IRS Tax Refund Schedule

Where’s My Tax Refund? How Long Will it Take?

Looking for your federal tax refund?

Get the latest refund updates and learn about the factors that can affect when you get your refund and how to track it on our Where's My Refund? page.

Where's my Refund?

Update: The IRS has delayed accepting returns until January 30, 2013. The IRS does not anticipate any delays in refund processing once e-file opens on January 30.

Underneath current IRS guidelines—if you have already finished your federal income tax return—or you complete your return anytime before January 30—you can expect your refund anytime after February 20.

Looking for the yearly refund chart? We sincerely apologize, but the IRS will not issue an official yearly refund schedule this year.

In years past, the IRS published a Publication. 2043 which gave tax professionals target dates for refunds. Using that Pub. 2043, tax professionals could then estimate release dates for both direct deposited and mailed refunds based on when the return was electronically accepted by the IRS. Due to the delays with refunds last year, the IRS has issued a standard 21 day timeframe for refunds. This means if your return was accepted on January 22, 2013, you can expect your refund to be sent to your bank around February 19, 2013. Keep in mind; it may take 1-2 business days after the refund is sent from the IRS to your bank before the funds show up in your bank account.

While the IRS's published tax refund schedule was a general guideline , it was just that—a guideline, not a deadline. The IRS does not guarantee that refunds will be deposited or mailed on a specific date.

An Important Message About State Income Tax Refunds

State refund schedules vary from state-to-state. However, filing your state tax return online will still save you loads of time. When you prepare your state return with eSmart, we'll point you to where you need to go to find specific information that pertains to where you live.