – 21 March 2026 |
| 01 Mar – 10 March 2026 | 22 Mar – 31 March 2026 |
| 11 Mar – 21 Mar 2026 | 31 Mar – 11 Apr 2026 |
| 21 Mar – 31 Mar 2026 | 12 Apr – 23 Apr 2026 |
| 01 Apr – 15 Apr 2026 | 24 Apr – 11 May 2026 |
When to track your PATH Act refund 2026?
With the PATH Act refund arriving a little later than the usual tax refunds for early filers, it may be frustrating not to know what’s happening with your tax refund. The IRS allows taxpayers to track their tax return through the Where’s My Refund tool within 24 hours of e-filing.
The update is made every day overnight, to give you a real update as updated in the IRS System. However, with the PATH Act, there will be changes; the tool will show the status up to “return accepted” till PATH Act restriction as the IRS will process it later.
The updated status of the PATH refund on the Where’s My Refund tool is expected to be updated for the early filers by 21 February 2026. So, it would be better to check your PATH Refund status after that, after your return is accepted.
How to track your PATH Act Refund 2026?
Now, about how to check your PATH Act refund 2026 using the IRS tool, Where’s My Refund, you can follow the steps below:
- Go to the IRS official website, your individual online account, or the IRS2Go mobile app.
- Look for the Refund status option, click on it, and the site will be directed to the Where’s My Refund page.
- Next, you can click the “Check Your Refund” option and enter your Social Security Number, tax year, refund amount, and select your filing status.
- Next, click the submit button to see your PATH Act refund status on your screen. If the status shows “Refund Sent” status, you can expect your refund in the coming 4 to 5 business days.
What will be your PATH Act refund in 2026?
The PATH act refund includes the EITC/ACTC tax credits, so your refund amount will depend on which credit you qualify for and what is your situation. The IRS has announced the 2025 tax year EITC maximum credit and ACTC credit; here’s what you can expect:
- EITC Credit amount: Depends on the number of children and your income, hence it may vary, but the following is the maximum credit for the 2025 tax year:
| Number of Qualifying Children | EITC amount |
| 0 | $649 |
| 01 | $4,328 |
| 02 | $7,152 |
| 03 or more | $8,046 |
- ACTC: The Additional Child Tax Credit is the refundable portion of CTC, which is the same as the previous tax year, that is, $1700 per qualifying child.
What can delay your PATH Act refund 2026?
Apart from the PATH Act restriction, other things can also delay your tax refund with EITC/ACTC claims, such as:
- No bank account information in the return can lead the agency to temporarily freeze your refund until you provide the information, as paper check refunds are phased out.
- The bank account has rejected your payment, and it has returned to the IRS, so the IRS will contact you about it rather than sending it via paper check.
- Your tax return may have some missing information, and the IRS needs some documents and the missing information.
- Your tax return has some issues that may take time for the IRS to review and take the next actions.
The PATH Act restriction was enacted to reduce tax fraud related to false claims on credits and protect taxpayers. The restriction delays your refund for some time; wait for it and keep tracking the process through the IRS tool.