When it comes to filing a federal tax return, there are a few questions that people care about more than any other – how much am I paying on taxes, how much will I get back in my tax refund, and when will I receive it? Everything else, they say, is just details.
There is no quick and easy answer to the first two questions. However, we can give you a rough idea of when you will receive your tax refund, but only if you file your federal taxes electronically using a software program or with the IRS E-File. Expect longer delays if you file your return on paper because it takes longer for the IRS to process your paperwork. The tax refund chart below offers more information on when to expect tax refunds.
Tax Day 2019, the last day to file your 2018 tax return, is Monday, April 15. Your federal tax refund will typically be available within 21 days if you file electronically. When Were Taxes Due? The deadline to submit your 2018 tax return and pay your tax bill was April 15, 2019; the deadline is also April 15 in 2020. If you can’t meet the tax filing deadline, you can file for an extension. But the sooner you file, the sooner you can receive your tax refund.
Learn how military members can file taxes for free.
IRS Refund Schedule for Direct Deposits and Check Refunds
The following tax refund table is based on previous refund tables released by the IRS to help taxpayers know when they should receive their tax refund. The IRS moved to the Modernized E-file System (MEF) in 2013 (2012 tax year). The IRS only issued refunds once per week under the old system. They now issue refunds every business day, Monday through Friday (except holidays).
Due to changes in the IRS auditing system, they no longer release a full schedule as they did in previous years. The following chart is based on IRS statements, published guidelines, and estimates from past years. This IRS refund schedule should only be used as a rough guideline.
To use the tax refund chart:
- Use the left-hand column to look up the date your tax refund was accepted by the IRS
- Use the middle or right column to look up when you should receive your refund (depending on how you requested your refund—direct deposit or paper check).
If you filed your taxes with E-File, you should receive a confirmation that your federal tax return was accepted by the IRS. This date will go in the left column. If you didn’t file your taxes electronically, then this chart may not be useful for you for two reasons: you won’t have a confirmation date regarding when your tax return was accepted, and paper tax returns are manually entered by IRS employees, so the process takes longer.
You will also note that this chart covers dates beyond the traditional filing date. If you file after April 15, 2019, then you should file a tax extension request. It’s simple, and can potentially save you a lot of money in penalties. Note: Some military members may be eligible additional tax deadline extensions if they were deployed or served overseas during the tax year.
Note: The IRS announced the official first day to file tax returns is January 29, 2018. However, in some previous years, the IRS has accepted tax returns early, or delayed the acceptance of returns, depending on technical issues. We will update this article to reflect that information if we hear about it this year. You can try to extrapolate the refund date based on the below chart.
Tax Return Accepted By IRS before 11:00 am between… | Direct Deposit Sent* | Paper Check Mailed* |
---|---|---|
Jan 28 and Feb 03, 2019 | Feb 11, 2019 | Feb 15, 2019 |
Feb 04 and Feb 10, 2019 | Feb 18, 2019 | Feb 22, 2019 |
Feb 11 and Feb 17, 2019 | Feb 25, 2019 | Mar 1, 2019 |
Feb 18 and Feb 24, 2019 | Mar 4, 2019 | Mar 8, 2019 |
Feb 25 and Mar 03, 2019 | Mar 12, 2019 | Mar 15, 2019 |
