Most taxpayers in 2025 can expect refunds within 21 days for electronically filed, accurate returns. However, increased scrutiny, identity verification issues, and complex returns have led to a noticeable rise in delays. The IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool is the best way to track the status.
The main 2025 tax refund delay reasons include errors or incomplete information on returns, claims for the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, identity verification processes, amended returns, and offsets for outstanding debts. Paper returns and bank processing times can also contribute to delays.
The information in this article is up to date for tax year 2025 (returns filed in 2026). Most refunds will be issued within 21 days after the return has been accepted, according to the IRS. The IRS typically sends out refunds on a schedule.
A new deduction for qualifying overtime pay is now available, effective in the 2025 tax year. You can deduct up to $12,500 if you're a single filer or up to $25,000 if you're married filing jointly. The deduction begins to phase out once your MAGI hits $150,000 for single filers or $300,000 for joint filers.
Some returns take longer.
Is incomplete. Needs further review in general. Is affected by identity theft or fraud. Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit.
Several factors can influence the processing time, including the need for additional review, discrepancies in the information provided, or high volumes of returns being processed. If you see tax topic 152, you don't necessarily need to take immediate action. However, you should monitor your refund status.
Your income tax refund may get delayed if you miss the December 31, 2025 deadline for filing a revised Income Tax Return (ITR) for Assessment Year 2025-26 (Financial Year 2024-25), specially when your filed return had errors or missing details that led to an incorrect refund claim or data mismatch.
The IRS started 2025 with just over 102,000 employees. As of mid-2025, the IRS has just under 76,000 employees (including employees who took an early resignation offer but are still considered “employed” through September 2025), according to a report from the National Taxpayer Advocate.
Key Takeaways. Individual income tax returns are typically due April 15, unless the date falls on a weekend or holiday or you file Form 4868 seeking an extension until October 15.
Taxpayers have until Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to file their 2025 tax returns and pay any tax due. The IRS expects to receive about 164 million individual income tax returns this year, with most taxpayers filing electronically.
When taxpayers file their 2025 tax. returns in 2026, many will see larger refunds than in recent years. That's due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which reduced individual income taxes for 2025 by an estimated $129 billion. But because the IRS did not adjust withholding.
Usually, it takes 4-5 weeks for the refund to be credited to the account of the taxpayer. However, if refund is not received during this duration, the taxpayer must check for intimation regarding discrepancies in ITR; check email for any notification from the IT department regarding the refund.
Find out when to expect your federal tax refund
The IRS generally issues refunds within 21 days of when you electronically filed your tax return, and longer for paper returns. Find out why your refund may be delayed or may not be the amount you expected.
Most refunds issued in less than 21 days: EITC refunds for many available by March 3. The easiest way to check a refund's status is by using Where's My Refund? on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app. Many factors can affect refund timing after the IRS receives a tax return.
If the IRS is reviewing your return, the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days, depending on the number and types of issues the IRS is reviewing.
You may call us toll-free at 800-829-1040, M - F, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
In 2021, Congress lowered the threshold for reporting income on payment apps from $20,000 and 200 transactions annually to $600 for a single transaction.
If you miss the October extended tax filing deadline, you'll have failure-to-file penalties that are retroactive to your original filing date (typically October 15) and, potentially, failure-to-pay penalties retroactive to the original payment due date (typically April 15) if you still owe taxes.
Refunds will “generally not be paid” during the shutdown, the IRS guidance says, except for taxpayers who electronically file error-free returns using Form 1040 and who can receive direct deposits.
From October 1 to November 12, 2025, the federal government of the United States was shut down as Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year.
February is the busiest period for calls to the Internal Revenue Service's call center. It is also the peak time for visits to IRS offices for face-to-face tax help. The IRS reminds taxpayers that most answers to their tax questions can be quickly found on IRS.gov.
Audit risk in 2025 is driven by both individual behavior and IRS algorithms. Common triggers include high income, unusually large deductions, unreported freelance income, filing errors, and business classification issues.
Common reasons for a tax refund delay include if: You claimed tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit and it is before mid-February. The IRS does not begin releasing refunds with these credits until mid-February. Your return is incorrect or incomplete.
First, e-verify your return as soon as it is filed, as unverified ITRs will not be processed. Next, confirm that your bank account is valid, active, and properly updated on the portal. Linking your PAN with Aadhaar is another essential step to avoid errors.
If your refund details state that it's still processing, you can check your tax return to see if you catch any errors. If your refund status instructs you to contact the IRS, you can speak to an agent to get clarification by calling 1-800-829-1040.