For 2025 tax returns claiming the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) or Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the IRS will begin releasing refunds around February 17–19, 2025, with most deposited by early March (March 3) for early filers using direct deposit. This delay is due to the PATH Act requiring the IRS to hold refunds involving these credits to verify information, even if filed early in January.
The Child Tax Credit 2024–2025 is worth up to $2,000 per child, with up to $1,700 as a refundable credit. Refunds, including payments by direct deposit, won't be issued before March 3, 2025, for those claiming the Additional Child Tax Credit.
In the 2025 tax year, the CTC will not be paid out in the form of payments. Instead, it's a tax benefit that can provide families with up to $2,200 in tax relief per qualifying child. If your tax is already $0, you could get up to $1,700 per qualifying child as a refund.
For the 2025 tax year (filed in 2026), the IRS started accepting returns on Monday, January 26, 2026, meaning the earliest refunds began processing then, with most issued within 21 days for e-filers, though specific credits like the EITC can delay them until mid-February. While January 27 was an older projected date, January 26, 2026, was the official IRS opening day for filing 2025 taxes.
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.
In particular, taxpayers with the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and a few other credits generally have their refunds delayed by about one month while the IRS confirms eligibility for these credits.
Child Tax Credit (CTC) - partially refundable
If you have a child, you may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit. For 2025, the credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child.
Is the IRS Sending $3,000 Refunds in June 2025? There is no IRS statement that says taxpayers will receive $3,000 payments specifically in June 2025. Any June refunds would apply only to those filing late, filing amended returns, or receiving delayed refunds due to verification issues.
You likely received $1400 from the IRS today as a supplemental payment for the 2021 Economic Impact Payment (EIP3), specifically the Recovery Rebate Credit, for people who missed it by not claiming it or leaving it blank on their 2021 tax return. These are "plus-up" payments for those eligible for the third stimulus but didn't get the full amount, often for dependents or due to income changes, with a deadline to claim it by April 2025 by filing a 2021 return if you hadn't already.
If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS shows your refund will be released mid-February. Refunds should be available in your account by the first week of March if you chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with your tax return.
The IRS will issue advance CTC payments: July 15, Aug. 13, Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov.
Starting in July, most families with children will get child tax credit payments in their bank account. People who receive payments by direct deposit will get their first payment by July 15 and payments will go out on the 15th of the month each month after that until the end of 2021.
Enacted in 1997 and expanded multiple times with bipartisan support since 2001, the Child Tax Credit helps make the cost of raising children more affordable for families. The credit is worth up to $2,200 per eligible child (under age 17 at the end of the tax year) for 2025.
Use the IRS Where's My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to check your refund online. This is the fastest and easiest way to track your refund. The systems are updated once every 24 hours. You can contact the IRS to check on the status of your refund.
The IRS issues refunds only on business days. However, some banks may post deposits on Saturdays if funds are received late on a Friday.
While speculation about a fourth stimulus check has surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim and any such news should be taken with caution as it could be misinformation or attempted fraud.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan), enacted in early March 2021, provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,400 for eligible individuals or $2,800 for married couples filing jointly, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, including adult dependents.
For the 2025 tax year (filed in 2026), the IRS started accepting returns on Monday, January 26, 2026, meaning the earliest refunds began processing then, with most issued within 21 days for e-filers, though specific credits like the EITC can delay them until mid-February. While January 27 was an older projected date, January 26, 2026, was the official IRS opening day for filing 2025 taxes.
During the 2025 tax filing season, the IRS issued more than 93.5 million tax refunds to individual income tax filers, and 93% of those, almost 87 million refunds, were issued through direct deposit. Only 7 percent of individual refund recipients received their refunds by check through the mail.
Yes, some refund checks will be issued in 2025, but the IRS is phasing out paper checks for individual taxpayers starting September 30, 2025, as mandated by an Executive Order, pushing most refunds to electronic delivery (direct deposit) for efficiency and security, so you'll need to provide bank info or risk delays for 2025 tax returns filed after that date.
The Child Tax Credit 2025 remains at up to $2,200 per qualifying child. For those eligible, part of the credit may be refundable through the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). Use our child tax credit 2025 calculator added above to see how much you could receive this year.
The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act significantly affects federal taxes, credits and deductions. It was signed into law on July 4, 2025, as Public Law 119-21, and takes effect in 2025.