Mar 04 and Mar 10, 2019 | Mar 18, 2019 | Mar 22, 2019 |
Mar 11 and Mar 17, 2019 | Mar 25, 2019 | Mar 29, 2019 |
Mar 18 and Mar 24, 2019 | Apr 1, 2019 | Apr 5, 2019 |
Mar 25 and Mar 31, 2019 | Apr 8, 2019 | Apr 12, 2019 |
Apr 01 and Apr 07, 2019 | Apr 15, 2019 | Apr 19, 2019 |
Apr 08 and Apr 14, 2019 | Apr 22, 2019 | Apr 26, 2019 |
Apr 15 and Apr 21, 2019 | Apr 29, 2019 | May 3, 2019 |
Apr 22 and Apr 28, 2019 | May 6, 2019 | May 10, 2019 |
Apr 29 and May 05, 2019 | May 13, 2019 | May 17, 2019 |
May 06 and May 12, 2019 | May 20, 2019 | May 24, 2019 |
May 13 and May 19, 2019 | May 27, 2019 | May 30, 2019 |
May 20 and May 26, 2019 | Jun 3, 2019 | Jun 7, 2019 |
May 27 and Jun 02, 2019 | Jun 10, 2019 | Jun 14, 2019 |
Jun 03 and Jun 09, 2019 | Jun 17, 2019 | Jun 21, 2019 |
Jun 10 and Jun 16, 2019 | Jun 24, 2019 | Jun 28, 2019 |
Jun 17 and Jun 23, 2019 | Jul 1, 2019 | Jul 5, 2019 |
Jun 24 and Jun 30, 2019 | Jul 8, 2019 | Jul 12, 2019 |
Jul 01 and Jul 07, 2019 | Jul 15, 2019 | Jul 19, 2019 |
Jul 08 and Jul 14, 2019 | Jul 22, 2019 | Jul 26, 2019 |
Jul 15 and Jul 21, 2019 | Jul 29, 2019 | Aug 2, 2019 |
Jul 22 and Jul 28, 2019 | Aug 5, 2019 | Aug 9, 2019 |
Jul 29 and Aug 04, 2019 | Aug 12, 2019 | Aug 16, 2019 |
Aug 05 and Aug 11, 2019 | Aug 19, 2019 | Aug 23, 2019 |
Aug 12 and Aug 18, 2019 | Aug 26, 2019 | Aug 30, 2019 |
Aug 19 and Aug 25, 2019 | Sep 2, 2019 | Sep 6, 2019 |
Aug 26 and Sep 01, 2019 | Sep 9, 2019 | Sep 13, 2019 |
Sep 02 and Sep 08, 2019 | Sep 16, 2019 | Sep 20, 2019 |
Sep 09 and Sep 15, 2019 | Sep 23, 2019 | Sep 27, 2019 |
Sep 16 and Sep 22, 2019 | Sep 30, 2019 | Oct 4, 2019 |
Sep 23 and Sep 29, 2019 | Oct 7, 2019 | Oct 11, 2019 |
Sep 30 and Oct 06, 2019 | Oct 14, 2019 | Oct 18, 2019 |
Oct 07 and Oct 13, 2019 | Oct 21, 2019 | Oct 25, 2019 |
*Note: Again, these are estimated dates based on previous tax refund schedules released by the IRS. The IRS no longer publishes these tax refund charts, due to their auditing process.
Keep in mind it may take a few days for your financial institution to make your deposit available to you, or it may take several days for the check to arrive in the mail. Keep this in mind when planning to use your tax refund. The IRS states to allow for 5 additional days for the funds to become available to you. In almost all cases a direct deposit will get you your tax refund more quickly than 5 days, and in some cases will be available immediately.
Important Tax Filing Dates & Refund Dates
When can I file my tax return?
The first day to officially file your 2018 tax return is January 28, 2019. However, many tax software programs will allow you to complete your return and “file” it before that date. They will then hold the returns until the IRS begins accepting them. Some taxpayers who submit their electronic tax return early may be able to participate in the IRS HUB Testing program. This is a controlled testing of the federal tax return system. The IRS processes a small percentage of tax returns from major software providers to test the tax return submission process and allow for fixing bugs before opening the doors to all taxpayers.
When are taxes due?
The last day to file taxes is April 15, 2019.
April 15 is the tax deadline for most years unless it falls on a weekend or an observed holiday. April 16th is the observed holiday for Emancipation Day, for Washington DC, which may impact the tax-filing deadline in some years.
You can file a tax extension if you are not ready to file your taxes by the deadline. The tax deadline when you file an extension is October 15th.
How long does it take to receive my tax refund?
Approximately 90% of taxpayers will receive their refunds in less than 21 days from the day their tax return was accepted by the IRS. Most people receive their refund in an average of 10-14 days.
Are there any expected tax refund delays?
