With the 2025 tax season preparation, taxpayers must be wondering about the tax refund as they get it for overpaid taxes or when they qualify for credits. The 2025 tax season will begin by the end of Jan 2025.
The IRS tax refund is processed based on the time when your IRS tax return is accepted, the way you have filed taxes, and the payment method you selected. Taxpayers all ready to file their 2024 tax year returns can check their refund payment dates here.
2025 Tax Refund Payout Dates
With the 2025 tax season approaching, taxpayers should know that their tax return filing method and the payment method affect the refund date. Taxpayers filed the refund amount in their tax form and they would receive the refund based on the file refund amount or the credit they have claimed with returns.
The IRS generally processes the tax refund within 3 weeks if the tax return was filed electronically or the taxpayers have opted for direct deposit, whereas taxpayers who have filed taxes through a mailed form or opted for a physical check as the payment method can expect their refund to be disbursed in a month or two.
Based on these rules, taxpayers can check their following refund payment dates from the time when their IRS tax return is accepted based on the payment method they have selected for in the tax form:
| IRS Tax Return Accepted | Direct Deposit Pay Date | Paper Check Pay date |
| 29 Jan – 08 Feb 2025 | 10 Feb 2025 | 31 Feb 2025 |
| 09 Feb- 18 Feb 2025 | 29 Feb 2025 | 06 Mar 2025 |
| 19 Feb – 26 Feb 2025 | 03 Mar 2025 | 10 Mar 2025 |
| 27 Feb – 06 Mar 2025 | 10 Mar 2025 | 14 Mar 2025 |
| 07 Mar – 10 Mar 2025 | 14 Mar 2025 | 20 Mar 2025 |
| 11 Mar – 19 Mar 2025 | 21 Mar 2025 | 31 Mar 2025 |
| 20 Mar – 28 Mar 2025 | 31 Mar 2025 | 06 Apr 2025 |
| 29 Mar – 04 Apr 2025 | 06 Apr 2025 | 14 April 2025 |
| 05 Apr – 12 Apr 2025 | 14 Apr 2025 | 21 Apr 2025 |
| 13 Apr – 17 Apr 2025 | 21 Apr 2025 | 28 Apr 2025 |
Important Note: Taxpayers with credit claims can expect their tax refund to be processed late due to the PATH Act restriction that does not allow the agency to disburse the tax refund with EITC/ ACTC credit to process till 15 Feb.
When will the PATH Act refund be processed?
As we have mentioned, the PATH Act restricts the agency from processing the tax refund that has claimed the EITC/ ACTC credits till 15 Feb, so even when you filed taxes for the 2024 tax year in the beginning days, you won’t receive the tax refund till 15 Feb 2025.
The PATH Act was enacted by the federal government to prevent fraudulent activities that happen with credits and ensure only eligible people receive the credit benefit. So, with the PATH Act in the picture, the taxpayers can expect their tax refund in a week after 15 Feb 2025.
According to the IRS, the taxpayers can expect their refund by 27 Feb 2025, if it’s approved and sent through direct deposit, however, the paper check can take more time, like till the first week of March 2025.
Other things that can Delay your IRS tax Refund
As per the IRS guidelines, there are some other reasons apart from the PATH Act that can delay your tax refund, such as:
- When the bank account details are incorrect or the bank account isn’t active anymore, it can cause a delay in your tax refund.
- When your mailing address has changed from what you have written in the tax form for the physical check to be delivered, it could lead to your missing physical check as you have moved or even worse physical check damage.
- When you have some previous tax balance or debt, the agency recovers the debt with your tax refund, though the agency will notify you first before using your tax refund for recovering the debt. You can also request the IRS to not use the IRS tax refund to recover the debt as you need the refund due to financial hardship.
- When you have entered the wrong information or some tax information is missing from the tax form, it may take time for the agency to review your tax return or ask for additional information to accept the tax return, which can result in a delay in the tax refund you have expected.
How can you track the 2025 Tax Refund?
The IRS allows taxpayers to track their tax refund status through the Where’s My Refund Tool, which you can use IRS website or you can find it in the IRS mobile app. The tool allows taxpayers to get the real-time tax refund status recorded in the IRS tax system.
This way the taxpayers can be at ease and do not have to call the agency and wait in a long waiting line to speak to the IRS associates to know about their refund status. The IRS refund status tool allows you to check the current year refund status, and prior year return refund status but does not allow checking the amended tax return refund status.
The Where’s My Refund tool tells the IRS tax refund status in three stages, one when your IRS tax return is accepted, second when the agency approves the refund amount, and last when the refund is sent to the taxpayers.
So, if you wish to see what’s happening with your tax refund, go to Where’s My Refund tool and enter your SSN, tax year, filing status, and refund amount to check the status.
How to get your tax refund faster?
The taxpayers who wish to get their IRS tax refund faster, should file the tax return electronically and select the direct deposit as their payment option. Here are few things you can keep in mind to receive the tax refund faster:
- Another thing the IRS has started this year is IP PIN, which allows taxpayers to duplicate their previous year’s dependent information in this year’s tax return and get the review faster from the agency. Taxpayers can generate the IP PIN through their online account and use this to get their tax return and refund processed faster than the earlier pace.
- The IRS has many tools and services available that allow you to file accurate taxes, you should also use them while filing taxes.
IRS will soon announce the 2025 tax season date, taxpayers should be well-prepared to file their taxes early to receive their tax refund timely.