IRS Tax Refund Schedule

One of the main reasons people choose to file electronically is so they get their tax refunds faster. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

The IRS usually processes e-filed returns in a day or two. Refund processing specifically—that is, if your return is accepted—is done on a weekly schedule.

State refund schedules, however, are not the same everywhere, but 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.

Let’s break the federal refund schedule down further. Generally, if a return is accepted by the IRS before Friday, you will receive your refund by direct deposit on the Friday of the following week. If you are expecting a “paper” check, that will be mailed on Friday two weeks from the date your return in processed.

For example, for tax returns received between January 15, 2010 and January 21, 2010, a direct deposit will be made on January 29, 2010 and a paper check will be mailed on February 5, 2010. Click here to view the published IRS tax refund schedule based on your return’s acceptance date.

Again, the IRS’s published tax refund schedule is a general guideline -  they do not guarantee refunds will be deposited or mailed on a specific date. It is advised that all taxpayers wait at least three weeks from the time a return is accepted before checking the refund’s status.

Click here for more information from the IRS detailing how and when they issue refunds.