Yes, tax refund delays are common. The IRS is required by federal law to withhold tax refunds for taxpayers who claim Earned Income Tax Credits and Additional Child Tax Credit until at least Feb. 26, 2019. Keep in mind it can still take a week to receive the refund after the IRS releases it. So some people who file early may experience delays while awaiting their refund. Refunds should be processed normally after this date.
Also note that new identity theft protections and anti-fraud measures may hold up some refunds, as some federal tax returns may be held for further review.
Will the Government Shutdown Impact the Tax Refund Schedule?
The IRS has provided a statement that the government shutdown will not impact tax returns and tax refunds. However, many IRS employees are currently furloughed. The answer to that question may change if the government shutdown extends longer.
How Should You Request to Receive Your Refund?
The IRS gives you three options for receiving your refund:
- direct deposit (you can split your refund and have it sent to up to three banks)
- paper check (sent to your home)
- deposit into US Savings Bonds
You can also apply a refund to any future taxes owed. This is a popular choice among some small business owners who are required to pay estimated taxes.
Of the three refund options available to you, direct deposit is the fastest and safest option. You can receive your refund via an ACH bank transaction in as little as a few days. Paper checks, however, can take over a week to process, several days to travel via the postal system, and several days to clear your bank.
*Note: Some tax software companies also offer the option of receiving a tax refund on a prepaid debit card. I’m not particularly fond of this option, but it is available to some tax filers. In this case, the refund is first sent to the tax preparation company, then they issue you the prepaid debit card.
Tax Refund Schedule for Extensions and Amended Tax Returns
The refund schedule should be the same if you filed for a tax extension, however, there is no official schedule for tax refunds for amended tax returns. The above list only includes dates for e-filing an original tax return. Amended tax returns are processed manually and often take 8-12 weeks to process. If you do not receive an amended tax return refund within 8 weeks after you file it, then you should contact the IRS to check on the status.
How to Check the Status of Your Tax Return
You should be able to check IRS tax refund status roughly 24 hours after your receive confirmation from the IRS that they have received your tax refund via E-File. You will need to wait at least 4 weeks if you mailed in your tax return.
The best way to check the status of your federal tax refund is to visit the Where’s My Refund page at the IRS website.
What you will need:
- Social Security Number
- Filing Status
- Exact refund amount
You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1954, or 1-800-829-4477, or 1-800-829-1040 and inquire about your tax return status with an IRS a customer service representative. Note that the IRS only updates tax return statuses once a day during the week, usually between midnight and 6 am. They do not update the status more than once a day, so checking throughout the day will not give you a different result.
Should I call the IRS to check my federal tax refund status? The IRS has stated you should only call them if it has been:
- 21 days or more since you e-filed
- 6 weeks or more since you mailed your return, or when
- “Where’s My Refund,” tells you to contact the IRS
Get a Larger Tax Refund Next Year
If you want a bigger tax refund next year, then there are a few ways you can increase the amount of money the government will give you as a tax refund. One of the easiest ways is by contributing to a tax-deferred retirement plan such as a 401k, the Thrift Savings Plan, or by opening a Traditional IRA, which allows you to deduct up to an additional $5,500 on your taxes each year (up to $6,500 if you are age 50 or older). You can open an IRA in a variety of locations, including banks, brokerage firms, independent advisors, and more.
Getting Tax Relief if You Owe Money
If you go through the tax filing process and come out owing the government money, there are options for getting tax relief. Some of the top companies to help with getting relief for taxes owed are:
Update: IRS Announces Some Tax Refunds Will Be Late
The IRS recently upgraded their computer systems to prevent tax refund fraud. This may affect people who filed early in the year. Find out if your tax refund will be late.
If anyone tells you that they have the 2019 tax filing season all figured, they’re lying. By all accounts, the upcoming tax season is going to be tricky. Despite a shoestring staff due to the shutdown, new tax forms and new tax rules, the 2019 tax season is still set to open on January 28, 2019. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims that the season will operate as close to normal as possible—including issuing tax refunds.So when are those tax refunds coming? Assuming no delays, what follows are my best guesses for expected returns based on filing dates and information from the IRS:
* No matter when you filed your tax return, if you claimed the EITC or the ACTC, don’t forget to take into consideration the required hold. Keep reading for more.
