When Will I Get My Tax Refund? 2024 IRS Refund Cycle and Direct Deposit Payment Dates

You’ve filed your tax return and are expecting a tax refund. Congratulations!  Now, you want to know when to expect your refund and/or why is it taking so long to receive your money!

Generally, if you e-file and use direct deposit, the IRS estimates that you should receive your federal refund between 8 and 14 days after they accept your return. In total, their standard processing time for 9 out of 10 filers is meant to be less than 21 days.

So, if someone submits their taxes on January 29, which is when the IRS starts accepting and processing returns, they can expect to receive their payments by February 19. This assumes not held up due to PATH act (see section below).

However as many tax filers are seeing this year due to ongoing pandemic related staffing/budget shortages, prior year filing backlogs and new tax laws to process, refund processing has been delayed beyond normal processing timelines for many filers this year.

How Long Are Tax Refund Processing delays?

According to the latest guidance, we could see 6 to 8 weeks of delays beyond the estimated schedule below. So filing early and accurately is even more important than before.

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The IRS expects more than 70 percent of taxpayers to again receive tax refunds this year. Last year, the IRS issued 109 million refunds, with an average refund of around $2,600 (vs $3,300 last year)

Once your return is accepted by the IRS, your filing is place in the IRS master file for processing. The IRS updates processing status on WMR and IRS2Go daily, but many returns are processed on a daily or weekly basis, which you can see reflected on the estimated IRS E-file Refund Cycle Chart below.

Exact refund dates are based on IRS processing times and can be found in IRS Publication 2043 and IRS Topic 152 for both e-filed and mailed returns.

You should also review your transcript to get your IRS return processing cycle code, which provides clues on how and when the IRS processes your return.

If you did not select the electronic deposit option for your refund payment, getting a paper check mailed to you adds about a week.  If your return was filed by mail, then your refund can take up to 6 weeks from the date the IRS receives a complete and accurate return.

Tax Return is Accepted by IRS By:
(Status = Return Received)
IRS Processing Completed By:
(Status = Refund Approved)
Est. Refund Payment (DD) By:
(Status = Refund Sent)
January 29, 2024February 5, 2024February 9, 2024
February 5, 2024February 12, 2024February 16, 2024
February 12, 2024February 19, 2024February 23, 2024
February 19, 2024February 26, 2024March 1, 2024
February 26, 2024March 4, 2024March 8, 2024
March 4, 2024March 11, 2024March 15, 2024
March 11, 2024March 18, 2024March 22, 2024
March 18, 2024March 25, 2024March 29, 2024
March 25, 2024April 1, 2024April 5, 2024
April 1, 2024April 8, 2024April 12, 2024
April 8, 2024April 15, 2024April 19, 2024
April 15, 2024April 22, 2024April 26, 2024
April 22, 2024April 29, 2024May 3, 2024
April 29, 2024May 6, 2024May 10, 2024
May 6, 2024May 13, 2024May 17, 2024
May 13, 2024May 20, 2024May 24, 2024
May 20, 2024May 27, 2024May 31, 2024
May 27, 2024June 3, 2024June 7, 2024
June 3, 2024June 10, 2024June 14, 2024
June 10, 2024June 17, 2024June 21, 2024
June 17, 2024June 24, 2024June 28, 2024
June 24, 2024July 1, 2024July 5, 2024
July 1, 2024July 8, 2024July 12, 2024
July 8, 2024July 15, 2024July 19, 2024
July 15, 2024July 22, 2024July 26, 2024
July 22, 2024July 29, 2024August 2, 2024
July 29, 2024August 5, 2024August 9, 2024
August 5, 2024August 12, 2024August 16, 2024
August 12, 2024August 19, 2024August 23, 2024
August 19, 2024August 26, 2024August 30, 2024
August 26, 2024September 2, 2024September 6, 2024
September 2, 2024September 9, 2024September 13, 2024
September 9, 2024September 16, 2024September 20, 2024
September 16, 2024September 23, 2024September 27, 2024
September 23, 2024September 30, 2024October 4, 2024
September 30, 2024October 7, 2024October 11, 2024
October 7, 2024October 14, 2024October 18, 2024
October 14, 2024October 21, 2024October 25, 2024
October 21, 2024October 28, 2024November 1, 2024
October 28, 2024November 4, 2024November 8, 2024
November 4, 2024November 11, 2024November 15, 2024
November 11, 2024November 18, 2024November 22, 2024
November 18, 2024November 25, 2024November 29, 2024
November 25, 2024December 2, 2024December 6, 2024
December 2, 2024December 9, 2024December 13, 2024
December 9, 2024December 16, 2024December 20, 2024
December 16, 2024December 23, 2024December 27, 2024
December 23, 2024December 30, 2024January 3, 2025
December 30, 2024January 6, 2025January 10, 2025

