Overview
- Most electronically filed returns with direct deposit are expected to be refunded in 21 days or less, while paper returns can take six to eight weeks if no issues arise.
- Returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit undergo extra checks, with deposits beginning around March 2; refund status is available via Where’s My Refund? and the IRS2Go app with daily updates.
- Implementing Executive Order 14247, the IRS is reducing paper refund checks and prioritizing direct deposit, prepaid cards and other digital options, so taxpayers should provide routing and account numbers to avoid delays.
- The IRS workforce fell from about 102,000 to roughly 74,000 in 2025, and the National Taxpayer Advocate warns that customer service could be challenged for those who run into filing problems.
- Internationally, Mexico’s SAT set a March 31 deadline for most companies (Feb. 16 for nonprofits) and rolled out a prefilled corporate filing platform requiring e.firma and online banking, while Spain’s tax agency scheduled its Renta 2025 campaign for April 8–June 30.