I can’t stress enough that these are simply educated guesses. I like math and charts as much as the next girl, but many factors could affect your tax refund.
My numbers are based on an expected IRS receipt date beginning on the open of tax season, January 28, 2019, through the close of tax season on April 15, 2019. To keep the chart manageable, I’ve assumed the IRS received your e-filed tax return on the first business day of the week; that’s usually a Monday, but if there’s a holiday (like President’s Day), I’ve skipped ahead until Tuesday. If you file on a Tuesday, the chart assumes that your refund will be processed the following Monday. That’s true even though the IRS can receive and process tax returns on each business day.
The same logic holds true for issuing tax refunds. For purposes of the chart, I’m assuming that the IRS will issue your direct deposit within two weeks of receipt of your return and issue paper checks the following Friday. In reality, the IRS issues tax refunds on every business day, so the date could move forward or backward depending on the day your return was received.
The IRS says that most refunds are issued within 21 days. Statistically, the IRS has pegged the number at 90%. Anecdotally, taxpayers with fairly straightforward returns and no flags or other issues receive their tax refunds in an average of 10-14 days. That means that assuming a window within 2-3 weeks of receipt—not from the date of filing or mailing—from the following Monday is a reasonable assumption.
Other sites may have different numbers, but remember they’re just guessing, too, since the IRS no longer makes their tax refund processing chart public. Do not rely on any tax refund chart—mine included—for date-specific planning like a large purchase or a paying back a loan. Relying on a date certain, especially in uncertain times, is a recipe for disaster.
Finally, don’t get ahead of yourself if you claim the earned-income tax credit (EITC) and the additional child tax credit (ACTC). By law, the IRS must wait until mid-February to begin issuing refunds to taxpayers who claim the EITC or the ACTC. In addition to normal processing times for banks, factoring in weekends and the President’s Day holiday, the earliest EITC and ACTC-related refunds are expected to be available on February 27, 2019; that's assuming direct deposit and no other issues. If you're looking for more information, the “Where’s My Refund?” tool will be updated with projected deposit dates for affected filers after February 23, 2019.
If you want to get your tax refund as fast as possible, the IRS recommends that you e-file your tax return and use direct deposit. If you file by paper, it will take longer. The IRS notes that processing times can take up to four weeks in a “normal” tax season, and this tax season promises to be far from normal.
Even if you request direct deposit, you may still receive a paper check. Since 2014, the IRS has limited the number of refunds that can be deposited into a single account or applied to a prepaid debit card to three. Taxpayers who exceed the limit will instead receive a paper check. Additionally, the IRS won’t issue a refund by direct deposit into just any account: It can only be deposited into an account in your name, your spouse’s name or both of your names if married with a joint account. If there’s an issue with the account, the IRS will send a paper check.
If you’re looking for more information about the timing of your tax refund, don’t reach out to your tax professional. Instead, the IRS encourages you to use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool. Have your Social security number or ITIN, filing status and exact refund amount handy. Refund updates should appear 24 hours after e-filing or four weeks after you mailed your paper return. The IRS updates the site once per day, usually overnight, so there’s no need to check more than once during the day.
If you’re looking for tax information on the go, you can check your refund status with IRS2Go, the official mobile app of the IRS. The app includes a tax refund status tracker.
If, after 21 days following the day you e-filed your return, or six weeks since you filed your paper return, you still haven’t received your refund and you did not claim the EITC or ACTC, there may be a problem. There might be an error on your return, it may be incomplete or require review, or you may have been impacted by identity theft. If the IRS needs more info, they will contact you by mail. Otherwise, you can try calling the IRS, but remember that phone lines may be affected by the shutdown. The days leading up to President’s Day weekend (February 16-18, 2019) are the busiest for IRS, so expect longer than average wait times even if the government is back in business.
'>If anyone tells you that they have the 2019 tax filing season all figured, they’re lying. By all accounts, the upcoming tax season is going to be tricky. Despite a shoestring staff due to the shutdown, new tax forms and new tax rules, the 2019 tax season is still set to open on January 28, 2019. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claims that the season will operate as close to normal as possible—including issuing tax refunds.