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See more refund information from the bigger online tax providers – > TurboTax, H&R Block or TaxAct

Should I call the IRS if I haven’t received my refund?

For the latest tax season the IRS has already announced that there will likely be tax refund payment delays. In particular for taxpayers claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) refunds will now be paid from late February.

This was mandated under the PATH act that Congress passed a few years ago. The IRS have said to only call them after 21 days (Mid-March) if you do not get your refund payment.

Unfortunately calling the IRS won’t do anything to speed your refund since their call center staff are not the ones who process the tax returns. But you may get an update or see if there are any pending actions that can move your refund processing forward.

The best option is still to use the “Where’s My Refund” page or IRS2Go application. If you don’t receive your refund in 21 days, then and only then, contact the IRS to determine why it is taking so long to receive your return.

When to Expect Your State Tax Refund

State refunds are processed by each individual state, so processing times will vary. Also while your state and federal tax information is dependent on each other, refund processing is done differently at the state level and federal (IRS) level.

As a general rule, you can expect your state tax refund within 30 days of the electronic filing date or the postmark date.

To get the current status of your state tax refund (see CA and NJ), contact your state tax agency or search online for your state’s taxation website.

Most states have their own online tools to check your state refund status. You can see here for more on state tax refund processing times and sites.  

Per the comments on that article it is not unusual for state refunds to lag the federal refund, especially earlier in the tax season.

Like federal returns however state returns are also going through a lot more identity verification checks which are holding up refunds again this year.

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89 thoughts on “When Will I Get My Tax Refund? 2024 IRS Refund Cycle and Direct Deposit Payment Dates”

  1. I did my taxes on turbo tax , they was accepted January 28. But I put the wireless routing number. How long will it take to receive the check?

    Reply
  2. Filing taxes is such a PAIN! For 2014 I couldn’t e-file for the first time because the IRS said my DOB was wrong. Wtf? So I got that resolved and my taxes were delayed 2 wks by snail mail. For 2015, I moved so my W2 got lost in the mail and I had to wait 2 WEEKS for my employer to resend it. For 2016, my PO box rejected my W2 and got lost in the mail AGAIN! Theres NO WAY im waiting 2 wks again. I called corporate at least 15 times and I finally got my W2 electronically. I just got my DD today!!

    Reply
  3. I did my refund of Feb 9 and I still havent recieved my refund so I called the IRS and they told me on March 2 it got sent to the identity theft dept. If i send my pin along with my refund why are they taking so long to prove it is me? They also told me it takes 6-8 wks to process this really that long?? Does it really take long?

    Reply
  4. I need my refund.everyday I exceed the number of times I’m allowed per day to check.this blows I’m really anxious I owe some clown some $.i wish he was a clown , he’s a big ugly monster.

    Reply
  5. Hello! If I filed my taxes on February 12th and still have yet to receive my refund, when is the latest that I should be expecting my money? My girlfriend filed on the same day and got hers back last week. We both filed electronically.

