IRS Tax Refund Schedule

I want my tax refund! How long will it take?

Looking for your federal refund?

Learn about 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?

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 efile tax returns in a day or two. Refund processing then is generally performed on a weekly schedule.

Let's break the federal refund schedule down. 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 is processed.

For example, for tax returns received between January 14, 2012 and January 20, 2012, a direct deposit will be made on January 28, 2012 and a paper check will be mailed on February 4, 2012. Go to the the IRS tax refund schedule website.

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. An easy rule of thumb for all taxpayers is to wait at least three weeks from the time a return is accepted before checking the refund's status. The IRS website also offers some more insight as to how and when they issue efile tax refunds.

A Word About State Income Tax Refunds

State refund schedules are not the same everywhere. 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.

FEDERAL IRS TAX REFUND SCHEDULE
TRANSMITTED DATES DIRECT DEPOSIT - SENT* PAPER CHECK - MAILED*
accepted (by 11:00 am)
Jan 17 and Jan 18, 2012 Jan 25, 2012 Jan 27, 2012
Jan 19 and Jan 25, 2012 Feb 1, 2012 Feb 3, 2012
Jan 26 and Feb 1, 2012 Feb 8, 2012 Feb 10, 2012
Feb 2 and Feb 8, 2012 Feb 15, 2012 Feb 17, 2012
Feb 9 and Feb 15, 2012 Feb 22, 2012 Feb 24, 2012
Feb 16 and Feb 22, 2012 Feb 29, 2012 Mar 2, 2012
Feb 23 and Feb 29, 2012 Mar 7, 2012 Mar 9, 2012
Mar 1 and Mar 7, 2012 Mar 14, 2012 Mar 16, 2012
Mar 8 and Mar 14, 2012 Mar 21, 2012 Mar 23, 2012
Mar 15 and Mar 21, 2012 Mar 28, 2012 Mar 30, 2012
Mar 22 and Mar 28, 2012 Apr 4, 2012 Apr 6, 2012
Mar 29 and Apr 4, 2012 Apr 11, 2012 Apr 13, 2012
Apr 5 and Apr 11, 2012 Apr 18, 2012 Apr 20, 2012
Apr 12 and Apr 18, 2012 Apr 25, 2012 Apr 27, 2012
Apr 19 and Apr 25, 2012 May 2, 2012 May 4, 2012
Apr 26 and May 2, 2012 May 9, 2012 May 11, 2012
May 3 and May 9, 2012 May 16, 2012 May 18, 2012
May 10 and May 16, 2012 May 23, 2012 May 25, 2012
May 17 and May 23, 2012 May 30, 2012 Jun 1, 2012
May 24 and Jun 30, 2012 Jun 6, 2012 Jun 8, 2012
May 31 and Jun 6, 2012 Jun 13, 2012 Jun 15, 2012
Jun 7 and Jun 13, 2012 Jun 20, 2012 Jun 22, 2012
Jun 14 and Jun 20, 2012 Jun 27, 2012 Jun 29, 2012
Jun 21 and Jun 27, 2012 Jul 4, 2012 Jul 6, 2012
Jun 28 and Jul 4, 2012 Jul 11, 2012 Jul 13, 2012
Jul 5 and Jul 11, 2012 Jul 18, 2012 Jul 20, 2012
Jul 12 and Jul 18, 2012 Jul 25, 2012 Jul 27, 2012
Jul 19 and Jul 25, 2012 Aug 1, 2012 Aug 3, 2012
Jul 26 and Aug 1, 2012 Aug 8, 2012 Aug 10, 2012
Aug 2 and Aug 8, 2012 Aug 15, 2012 Aug 17, 2012
Aug 9 and Aug 15, 2012 Aug 22, 2012 Aug 24, 2012
Aug 16 and Aug 22, 2012 Aug 29, 2012 Aug 31, 2012
Aug 23 and Aug 29, 2012 Sep 5, 2012 Sep 7, 2012
Aug 30 and Sep 5, 2012 Sep 12, 2012 Sep 14, 2012
Sep 6 and Sep 12, 2012 Sep 19, 2012 Sep 21, 2012
Sep 13 and Sep 19, 2012 Sep 26, 2012 Sep 28, 2012
Sep 20 and Sep 26, 2012 Oct 3, 2012 Oct 5, 2012
Sep 27 and Oct 3, 2012 Oct 10, 2012 Oct 12, 2012
Oct 4 and Oct 10, 2012 Oct 17, 2012 Oct 19, 2012
Oct 11 and Oct 17, 2012 Oct 24, 2012 Oct 26, 2012
Oct 18 and Oct 24, 2012 Oct 31, 2012 Nov 2, 2012
Oct 25 and Oct 31, 2012 Nov 7, 2012 Nov 9, 2012
Nov 1 andNov 7, 2012 Nov 14, 2012 Nov 16, 2012
Nov 8 and Nov 14, 2012 Nov 21, 2012 Nov 23, 2012
Nov 15 and Nov 21, 2012 Nov 28, 2012 Nov 30, 2012
Nov 22 and Nov28, 2012 Dec 5, 2012 Dec 7, 2012
Nov 29 and Dec 5, 2012 Dec 12, 2012 Dec 14, 2012
Dec 6 and Dec 12, 2012 Dec 19, 2012 Dec 21, 2012
Dec 13 and Dec 19, 2012 Dec 27, 2012 Dec 31, 2012
Dec 20 and Dec 26, 2012 Jan 3, 2013 Jan 7, 2013

*NOTE: IRS does not guarantee specific dates that the refund will be deposited into a taxpayer's financial institution account or mailed.