So when are those tax refunds coming? Assuming no delays, what follows are my best guesses for expected returns based on filing dates and information from the IRS:
* No matter when you filed your tax return, if you claimed the EITC or the ACTC, don’t forget to take into consideration the required hold. Keep reading for more.
I can’t stress enough that these are simply educated guesses. I like math and charts as much as the next girl, but many factors could affect your tax refund.
My numbers are based on an expected IRS receipt date beginning on the open of tax season, January 28, 2019, through the close of tax season on April 15, 2019. To keep the chart manageable, I’ve assumed the IRS received your e-filed tax return on the first business day of the week; that’s usually a Monday, but if there’s a holiday (like President’s Day), I’ve skipped ahead until Tuesday. If you file on a Tuesday, the chart assumes that your refund will be processed the following Monday. That’s true even though the IRS can receive and process tax returns on each business day.
The same logic holds true for issuing tax refunds. For purposes of the chart, I’m assuming that the IRS will issue your direct deposit within two weeks of receipt of your return and issue paper checks the following Friday. In reality, the IRS issues tax refunds on every business day, so the date could move forward or backward depending on the day your return was received.
The IRS says that most refunds are issued within 21 days. Statistically, the IRS has pegged the number at 90%. Anecdotally, taxpayers with fairly straightforward returns and no flags or other issues receive their tax refunds in an average of 10-14 days. That means that assuming a window within 2-3 weeks of receipt—not from the date of filing or mailing—from the following Monday is a reasonable assumption.
Other sites may have different numbers, but remember they’re just guessing, too, since the IRS no longer makes their tax refund processing chart public. Do not rely on any tax refund chart—mine included—for date-specific planning like a large purchase or a paying back a loan. Relying on a date certain, especially in uncertain times, is a recipe for disaster.
Finally, don’t get ahead of yourself if you claim the earned-income tax credit (EITC) and the additional child tax credit (ACTC). By law, the IRS must wait until mid-February to begin issuing refunds to taxpayers who claim the EITC or the ACTC. In addition to normal processing times for banks, factoring in weekends and the President’s Day holiday, the earliest EITC and ACTC-related refunds are expected to be available on February 27, 2019; that's assuming direct deposit and no other issues. If you're looking for more information, the “Where’s My Refund?” tool will be updated with projected deposit dates for affected filers after February 23, 2019.
If you want to get your tax refund as fast as possible, the IRS recommends that you e-file your tax return and use direct deposit. If you file by paper, it will take longer. The IRS notes that processing times can take up to four weeks in a “normal” tax season, and this tax season promises to be far from normal.
Even if you request direct deposit, you may still receive a paper check. Since 2014, the IRS has limited the number of refunds that can be deposited into a single account or applied to a prepaid debit card to three. Taxpayers who exceed the limit will instead receive a paper check. Additionally, the IRS won’t issue a refund by direct deposit into just any account: It can only be deposited into an account in your name, your spouse’s name or both of your names if married with a joint account. If there’s an issue with the account, the IRS will send a paper check.
If you’re looking for more information about the timing of your tax refund, don’t reach out to your tax professional. Instead, the IRS encourages you to use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool. Have your Social security number or ITIN, filing status and exact refund amount handy. Refund updates should appear 24 hours after e-filing or four weeks after you mailed your paper return. The IRS updates the site once per day, usually overnight, so there’s no need to check more than once during the day.
If you’re looking for tax information on the go, you can check your refund status with IRS2Go, the official mobile app of the IRS. The app includes a tax refund status tracker.
If, after 21 days following the day you e-filed your return, or six weeks since you filed your paper return, you still haven’t received your refund and you did not claim the EITC or ACTC, there may be a problem. There might be an error on your return, it may be incomplete or require review, or you may have been impacted by identity theft. If the IRS needs more info, they will contact you by mail. Otherwise, you can try calling the IRS, but remember that phone lines may be affected by the shutdown. The days leading up to President’s Day weekend (February 16-18, 2019) are the busiest for IRS, so expect longer than average wait times even if the government is back in business.