    Reply
  6. I had mine done at H&R Block on 1/27 and they were immediately accepted.Status changed to processing last week. I have already received my state but nothing from federal. Everyone else around me is getting theirs and I’m still waiting. This is so frustrating. I wish someone could just give me a straight answer so I know what’s going on!

    Reply
  7. i filed on the feb 11th and still havent moved they say when u get the email it says when the irs accepts it then be looking at your direct deposite in to 7 to 14 days but the irs websites says the 19th

    Reply
      • I filed mines electronically through turbotax & my federal got received on the 11th & state got received on the 12th & the website still say received but don’t know what number to call to actually see what’s going on.!!!! Can anybody help me figure this out please so I can find out what’s going on with my taxes?

        Reply
  8. I have filed on the 5th of February and was accepted on the 5th of February and today I looked at my status and it says your refund is still processing waiting on a release date what do that mean and can I get it as early without them putting it up there they just updated that today

    Reply
  9. I called my emerald card today and it said that my refund was complete i filed on the 25th and it said it was processed on the 25th does anybody have a good idea when it will be loaded since its complete and on the app it doesnt even say complete i think that app isnt working properly

    Reply
  10. I filed Jan 25 and it’s still in ‘return accepted’ status. A friend of mine who filed after me has already got to ‘refund approved’, but I’m still waiting.

    Reply
  11. I have used Turbo Tax, my return very simple yet I filed 19th and still waiting as well, so TT isnt always going to get it faster

    Reply
  12. I file my taxe return on January 19,2016 it is being process, How long before you usually get a date for approved return

    Reply
    • I filed on 1/29 and was accepted the same day. I finally awoke this morning to a DD of 1/10, which also happens to be today’s date but still no refund. Turbo Tax is where I was given my deposit date yet WMR shows no change past received. I have a feeling that the recently announced breach has affected much more than the IRS will admit to. This is aggravating to say the least.

      Reply
  13. I filed my tax return in January 2015 and I had to take my id and social security in and now it’s been 3 months and it’s still saying processing I have called can’t get know one

    Reply
    • I filed my taxes in early April electronically. They were kicked back saying someone stole my identity and already filed them. I was told by my tax person I had to file a paper return and would get a questionnaire and password probably in June or July. It’s almost December and I’ve heard nothing. When I call Where’s my refund I just get a message saying it hasn’t been processed yet. I can not reach any one on the phone to talk to. Will I need to drive to their office in Cincinnattie?

      Reply
  14. Wow – great response to the competition and thanks for some of the supportive comments. To pick a winner, I used the Excel Random number generator and came up with 3 numbers (between 1 and 26 for number of entries) and the numbers were : 5, 8 and 24. This corresponds to (in chronological order, with 1 being the earliest comment)

    5 – Daniel
    8 – John D
    24 – Cathy Edwards

    I will email each of these winners shortly. Given I want to help all my readers, I will ask my Turbo tax contacts to see if we can get some more copies to give away. Stay tuned.

    Reply
  15. I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster.

    This would make things much easier!

    Thanks

    Reply
  16. Am a new divorcee & new at doing taxes myself & could use the help with these taxes! Running up to crunch-time too with two small kids! I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster!

    Reply
  17. I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster, although I think that is a funny statement given it is March 21st and I haven’t filed yet… :) Thanks for all the info in your blog, it’s been helpful.

    Reply
  18. I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster!

    Thanks for all the practical tips, and the sources to look further.

    Reply
  19. I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster. Turbo Tax really does walk you thru the whole process as if you were sitting with a tax advisor!

    Reply
  20. Hey
    So I am a lurker but I have been reading the blog for a while I do like your content. I regularly forward articles on to my wife so we can discuss them as we look over our finances each month.
    Oh ya.
    I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster.

    Reply
  21. Wow, this article was just in time as was planning to file my taxes tonight. Hope I win! Here is the catch phrase – I want to use TurboTax to file my software and get my refund faster

    Reply

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