Chime posts tax refunds as soon as they are received from the IRS, often up to 5 days earlier than traditional banks. While there is no guaranteed, exact time, deposits typically arrive early in the morning, often by 9 a.m. EST, on the date the IRS sends the funds.
The IRS issues nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. Chime makes your refund available as soon as we receive it from the IRS. Timing depends entirely on when the IRS sends the payment.
Chime direct deposits hit as soon as Chime receives the payment file from your employer, often up to two days early, but usually by 9:00 a.m. EST on your scheduled payday at the latest, with timing varying based on when your payer sends funds. Funds are made available immediately (no holds) and can arrive anytime from the night before to the morning of your payday, with holidays or weekends causing delays.
Free Online Tax Filing: File 100% for free, max out your tax refund guaranteed^, and get your federal tax refund up to 5 days early* when you direct deposit it with Chime.
When does direct deposit hit? Funds that are directly deposited into a bank account typically go through before 9 a.m. but can arrive as early as midnight.
24 hours after you e-file a current-year return. 3 or 4 days after you e-file a prior-year return. 4 weeks after you file a paper return.
Credit card refunds allow you to get money back for a purchase made with your credit card, usually in the form of a credit to your account. Refunds can take five to 14 business days to process and may not be given in cash.
You'll get a notification when the merchant starts the refund, including an estimated date. Once the money is added to your account, we'll send another notification. —and you'll see it listed as a positive amount in your transactions. Online merchants may provide tracking information on their websites.
Yes, you can get your tax refund before the official due date, often by filing early and using direct deposit, with some tax software even offering to deliver it up to 5 days sooner than the IRS's processing date, though the IRS legally holds Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) refunds until mid-February. Your bank or financial institution also plays a role, as some release funds upon receipt of the electronic transfer, while others wait for the official post date, but filing early speeds up the overall IRS process, typically within 21 days for most non-EITC/ACTC refunds.
Returned deposits are typically sent back to the payer within three business days.
If you have notifications enabled, Chime will send a push notification and email when your direct deposit arrives. Chime can't guarantee the timing of direct deposits. Chime makes direct deposit funds available as soon as we receive the payment file from the provider.
At Chime, we believe you should get your pay as soon as possible. With Get Paid Early,2 you can also get your paycheck up to 2 days earlier than you normally would when you set up direct deposit to your Chime Checking Account. SpotMe ® is fee-free overdraft you don't have to think about.
Typically, the money you receive by direct deposit will be available to you between midnight and 9 a.m. on your payday, though this depends on your bank. Some financial institutions (more commonly fintech companies than traditional banks) may release the money early if they receive advance notice from the ACH file.
The short answer is that most people get their direct deposits by around 9 a.m. local time on payday, though some banks may release the money even earlier (sometimes right after midnight if they receive your employer's payroll file ahead of schedule). ¹ That said, the exact timing of when direct deposit hits can vary.
Refunds from retailers can take several days to process, but Chime posts them immediately once received. If you believe your refund is taking too long, reaching out to 1-833-297-0213 might help you understand next steps. For disputes or Pay Anyone refunds, Chime sometimes allows credits during investigation.
Question: What time of day does the IRS typically deposit tax refunds into bank accounts? Answer: The IRS typically deposits tax refunds between 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM Eastern Time, with most deposits occurring in the early morning hours between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM.
Where's My Refund has the latest information on your return. If you don't have internet, call the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954 for a current-year refund or 866-464-2050 for an amended return.
Refunds usually take 5–7 business days (not including weekends and holidays) to show up in your account.
On average, it takes the IRS up to 21 days to process your refund,8 but if you have direct deposit through Chime, you might get your federal refund up to 5 days early.
To know if a direct deposit is pending, check your bank's mobile app or website for a transaction listed as "Pending," often in a different color (like gray) or with a future date, or sign up for text/email alerts from your bank, or contact your employer's payroll department to see if the payment was initiated, as this is the primary way to confirm if funds are on their way before they fully post.
Refunds to debit cards tend to take between two and five business days, but it can take up to 30 days depending on the company issuing the refund.
The IRS Where's My Refund tool updates once daily, usually overnight, so checking more often isn't necessary; you'll see status changes as your return moves from "Refund Received" to "Refund Approved" and then "Refund Sent," with most e-filed refunds issued within 21 days, but it can take longer if there are errors or extra review needed.
The Internal Revenue Service says it processes about nine out of 10 tax returns within 21 business days. That estimate does not include weekends and holidays. Several factors can affect how fast your get your money.