IRS Refund Schedule 2025: Direct Deposit and Paper Check Release Date!The IRS 2025 tax season is just a month away, the IRS has shut down the tax process to prepare for the next tax season. Taxpayers should also start their preparation to file their tax returns and receive the tax refund timely.
The IRS processes the IRS Tax refund when you have overpaid the taxes and you are eligible for non-refundable credit. With tax refunds, taxpayers must be wondering when they will receive the refund next year. Taxpayers can mark the probable schedule of the IRS tax refund for 2025 here.
IRS Refund Schedule 2025
The Internal Revenue Service processes the tax refund within 3 weeks when you file the return electronically. The refund payment date depends on the way you have filed the tax return and the payment method you have selected to receive the refund.
As per the IRS rules, the taxpayer receives the tax refund either through direct deposit or physical check, the recipients who opt to receive the refund directly to their account receive the payment earliest in comparison to physical check.
For the 2025 tax season, taxpayers can check the IRS tax refund payout dates for the next year based on the payment method they have selected and the time when they filed their taxes below:
IRS Tax Return Accepted | Direct Deposit | Paper Check Mailed |
29 Jan – 07 Feb 2025 | 12 Feb 2025 | 01 Mar 2025 |
08 Feb- 14 Feb 2025 | 24 Feb 2025 | 05 Mar 2025 |
15 Feb – 21 Feb 2025 | 03 Mar 2025 | 10 Mar 2025 |
22 Feb – 27 Feb 2025 | 08 Mar 2025 | 17 Mar 2025 |
28 Feb – 05 Mar 2025 | 16 Mar 2025 | 23 Mar 2025 |
06 Mar – 12 Mar 2025 | 20 Mar 2025 | 30 Mar 2025 |
13 Mar – 19 Mar 2025 | 28 Mar 2025 | 05 Apr 2025 |
20 Mar – 26 Mar 2025 | 04 Apr 2025 | 11 April 2025 |
27 Mar – 02 Apr 2025 | 14 Apr 2025 | 21 Apr 2025 |
03 Apr – 09 Apr 2025 | 21 Apr 2025 | 28 Apr 2025 |
10 Apr – 15 Apr 2025 | 02 May 2025 | 12 May 2025 |
Important Note: Taxpayers who have claimed the EITC/ ACTC credits with their tax return can expect their tax refund after 15 Feb 2025 due to the PATH Act obligation, so the direct deposit refund will be disbursed by the end of February and physical check in the first week of March 2025.
What can cause a delay in your IRS Tax refund?
Taxpayers should know that their tax refunds can be delayed due to some reasons and to avoid any delay the taxpayers should be aware of the following reasons:
- You have entered the wrong info in the income tax return which can cause the IRS to review your return longer or ask for additional information.
- You have entered the wrong banking information or your bank account is no longer active to receive the refund which can make the refund processed back to the IRS.
- You have entered the wrong mailing address or changed the address and haven’t informed the IRS which can lead to missing your physical check.
- You have applied for the EITC/ ACTC credits that you will receive with your tax refund and as per the PATH Act, the IRS cannot continue their refund process until 15 Feb, the taxpayers have to wait for the refund.
- You have selected the payment method as a physical check which can take longer than you expected, such as 60 to 90 days depending on your local mailing services.
How can you track your IRS refund?
Taxpayers can easily track their IRS tax refund online or through the IRS mobile app and know if their refund is approved and at what stage their refund has been processed. The agency has a Where’s My Refund tool that allows taxpayers to track their refund status and be assured of their tax refund.
With the tool, the IRS intends to keep the taxpayer informed and make the system more transparent for the citizens. Individuals can check the tax refund status for the current year and the prior year through this tool. The tool will let them know the status through three stages: Return accepted, Refund approved, and last Refund sent.
The information shown through the Where’s My Refund tool is the same as recorded in the IRS system, hence the taxpayers are advised to check the refund status after the following period when they file their return:
- If you have filed a tax return electronically, via IRS Direct File/ Free File or other methods, you can check the refund status in 24 hrs to 48 hrs on the tool.
- If you have e-filed tax returns for prior years, you can expect to track your refund status within three to four days of filing the returns.
- If you have filed the return through a mailed check, it may take time as it will take time to reach the authority and later on to review the return, so the taxpayers can expect to track the refund status in 4 weeks through the Where’s My Refund tool.
What should you do if your IRS refund is declined?
Taxpayers who have filed the tax return and later on received the notice from the IRS that their return is declined or refunded should file their tax return in 10 calendar days with correct information and other records.
Generally, the return is rejected due to a mistake in the information, such as Social Security number, misspelled name, etc. So, taxpayers should immediately file for the tax return in the given period.
What should you do if an IRS tax refund is missing?
If by any chance your tax refund is not processed on the estimated date based on your refund status, you should immediately contact the authorities and tell them about the missing refund. The IRS will look into your request and give you a proper reply on the missing refund and if they find there is some mistake, they will process your refund.
This year the IRS has taken steps to stop the refund delays and ensure that taxpayers expecting the refund can receive the refund timely. The agency has initiated the Accepting Duplicate Dependent Return which will allow taxpayers to claim the dependent on their previous returns, protect their information, file tax returns, and avoid refund delays.
So, the taxpayers can expect their refund timely. However, you should e-file your tax return timely and opt for the direct deposit payment method to receive the tax refund early.