For 2024 tax returns filed in 2025, the vast majority of refunds were paid by late spring or summer 2025, but some refunds can be paid as late as December 2025 or even into 2026, depending on when the return was filed and if it had complications. The IRS has a long tail for processing and issuing refunds, with delays possible for a number of reasons.
Key deadlines that determine
when a refund might be issued:
- For most filers: For electronically
filed returns with direct deposit, the IRS expects to issue most refunds
within 21 days of acceptance.
- For EITC/ACTC filers: By federal law,
the IRS could not issue refunds for returns claiming the Earned Income Tax
Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February
2025. Most of these refunds were expected to arrive by early March 2025.
- For those who filed an extension: The final deadline for extended tax returns for tax year 2024 was October 15, 2025. Refunds for returns filed close to this deadline would be processed later in the year, potentially stretching into December.
Factors that can cause refund
delays:
- Filing method: Paper returns take
significantly longer to process than e-filed returns, requiring 6 to 8
weeks or more.
- Complex returns: Returns with errors,
missing information, or those claiming certain tax credits may be pulled
for a manual review, which can add significant time to the processing
period.
- Late filing: The IRS processes
returns throughout the year, but those filed after the April deadline will
have their refunds processed later than those filed at the beginning of
the tax season.
- IRS backlogs: High filing volume during peak tax season (late March through April) can create backlogs and extend wait times for some taxpayers.
The latest date for an individual to receive a refund would be for a taxpayer who filed an amended paper return late in 2025, or whose return was flagged for a more extensive review. If a return was filed correctly and on time, it is very unlikely a refund would still be outstanding at the end of 2025.
What to do if you haven't
received a refund
The best way to check the status of a 2024 tax refund is by using the
IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool online or the IRS2Go
app.
While most 2024 tax refunds
were paid in 2025 within 21 days for e-filers, there is no single date for when
all refunds were issued. The timeline depends on several factors, and some
returns can take much longer to process.
Typical processing timeline
for 2024 returns
For the 2025 filing season
(for tax year 2024), the IRS issued most refunds within these timeframes,
assuming a basic tax return with no issues:
- Electronically filed return with direct
deposit: Most refunds were delivered in less than 21 calendar days.
- Paper-filed return: These take significantly longer. Processing for paper returns received in 2025 can take six weeks or more.
Factors that can delay a
refund
Several circumstances can
cause a refund to be delayed beyond the 21-day window:
- Claiming certain tax credits: The IRS
is legally prohibited by the PATH Act from issuing refunds before
mid-February for returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or
Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). The IRS was expected to make most of
these refunds available by early March 2025.
- Manual review: Your return may be
selected for further review if it has errors, is incomplete, or appears to
be a potential fraud.
- Paper-filed returns: Returns filed by
mail take longer to be entered into the IRS system and to process. The IRS
is also phasing out paper checks, and taxpayers who requested one in 2025
may have faced delays due to new processing rules.
- Filing an amended return (Form 1040-X): Amended returns take much longer to process, typically up to 16 weeks.
How to check your refund
status
If you filed in 2025 and are
still waiting for your 2024 tax refund, you can check its status using the
official IRS tool:
- Where's My Refund?: Use the online
tool on the IRS
website or the IRS2Go mobile app to get the
most up-to-date information.
- Required information: You will need to provide your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact refund amount shown on your return to track it.
https://www.google.com/search?q=when+will+all+2024+income+tax+refunds+be+paid+in+2025
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